Non Executive Director

Robert Conlon

After graduating from Edinburgh University in the mid-80s with a first-class honours degree in Maths and Physics, Robert began his investment career (almost by accident) with Ivory & Sime plc in Edinburgh, then one of the UK’s leading investment trust managers.  Robert was soon sent to the US to manage the firm’s US smaller companies portfolios.  

In 1993 he moved to Hong Kong where for the next 10 years he managed Asian portfolios, latterly as Chief Investment Officer for Investec Asset Management Asia.

Robert returned to the UK 2003 joining BlackRock, to cover Asian equities from their Edinburgh offices.  Before he left BlackRock in 2015, he was managing £3 billion of their funds.

Robert has managed investment trusts, unit trusts, and portfolios for sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and public and private sector pension funds. He has spoken at numerous investment conferences, was regularly interviewed by CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg TV and has frequently presented to trustees and investment trust boards. 

Robert lives in Edinburgh with his wife and two teenage sons.  In his spare time, he teaches maths on a voluntary basis at a local secondary school, and also coaches a local boys’ football team, so his son is always guaranteed a game!