My Experience
My personal and professional life have been inextricably linked with the City. That experience has been the root of a passionate belief in the ethical as well as economic impact the City and its business community can have on the world around us. It provides me with daily motivation to represent its interests and to drive further opportunity where possible.
The City has given me an enormous amount - friends, professional purpose, a community and an extremely fulfilling career, enabling me to look after my family and clients as well as enhance my interest in the markets.
My family heritage has been intertwined with the City for generations, thanks to our roots in East London and now, two of my children are working in financial services in the City and Canary Wharf. Meanwhile my eternally supportive wife, Elspeth, is a former City corporate lawyer and now a member of The Goldsmiths' Company, based in The Ward of Cheap. I am privileged to combine this background with an international perspective, having been born in Brazil, spent time in Latin America, enjoyed my childhood in South Africa, and served in the British Army in Germany and Canada.
In particular, I have an affiliation with the Ward of Cheap itself. I started work just off Cheapside, my Livery Company, the Haberdashers, has its roots in Gresham Street going back to 1458, and I am Patron of the Ward of Cheap Club. Following the combination of Rathbones and Investec Wealth & Investment UK, I have an office here in the Ward at 30 Gresham Street. Therefore, it is a particular pleasure to work and vote within the Ward I represent.
Having served as an Alderman for six years, following eight years as a Common Councillor, my experience of the City is increasingly multifaceted, combining civic, charity and professional, roles, as well as those of family and friends. In serving you as your Alderman, I am supported by my wife, by Rathbones and by The Haberdashers’ Company. In accordance with the conventions of the City, I am delighted to have received the Court of Aldermen's nomination to serve as Sheriff from September 2025.
All of this, I believe, enables me to serve you effectively.
Civic experience
Now, with over six years experience as an Alderman, following eight years as a Common Councillor, my experience in civic roles includes:
- City of London Corporation Committee experience as Chairman of both the Investment Committee and the Financial Investment Board, and a member of the Policy & Resources Committee (which is the main decision-making body), Finance, the Police and other Committees.
- I am a Patron of the Ward of Cheap Club.
- I am a Past Master of the Guild of Investment Managers, and on the Court of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, where I have served as Warden.
- I am the Corporation’s appointee to the Board of the Impact Investing Institute.
Professional experience
I have had a career in financial services spanning more than 30 years, affording me a firm understanding that the financial district exists primarily to serve people. This has included:
- A fulfilling career to date as an Investment Director at Rathbones, with a team, managing global multi-asset portfolios over £1.25bn for individuals, families, trusts, pensions and charities.
- I served as a Director of the company, spent 12 years as a member of the Management and Executive Committees and represented Rathbones at industry CEO events.
- In 2010, I created and chaired what is now the Rathbones Stewardship Committee, which has engaged in issues including Arctic oil drilling, board composition, executive pay and modern-day slavery.
- I am Rathbones appointee to The City UK Business Council.
- I am on the Board of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment and chair the Audit & Risk and Investment Committees.
- I have previously been a Non-executive Director of the social impact investment company Investing for Good.
Charity experience
'A Better City for All' is, with good reason, the slogan of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Board as it seeks to promote through its pillars of being inclusive, healthy, skilled and fair. It is a sentiment I share wholeheartedly. This year the specific charities being supported by the Lord Mayor’s Appeal Board are National Numeracy, MQ Mental Health and Homewards.
I also believe that the many churches around the City can often provide a sanctuary in the midst of our busy-ness and are a reminder of the values and ethics that we strive to uphold in the community. Indeed, the Corporation’s motto is Domine Dirige Nos (Lord guide us).
- I am delighted to be a St Catherine Friend and Churchwarden of St Lawrence Jewry, which plays a central role in the City's life, and I have Chaired the organising committee for the Annual City Prayer Breakfast for eight years.
- Currently, I am a trustee at the Samuel Wilson Loan Trust, which provides business loans to young entrepreneurs and the Morden College that provides residential care for older people.
- I am on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics, Oxford and a trustee of the Templeton Education and Charity Trust.
- I have previously been a trustee of the Trust for London and was involved in making £10m of grants a year and visiting some of the projects to help the poor and disadvantaged of London. I have previously been a trustee of Mercy Ships UK, which runs the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ships.
With Elspeth Hughes-Penney at the church of St. Lawrence Jewry.
Elspeth Hughes-Penney says
“I was born and brought up in Yorkshire and went on to read law at Nottingham University.
After law school in Chester and completing my training as a solicitor in London, I specialised in corporate finance and corporate law in the investment and insurance company sectors, while also advising on employment law, and subsequently became an associate partner at my firm.
I took time out to bring up our three children, although continued as an employment law consultant to my firm until our youngest was born. Our older two children now work in the City and the youngest is studying Theology at university.
I completed the FT Non-Executive Diploma in 2012, with a view to developing a portfolio career. More recently, since qualifying as a Spiritual Director, I have the privilege of providing space for people to reflect upon and deepen their spiritual lives.
I am a Freeman of the Goldsmiths’ Company and sit on the Advisory Committee of the Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s Fund.
I have been active in supporting Robert with his civic role in the City. As he seeks election as Aldermanic Sheriff, I am enjoying connecting with prison charities supported by the Sheriffs’ and Recorder’s Fund. I am looking forward to being more actively involved with the Old Bailey and am particularly motivated by the statue of one of my ancestors, the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry, which stands in the Great Hall!”
