Robert Peacock's business career spans over twenty years with the British Standards Institution (BSI), the Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations Limited, and Resource (Science and Technology Expertise) Ltd, a company originally set up by BSi and the Department of Trade and Industry to promote UK technical cooperation worldwide in the varying standardization development programmes.

    During this time, Robert has worked extensively on the design, management, implementation and evaluation of MSTQ (measurement, standards, testing & quality) projects, both national and regional, in emerging economies in Central and Eastern Europe as well as many developing countries throughout the world.

    He has particular expertise in the management of infrastructure development projects, especially under EC, World Bank and UNIDO programmes, and the administration of UK Government bilateral programmes of support for the development of MSTQ structures to conform with EU models. Involving extended negotiations with Government officials in many countries as well as with officials in development agencies. He also has first hand experience, as a consultant and trainer, of in-country national quality programmes implementation.
  
    Robert's experience extends to countries throughout the world, with particular and recent experience of strategies for converting mandatory standards (Eastern Europe & CIS) to WTO- consistent technical regulations and standards.

    As Deputy Director of Resource, he was responsible for managing a team of consultants, including mobilisation, logistical support, and budget and audit control.

    In June 1998, Robert left to become an independent consultant and, in April 2000, he formed Benma Limited, a private company, principally to promote and distribute British, European and International Standards in the Middle East as an Official Distributor of British Standards Publishing Ltd (BSPL).

    Robert has continued his consultancy activities and has advised a range of organizations across both Western and Eastern Europe on their standardization development strategy, promotion strategy, business development strategy, tendering strategy (Technical and Financial Proposals) and project /programme management. These activities have included advice on the organization of sets of standards and the implementation of standardization programmes. Robert has also been engaged by CEN and CENELEC, the European Standards bodies, as an independent auditor of applications from national standards bodies outside the European Economic Area wishing to apply for full membership as part of the EU accession process.

    More recently, Robert has been engaged by BSi as the Key Standardization Expert in a two year standards and certification programme in Albania, funded by the European Commission as part of its CARDS (Community Assistance for Reconstruction, Development and Stabilization) programme of assistance for the countries of South-Eastern Europe.

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