Rob is director, environmental, social and governance (ESG) research. He is also a member of the firm’s Sustainability Committee and Stewardship Committee. In his role, Rob leads Breckinridge’s ongoing ESG integration and issuer engagement efforts. Rob has been with the firm since 2010 and has over 26 years of research experience. Prior to Breckinridge, Rob was a senior research analyst at Opus Investment Management. Rob began his career in credit research at State Street Bank & Trust Co. as a participant in its commercial loan officer development program. Rob is a member of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, a member of the Board of Overseers for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, a member of the CFA Institute's ESG Technical Committee and a Town Meeting Member for the Town of Needham, MA. He holds a B.S. from Boston College, an MBA from the Boston University School of Management and a Master of Liberal Arts in Sustainability from the Harvard University Extension School. He is a CFA® charter holder and is an FSA Credential holder.
What inspired your decision to join the board, and how does it fuel your dedication to our mission?
My decision to join the board goes back to the time I spent as a loaned executive to the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. My first job out of college was at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. At the time, the company participated in a program through which employees were “loaned” to the United Way for a year to help coordinate corporate fundraising campaigns. I had the opportunity to learn firsthand about United Way’s important work by visiting United Way supported agencies and facilitating campaign events at company offices. It was such a great experience! In the end, I became a lifelong, enthusiastic supporter of United Way’s invaluable mission to the community.
What is one leadership insight that you use to drive success within your organization/team?
I work as director of environmental, social and governance (ESG) research at Breckinridge Capital Advisors. Breckinridge is an investment manager based in Boston that serves a variety of clients, including high net worth individuals and institutions. A leadership insight that motivates me in my work is the value of collaboration. As my mother always said to me growing up, “Many hands make light work!” By working as a team, my Breckinridge colleagues and I have developed innovative solutions aimed at meeting the investment objectives of our clients. Emphasizing teamwork also fosters inclusion and a fun and positive working environment.
What are you most excited about your organization/team accomplishing over the coming year?
To best serve our clients, Breckinridge seeks to understand the key risks that may detract from the return on our investments. We believe that climate change and its impact on local regions and the broader economy represents a particularly material risk that is poised to become more serious over time. Over the coming year, I am excited about our plans to continue building out our capabilities to address climate risks in our investments.
What piece of advice would you give to others looking to bolster their own leadership skills?
I would suggest spending time reading about leadership and the traits of successful leaders. They can provide helpful ideas to consider and practice in your own life. Great books that I’ve read and would recommend include Good to Great by Jim Collins, Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey and The Road to Character by David Brooks. I would also suggest checking out the series of articles on leadership from the Harvard Business Review.
Any other thoughts regarding your leadership style or professional journey you'd like to share?
A final thought related to leadership and the workplace is to be flexible and open to change. Years ago, I was working in investment research when I had the opportunity to take on ESG leadership responsibilities at Breckinridge. It was early days in the industry for ESG analysis and sustainable finance. Since then, hiring of ESG professionals in the investment and corporate communities took off. It has basically evolved into brand-new career track! I’m glad I had the opportunity to jump into it as I have found it to be quite interesting and rewarding.