Bob Gibson was born in Glasgow and, although he went south in his early days on the road to Carlisle, you could not take Scotland out of him. He began his career at the BBC and then joined the Royal Navy and truly saw the world. When he returned to the UK, he joined the Public Trustee Authority which gave him a taste for fund management and investment. This neatly dovetailed to his joining the Electricity Supply Nominees (the third largest pension fund in the UK), and he became its Chief Executive. After selling the fund management business, he formed KASPAR Associates Ltd. with his co-director and partner, Dr Karen Sieracki. They continued to work in fund management, the biotechnology sector and mergers and acquisitions.

Bob and Karen travelled the world for work, thought, analysis and inspiration. He died of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a rare disease which commences with the absorption -– quite possibly unwittingly -– of toxic dust or spores.

He will be remembered as a caring, cultured, intelligent, gentle and interesting man, and many of us will have fond memories of him. His dry, wry wit and his off-hand observations were a characteristic hallmark of his conversations which engaged people and pushed the boundaries of inquisitiveness.

Bob leaves his wife Dr Karen Sieracki who has been the London Chapter President for 5 years and last October in Chicago became the first Lady President of Lambda Alpha International. Both Bob and Karen have worked tirelessly for Lambda Alpha over the last 10 years and were instrumental in the formation of The Irish Chapter of Lambda Alpha. It was Bob’s idea that we hold the 2011 Spring LAI Economic weekend in Scotland and before his illness did a lot of work towards the prepareations for this event.

Bob will be greatly missed and the members of the London Chapter extend their heartfelt condolences to Karen and the family at this very difficult time.

Mari McMorrough Kavanagh
LAI London Secretary