back                   Distinguished Cornell '79 Classmates Honored at the 40th Reunion                    next
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Robert J. Gemmell

Rob is a Canadian businessman who spent 25 years as a successful investment banker in the US and Canada. Prior to retirement in 2008, he spent 12 years as President and CEO of Citigroup Global Markets Canada and two years as a member of the Global Operating Committee, where he was one of 20 senior officers charged with managing and leading global operations.

Prior to that, Rob spent six years as Vice Chairman, head of Mergers and Acquisitions, and head of Corporate Finance at Merrill Lynch Canada where he is widely credited with introducing the US corporate high yield market to Canadian corporations. In 2000, he was the principal advisor on what was then the largest M&A transaction in Canadian history; in 2004, he was the principal advisor on the largest high yield financing transaction in Canadian corporate history.  

Rob started his investment banking career as a member of the Global Energy Group at Morgan Stanley in New York and was a Founder and head of its Global Mining Group.

In 1996, Rob was named one of Canada’s Top 40 Under 40; in 1998 he was awarded the Outstanding Progress and Achievement Award by the Schulich School of Business (he is MBA ‘83); and in 2005 he received the Osgoode Hall Law School Alumni Gold Key Award for Achievement (he is JD ‘83).

While at Cornell, Rob was a member of the hockey team, where he earned First Team All-Ivy honors as a senior after one of the most productive seasons for a defenseman in Cornell history (15 goals, 37 assists). For those with long memories, that season he also scored the overtime goal against Providence in what is widely considered the greatest game ever played at Lynah Rink.

He is currently a Board member of Rogers Communications and Agnico Eagle Mines. Rob splits his time between New York, Boca Raton, and Toronto. He has three daughters with his wife, Cynthia.