Career Biography

Robert Abbott is a bilingual UK-qualified lawyer with over two decades of international legal and compliance leadership experience across the medical technology, high-tech, and innovation-driven sectors. Currently serving as VP of Legal and Compliance International at Alcon, Robert brings a dynamic, commercially agile mindset to highly regulated, multinational environments.

Robert champions a people-first approach to leadership, grounded in trust, empowerment, and empathy. He strongly believes that investing in individuals is the most powerful way to achieve sustainable success.

Previously, he held senior roles including General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at Unilabs, and VP, Chief Legal Counsel EMEA at Stryker, where he developed and led multi-sited legal & compliance teams. His career also includes impactful tenures at CareFusion (now Beckton Dickinson), STMicroelectronics, and CERN, where he began his career as an in-house lawyer.

Robert is known for his ability to inspire teams, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and drive strategic business outcomes. He has deep expertise in healthcare and medical devices, as well as business strategy and digital.

Beyond his corporate roles, Robert is a founder and was a board member of Chapter Zero France, a climate governance initiative under the World Economic Forum, and the founder of a French non-profit supporting permaculture and education in Burkina Faso.

Multi-cultural and with global experience, Robert combines legal acumen with cultural agility, making him a trusted advisor and transformative leader in global legal affairs.