Robert retired from the federal government in 2015, after serving 6 years as the Assistant Deputy Minister for Science and Innovation at Industry Canada. He was also responsible for the management of several programs including the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative (SADI) and the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP).
Prior to joining Industry Canada, Robert served at the Assistant Deputy Minister level at Finance Canada, where he co-managed the Economic Development and Corporate Finance Branch between 2004 and 2009. Over his 32-year career in the federal government, Robert worked in several departments in policy development, program management and supporting ministers.
Since his retirement, he has taken on several paid and pro bono assignments. He served as advisor to the secretariat supporting Canada’s Fundamental Science Review, chaired by Dr. David Naylor. He was the principal drafter of the proposal for a National Quantum Strategy for Canada. Robert also sits on the boards of the Institute for Quantum Computing (advisory) at the University of Waterloo, the Healthy Brains, Healthy Lives initiative at McGill University, and Compute Canada (2017 – 2022).
Robert is a native Montrealer who graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1982.