Robert has over 20 years' experience leading and developing sustainable innovative programmes for knowledge institutions, commercial real estate, third sector and industry associations. As the Director of the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability at the University of East London, he leads strategic collaboration and co-creation initiatives, ranging from digital innovation, net zero transition for cities and industry, skills and talent pathways through to entrepreneur programmes that deliver impactful outcomes in communities, industries and nature.

Alongside his role at UEL, Robert is a Net Zero Cities advisor for Climate KIC and their European Net Zero Cities programme while prior to joining UEL Robert’s career ranged from, co-founding a start-up delivering net zero supply chains and a national programme director in the UK and Netherlands for the Urban Land Institute, delivering sustainable communities across the built environment globally. A key thread throughout his career is developing collaboration to create a step change where people and organisations actively deliver sustainable impacts that positively influence wider society, culture and the environment.