Robert was appointed on 7 March 2016 and is a member of the Audit Committee. Robert was until recently also a non-executive director of Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust having been appointed in 2008, and served as deputy chairman and senior independent director from 2011. He is also a director of HF Holidays Ltd. 

Prior to taking up the role of non-executive director, Robert held several senior management and director positions in the private sector, most recently in Premier Farnell plc, where he was Finance Director of the Europe and Asia Pacific division. This consisted of over 20 businesses across Europe and Asia with a turnover in excess of £400 million.

He was previously Finance Director and Company Secretary of National Tyres and Autocare Ltd and was Executive Director of Finance of GUS Catalogue Order Ltd. He has also been employed by The Co-operative Bank plc, and Price Waterhouse & Co. He has wide experience of general and financial management and much of his career has been spent in competitive industries with a focus on customer service. 

He has a degree from Leeds University and he is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.