STAFF HIGHLIGHT
Nothing is impossible
We met Robert Chater to look back over his varied career at Hult and discuss his retirement plans.
After serving as COO, Bob has worked as Hult’ s Executive Director since 2010. His wide-ranging role has taken him to cities all around the world – Dubai, London, New York, and San Francisco in the past year alone – and has introduced him to a variety of different cultures. He also regularly deals with the world’ s top business leaders and politicians. It was at the beginning of his time as Executive Director that Bob says he achieved his greatest professional success: ensuring that Hult became the first private school in the U. K. to be awarded Quality Assurance Authority( QAA) recognition. Having personally hand-picked the staff, faculty, and students who took part in the inspection process, he considers this achievement the perfect example of hands-on leadership.
Robert Chater joined Hult nine years ago in 2007, after leading Huron University USA in London’ s due diligence process when the two institutions merged. Appointed Chief Operating Officer( COO) for his first three years, Bob drove many initiatives that shape who we are today. These projects included the launch of Hult campuses in Dubai, London, and San Francisco, along with the implementation of the Global Campus Rotation program.
“ It was an intoxicating experience to help build [ a new campus ] from scratch,” Bob recalls.“ Meeting President Stephen Hodges in Hong Kong on day one to strategize over where to open the next campus, then finding myself looking at real estate in San Francisco just five days later.”
Although he achieved remarkable success as COO, it wasn’ t easy.“ I was given the mandate‘ go build a global business school,’ but there was no manual to follow,” Bob explains.“ We simply went and did it. Taking on Hult’ s core values – passion, entrepreneurial spirit, attention to detail – meant we could never be afraid of making mistakes.”
Although Bob never got the chance to fulfill his boyhood dream of playing professional football for Leicester or Blackpool, he found other ways to distinguish himself; as an accountant, he strove to break the mold and generate creative solutions to business problems, a mindset that would serve him well for the rest of his career. After seeing Hult mature both as an academic institution and as a business over the past decade, Bob says he has learned one major lesson:“ nothing is impossible.” He cites Hult’ s rapid global expansion and the success of the Hult Prize as two significant recent turning points that will propel us to a brighter future.
As for what comes next, Bob hopes to stay involved in an external capacity. As someone who has seen the school grow since 2007, he also hopes to be given the project of charting Hult’ s recent history. However, he is most looking forward to pursuing his other passions – football( specifically going to Anfield to watch the Reds win the Premier League), photography, and playing guitar – as well as spending quality time with his wife and family.
You can get in touch with Bob and keep track of his adventures on LinkedIn or via email at robert. chater @ hult. edu
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