Born in Glasgow on 3 August 1949, Robert was educated at Ardvreck, Crieff then at Redrice, near Andover in Hampshire.

He qualified as a Banker with the Bank of London and became a stockbroker, passing the Securities Institute examinations.

In 1969 he joined the Bank of London and South America as a Trainee through to Senior Branch Manager specialising in trade, project finance and foreign exchange. In 1985 he was transferred to Lloyds bank in Dubai, United Arab Emirates as Country Manager with responsibility for Oman and Iran. In 1986 he was transferred to London as a senior manager for Lloyds barter and countertrading division in the Far East. He undertook work as an advisor to the government in Taiwan on countertrade policy. Then in 1987, he returned to Brazil.

He was President for only six or seven months, being transferred back to the UK in the middle of his term. However, Robert remembers that he was in favour of ladies joining the Society as full members. The vote was taken in November 1983, but the Rules and Regulations of the Society were only amended in 1989. At the time the Munro Cup was being thought of, Robert met with the President of the American Society, and was amazed to hear later that the Scots had won the first competition!

He founded the Caledonian Society in Prague, Czech Republic, in 1996, and the first Caledonian ball hosted 400 guests, with Iain MacPhail and his Band presiding! In Cuba, Robert had a go at setting up a Scottish Society but there weren`t too many Scots around, so it didn`t catch on! After Cuba, Robert ran the London Marathon and the Great Bike Hike raising money for the UK Heart Foundation. He married Suely in 2005, returned to Brazil in 2006, but at the time of writing is in the UK as Financial Director of Superfruits Global.