The Innovation Hub at Carleton University is delighted to announce the appointment of Robert Hocking as its inaugural Entrepreneur-in-Residence. A serial entrepreneur and consultant for international brands, Robert brings expertise in brand strategy, customer acquisition, and global scale-up to the role, which provides coaching and mentoring to Carleton students interested in innovation and new venture creation.
Robert started his career in advertising and launched his own agency in 1995. Over the following eight years, Robert expanded the business into a group of four integrated agencies specializing in advertising, public relations, digital and environmental design. He was recognized as one of Ottawa’s top executives under the age of 40.
After selling his interest in the business, he joined Ogilvy and Mather as Vice-President, Strategy, dividing his time between Toronto, Chicago, and New York, after which he joined its sister firm of Young & Rubicam. In 2007, he joined the preeminent retail and brand design company Fitch Worldwide in London as Chief Development Officer. His career led him to launch a retail and brand consultancy in partnership with Philip Ventures in the Netherlands, and an e-commerce company in the UK before returning to Canada.
In addition to his work as a business and brand consultant, Robert has worked in higher education as a Teaching Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Said Business School and as a guest lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, Leeds University, Delft University of Technology, University College London and the London School of Economics. In 2019, he co-published a book entitled, “The Store (What Is It Good For?) And the Future of Retail Experience.”
Carleton students who are interested in scheduling a coaching session with Robert may do so by contacting the Innovation Hub at innovationhub@carleton.ca .