Rob Gillam is a global investor, entrepreneur, and Alaska business leader with more than 30 years of experience investing capital across international markets for institutions, pension plans, and sovereign wealth funds. Known for his strategic vision, global connectivity, and deep understanding of Alaska’s economy and history, Rob has built a career identifying long-term opportunities at the intersection of capital, innovation, and the Arctic.
As CEO of McKinley Management, Rob oversees the firm’s corporate strategy and leads its investment business. Since joining McKinley Capital Management in 1994, he helped transform the company into a globally recognized investment manager, building its international investment platform, and serving in senior leadership roles including CIO, Executive Vice President, and President/CEO.
In 2019, Rob launched McKinley’s first private investment fund focused on Alaska and Arctic opportunities, recognizing the region’s growing geopolitical and economic importance. Under his leadership, McKinley Alaska Private Investment was created in 2021 and now offers investors an Arctic investment platform with three funds and several direct investments, including Alaska Cargo and Cold Storage, a major logistics and cold-storage development at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport.
One of Rob’s career highlights was co-authoring the research publication Global Equity Markets with Particular Emphasis on Chinese Stocks alongside Dr. Harry Markowitz, Ph.D., Nobel laureate, creator of Modern Portfolio Theory, and Chair of McKinley Capital’s Scientific Advisory Board. Rob is a recognized industry speaker and has appeared at the Bloomberg Invest forum, the Milken Institute Global Conference, and the Institute for Fiduciary Education.
Rob serves as Chairman of the Board of Microbion Corporation, is a member of the Board of Directors of STAK Energy Corporation and sits on the investment committee of the Rasmuson Foundation. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).
A third-generation Alaskan, Rob lives in Anchorage with his wife and two college-age sons. He is an avid fly-fisherman and wilderness adventurer who enjoys reading books from his extensive Alaska collection. Rob remains deeply passionate about the future of Alaska and the unique opportunities emerging across the Arctic and the Last Frontier.