Robert is currently the senior technical manager for Lallemand Biofuels and Distilled Spirits. His role has a global remit and supports Lallemand’s technical teams around the world as they partner with fuel ethanol and spirits producers.
Robert has 40 years’ experience of the distilled spirits industry possessing qualifications in both analytical chemistry and a degree in brewing and distilling. He was appointed as a Fellow of the Institute of Brewing in 2012 following his Chairmanship of the 2011 Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference in Glasgow. Roberts career has seen him hold positions as a laboratory assistant at Distillers Company limited, technical brewer at The Caledonian Brewery in Edinburgh, research scientist and laboratory manager at The Scotch Whisky Research Institute, Edinburgh and for 16 years as Chief Chemist for Chivas Brothers Pernod-Ricard based in Scotland. Experience covers process troubleshooting, spirits analysis techniques and extensive knowledge of congeners, flavour chemistry, new product development, maturation and regulated analytes such as trace metals, Ethyl Carbamate, Nitrosamines and Phthalate Esters. Robert has presented papers on the authenticity of Scotch Whisky at the AOAC Conference in Florida, IWABA Butrofos in Cyprus and for a number of years has presented and authored a chapter in the Alcohol Textbook on the subject of analytical techniques in spirits laboratories for the LBDS Alcohol School.
When not in or around alcohol, Robert may be found on a river either salmon fishing or panning for gold!