Robert has over 30 years experience in technology innovation. Since founding Innoxec in 2010, Robert has worked with a range of companies, universities and colleges, innovation intermediaries and government departments. He serves on several Board of Directors including private and not-for-profit organizations and is active in a number of standards committees. Robert currently serves as the Executive Director of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (cae-acg.ca).
Prior to founding Innoxec, Robert worked ten years leading innovation intermediaries where he ran over $140 million in programs involving over 200 companies and 25 academic institutions. Positions included CEO of the National Capital Institute of Telecommunications, Executive Director of the Ontario Research Network in Electronic Commerce, CEO of NanoQuébec, and VP Operations of Precarn Incorporated.
Before entering the public domain Robert spent fifteen years with the Nortel family of companies - Bell Northern Research, Northern Telecom Electronics and Nortel Advanced Technologies where he rose from a Member of Scientific Staff to hold a number of Director level roles in advanced technology strategic planning, advanced research networks, disruptive technologies, and global external research. Robert started his career in innovation with General Electric (Canada) and Sulzer (Canada) where he had roles in light and heavy manufacturing and project management for nuclear power systems respectively.
Robert sits on the Boards of Directors of NanoOntario and the Canadian Association for Security and Intelligence Studies and the Partnership Group for Science and Engineering (PAGSE). He is active in standards development for new technologies including the CSA Strategic Steering Committee on Power Engineering and Electromagnetic Compatibility (SCOPE) and ISO mirror committees in nanotechnology, additive manufacturing and innovation. He served one year as Executive-in-Residence" at the Telfer School of Management at the University of Ottawa.
Robert received his Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Business from McGill University, his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering also from McGill, and a Doctorate in electromagnetic compatibility from the University of Ottawa. He is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, a Senior Member of the IEEE, a registered Engineer (P.Eng) in the Province of Ontario, a certified project management professional (PMP), and a certified corporate director (ICD.D).
