Robert was born June 1944 and brought up near Glasgow mainly in the shipbuilding town of Clydebank. He went to the local High School and met Margaret, his  wife of 50 years. He swam and played water polo at national level and played football at school.

He graduated from Glasgow University with a Pure Science degree and was not sure what he wanted to do so he became an accountant and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. This was an entrée into Industry and he joined Unilever in 1970 and then had a 26 years’ career.

Robert and Margaret first visited  Australia  in 1975 and was with Rosella Foods in Richmond. They lived in Beaumaris and the kids attended the local Primary and were members at St Martins Church. 

They returned to London in 1978 and then he served on the Boards of Unilever’s biggest operating companies in the UK, Sweden, Nigeria, and Indonesia.

Robert took early retirement in 1996.

They remained in Indonesia after he retired and had his own company carrying out projects for multinationals around Asia. Apart from a financial background he helped businesses improve their customer service and related supply chain, IT, and management structures.

They had been visiting Melbourne – mainly when Carlton were in the Grand Final – and returned in 2001 having bought a flat in St Kilda Road. He continued  working from here and also for several Australian companies.

Family issues required a return to the UK in 2007 and Robert worked with the NHS on the Executive Committee of a group of GP Surgeries and was a Trustee with a community bus charity.

They sold their home of 30 years near London in mid-2015. and now live on Beach Road, Sandringham.
Robert has joined the Yacht Club and is a member of Peninsula Kingswood Golf Club.
They enjoy the pleasures of the Art Centre and sport events such as the Australian Tennis Open.

Robert and Margaret have two children who live overseas and five grandchildren.