Robert Chaves

Strategic Advisory Board

Robert (Bob) Chaves is Chairman of Nottingham Spirk, the leading independent innovation consulting firm in the US. A seasoned partner level investor with over 38 years of experience, Bob has built a distinguished career in Private Equity, Venture Capital, Distressed/Special Situations, and Family Office investing, with a track record of exceptional returns. As a Partner at MatlinPatterson’s $4 billion private equity funds, Bob led the landmark turnaround of MCI/WorldCom, then the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history. The investment became the fund’s most successful, generating a 3.3x return and over $1.1 billion in proceeds. The significant national security implications of MCI/WorldCom operating essential communications infrastructure for the U.S. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community, played a critical role in the investment thesis.

At 32, Bob led the acquisition of Minera Autlán, the world’s eighth-largest producer of manganese and ferroalloys, during Mexico’s privatization program. As CFO, and later President and Vice Chairman, he successfully turned around the company, which went on to post the best stock market performance on the Mexican Stock Exchange in 1995. His leadership earned him election as Vice Chairman of the International Manganese Institute in Paris, where he led initiatives on safety, health, and environmental policy for the global industry group. 

Bob has served as Senior Advisor to organizations including Giuliani Partners, GMG Capital, MP Global Advisers, the Center for National Policy, Kostas Research Institute, and the Global Resilience Institute. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Bob holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, with a double major in Finance and Multinational Management, and a BS from the State University of New York at Albany, with a double major/minor in Business Administration/Management and Psychology/Statistics.