A science graduate, Robert joined Wood Mackenzie & Co as an investment analyst in April 1977. During the 1980s he was involved in a series of UK privatisations (e.g. Jaguar, and British Airways) and IPOs. Robert covered the UK water companies from their 1989 privatisation, and their waste counterparts from 1990. He has a broad knowledge of European water and waste companies, particularly the French, and has also written extensively about infrastructure.

He joined Merrill Lynch in March 1998 after nearly 21 years at Wood Mackenzie and successor firms (eg NatWest Markets). His equity coverage extended across water & waste management companies, including continental European stocks. Retired from Merrill Lynch in July 2008.

Since May 2010 he has been a non-executive director of RPS Group plc – an international consultancy providing advice on the built and natural environments and to the energy & resources industries; he is the senior independent director. Robert also undertakes bespoke project work for a range of corporates & organisations.

His other interests include politics and horse racing (with horses in both UK and Eire), Robert lives on a farm near Melrose in the Scottish Borders.