Robert E. B. Peake
Chairman, Founding Shareholder, Tax Leadership Team

International tax adviser experienced for over twenty-five years in advising global investors on managing tax risks. Robert has considerable experience in a number of industry sectors including oil and gas, financial institutions and sovereign wealth funds and has advised on how to do business in the region, assisting regional investors wishing to globalize their activities, developing tax policies/strategies, managing tax risks, tax controversy, and maximizing return by reducing tax liabilities.

Formerly, a UK Tax Inspector, Robert became Director and Partner of International Tax Services with Ernst & Young Middle East, and later Head of Tax and Legal Services for Lower Gulf and Kuwait with Arthur Andersen. He also served as Senior Tax Adviser to Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, and Adviser to Abu Dhabi government agencies regarding FTAs, investment treaties and tax treaties - he was also a former member of the UAE Free Trade Agreements negotiation team with particular responsibility for matters relating to investment and dispute settlement.

Robert was a Member of the Drafting Committee of Sovereign Wealth Funds’ International Working Group that concluded the “Santiago Principles” and served as observer to the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds. He has previously been appointed as an expert witness for the State of Alaska on oil and gas taxation within the GCC.

Former Chairman of the GCC Branch of the International Fiscal Association, Robert is also a founding shareholder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Cragus Group Limited.

Originally from the UK, Robert spent several years located in Denmark, Kenya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE; he has an M.A. from Cambridge, a Ph.D. from London and a postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from IMC, Buckingham. He is recognized as a leading tax adviser by International Tax Review in their annual World Tax rankings, and by Euromoney’s Guide to the World’s Leading Tax Advisers. Robert has also spoken at numerous events, including IFA, and the Tax Executives Institute Middle East conference.