New William Pitt Fellow admitted

On Friday 13th May, the Pembroke College Corporate Partnership Programme admitted a new William Pitt Fellow, Robert Davis. Robert joins as the new William Pitt Fellow for Grosvenor; one of the college’s oldest Partners, who joined the Corporate Partnership Programme in 2001.

Robert has been at Grosvenor since 2006 and currently holds the role of Chief Financial Officer, as well as being a member of the Grosvenor Group board and one of two appointed non-executive directors on all the Grosvenor’s Operating Company boards. Previously Robert worked with General Motors for 12 years as Treasurer and Controller of Vauxhall Motors, and Chief Operating Officer, European Operations for GMAC Commercial Finance Plc. Robert was educated at Cambridge University (BA Economics 1989) and has an MBA from London Business School (1994).

For the ceremony, Robert was accompanied by his wife, Anne, and his parents, Roy and Christine Davis. Robert and Anne met in their first term at Cambridge, both studying economics, at St Catharine’s and Newnham Colleges retrospectively.

William Pitt Fellowship admission ceremonies are held in the Thomas Gray Room and involve the signing of the official College books, followed by the gowning of the new Pitt Fellow. The Master and Praelector presided over the ceremony, and several other members of the fellowship were present, including three of our Corporate Fellows, Professor Mike Payne, Dr Simon Learmount and Dr Mark Wormald, and the bursar, Dr Andrew Cates.

The ceremony was also attended by three of our other William Pitt Fellows, Richard Rawcliffe, Dr Richard Parmee, and Wang Shi, and it was wonderful to see this community coming together in person.

It was also wonderful to welcome back Jeremy Newsum, the original William Pitt Fellow for Grosvenor. Professor Colin Lizieri, Grosvenor Professor of Real Estate Finance, was sadly unable to attend but was very much missed. Professor David Howarth, from the Department of Land Economy, and Rosalind Griffin, from CUDAR, were also in attendance and it was overall a lively and productive occasion!

The ceremony was followed by dinner at High Table and dessert in the Senior Parlour, where both the Master and Robert reflected on the relationship between Pembroke and Grosvenor, and spoke about their hopes for the future of our Partnership.

We are delighted to officially welcome Robert as our new William Pitt Fellow and look forward to our ongoing relationship with Grosvenor.