Robert was born Chinese, grew up Dutch, was Canadian, and is now American.
While practicing accounting in Toronto, Robert woke up one day, flew to New York, and became a graphic designer instead. Since then, he has had the privilege of working on some of the world’s most loved brands – Google, Starbucks, Apple, Harley-Davidson, Jack Daniel’s, ESPN, MTV, NPR, and other acronyms.
Currently at the Creative Lab, Robert leads a small team of amazingly talented people within Google to help communicate to the world the magic of Google products and the spirit of the people who make them.
Prior to Google, Robert was Executive Creative Director of Arnold Worldwide, the agency most famous for a decade of epic Volkswagen advertising in the ’90s. Before that, he was Vice President of Creative at Starbucks responsible for every touch point customers have with the brand globally. His work has won nearly every industry award and is represented in the permanent collections of the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
Robert has no plans of ever going back to accounting.
Director of Brand and Marketing, Nokia
CEO, Jayaashree Industries
Vice President, Global Design, Colgate Palmolive
Senior Creative, Wieden+Kennedy, Delhi
Chairman and Head of Design, ART+COM
Chairman and National Creative Director, BBDO India
CEO, Wolff Olins
Co-CEO, Executive Creative Director & Account Planner, Hakuhodo Kettle
Director, Opera Amsterdam
Founder, Mitticool Clay Creation
Graphic Artist, bantjes.com
Creative Director & Founder, PARTY Tokyo & New York
Vice President, Experience Design, Adobe
Founder & ECD, Poke UK
Director/ Designer, Commercial Type, UK
Principle Design Manager, Microsoft
Creative Director, Icemobile & Muse
President, Sterling Brands