Get to know; Rob Charlton

People Person. Businessman. Living the Dream...

From being a mere four years of age Rob knew he wanted to be an architect. It was his granddad – his hero – who, working in the building industry as a site agent, managing construction schemes around the North-East, inspired Rob’s building design ambitions. And here we are, (almost!) fifty years on, and Rob is living out his dream, inspiring and supporting the next generation of aspiring architects. He genuinely loves what he does and wouldn’t change it for any other job in the world!

Ironically, these days Rob doesn’t get as much time as he’d like to get involved in the detail of designing buildings, although he does still often enjoy the part he plays in internal design reviews and meeting building owners and users. He’s usually kept busy with the many other aspects involved in running a business. Luckily, he revels in that too. While he’s not managing business operations, Rob will have his head in the Financial Times, reading articles about other businesses, new markets, and innovation – something that really gives him a buzz. The other place you may find Rob is in the gym. He regularly works out to keep himself fit and healthy but openly admits he hates it – he sees it as a necessary evil!

Rob loves to spend time with his family and also enjoys travelling too – although he’s never really ‘off work’ – he just takes it with him wherever he goes as he loves it so much! His favourite place to spend time, besides Newcastle of course, is Italy. It’s a country he’s been visiting regularly since 1999, when he first discovered Lake Garda’s beautiful scenery, weather, and what he describes as ‘the Italian way’ – a laidback attitude to life with, seemingly, few worries or cares.

It's arguably a cliché, but Rob truly is a ‘people person’. He’s a real social animal. He relishes meeting new people, hearing their stories and understanding what makes them tick. Being able to support colleagues towards achieving their own career goals is something Rob sees as a great privilege and finds highly rewarding.