Bob Diamond

Founder & CEO

Atlas Merchant Capital

Bob Diamond is Founder and CEO of Atlas Merchant Capital (“Atlas”). Atlas takes a merchant banking approach to global financial services investments with a particular focus on Africa and Investment Management. In pursuit of this strategy, Bob co-founded and invested in Atlas Mara, an Africa investment vehicle, in partnership with the Mara Group.   Atlas Mara completed its initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange in December 2013. Atlas Mara’s focus is on acquiring and growing an African financial services firm.

Bob was recently Chief Executive of Barclays PLC, and prior to that CEO of Barclays Capital, where he built the investment bank, and Barclays Global Investors, the asset management division of Barclays PLC. Bob also oversaw the integration of Barclays and ABSA’s African business across nine countries in Africa under one brand, and launched the pan-African corporate and investment bank, ABSA Capital. In 2009 ABSA Bank was recognized as ‘‘the most innovative bank in Africa.’’

Prior to that he worked at Morgan Stanley for over ten years. Bob is currently involved in several Africa initiatives. He is Co-Chairman globally and President of the New York Chapter of Invest Africa (a private club for individuals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs to gain insight and opportunity in the African market). He is working with the Atlantic Council and Council on Foreign Relations on instituting an annual lecture on Africa with The Diamond Family Foundation (‘‘DFF’’). He is a board member of the DFF, which has supported multiple organizations in Africa. The DFF received the Princeton in Africa award in November of 2013 for its philanthropy and business activities in Africa.

A native of Concord, Massachusetts, Bob received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Colby College in Maine (1974) and an MBA from the University of Connecticut, where he ranked first in his class (1977).  He was awarded Doctor of Humane Letters from the University of Connecticut in 2006 and Doctor of Laws from Colby College in 2008.