Today marks the final working day of DPP’s longest-serving team member, Bob Robinson. After a remarkable 38 years, Director Michelle Davies, the only person who has been at DPP almost as long, reflects on Bob’s career, character and legacy.
After nearly four decades at DPP, Bob’s retirement marks the end of an era. As the only person who has been with the company almost as long, I feel both privileged and a little daunted to step into the role of “longest-serving” member of the team. It also gives me the honour of reflecting on a career that has shaped so many of our colleagues and so many communities.
When I joined DPP in the late 1980s, Bob already had a reputation for being impressively well-informed. This was attributed, half jokingly, to his habit of spending time near the fax machine in our Bedford office, monitoring everyone else’s project updates from across the business. Whether or not that was true, what was clear from the outset was Bob’s deep curiosity and his commitment to understanding the work of the company.
By the 1990s he had relocated to the Leeds office, where he became an important mentor to me. Before my first Public Inquiry, he offered a simple but invaluable piece of advice: “Just remember Michelle, you know way more about your subject than the **@% cross-examining you”. It was delivered with humour, but the confidence it gave me was real and lasting.
In the 2010s, Bob took on the leadership of our London office adding further to his skillset. Across every role and location, he brought consistency, integrity and a calm, pragmatic approach that colleagues and clients valued greatly.
What truly stands out is how Bob has embodied DPP’s People Values throughout his career – Integrity. Professionalism. Dependability. Teamwork. Respect. All apply to Bob without hesitation. Balance may be the exception, as he would readily admit to being a dedicated planning enthusiast, but that commitment is precisely what makes him who he is.
His professional legacy spans major retail schemes, new schools, improvements to existing education estates, and projects that have shaped communities across the country. As Bob retires, he leaves behind not only an impressive portfolio of projects but also his impact on the culture of DPP and the many people who have worked alongside him. He has mentored those now leading the company in current CEO, Gareth Hooper and COO, Faith Folley, but beyond DPP, there are numerous examples of planners in some of the highest profile roles in the UK whose early career was shaped by Bob. His ‘Farewell Tour’ over the past 12 months has seen many of those people reach out to Bob to say their personal thanks, a true reflection of a wonderful man – kind, generous with his time and always great fun to be around.
We wish him every happiness in retirement and thank him sincerely for the dedication, wisdom and good humour that have been the hallmarks of his 38 years with us.
Always someone with a view on everything, Bob’s thoughts on his career and how to thrive can be read here: https://dppukltd.com/london/bob-robinson-reflects-on-his-career-and-on-how-to-thrive/ and his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities for planning for schools here: https://dppukltd.com/education/planning-for-schools-bob-robinson-reflects-on-the-challenges-and-opportunities/
