Official Bio
Rob is a journalist of more than 10 years, with bags of experience in both magazines and the online world and has worked for companies such as BBC, AOL, Emap, IPC, Trinity Mirror and Express Newspapers.
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The “Real” Rob
I was born in Chatham, Kent, in 1972 and lived in and around Kent and Surrey for the next 18 years.
I went to a school called Whitgift and graduated from there in 1990, with A Levels in German, French and Contemporary History and an education that stood me in good stead for later life.
I progressed straight to Sheffield University, where, theoretically, I spent my time doing a German and Russian degree, and also studying Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Goethe, Modern German History. My year abroad was spent equally in St Petersburg and Regensburg, where I picked up a smattering of the local dialects and sampled the local food and drink.
Much of my spare time (and time I should have been studying) was taken up with working on the student newspaper Darts, where I learned not only the fundaments of journalism and page layout, but also Desktop Publishing (including Quark Xpress).
Upon leaving Sheffield in 1994, I lucked into some work experience through a friend of the family at a company called Horizon House. This swiftly progressed to a temporary contract, once I proved I could work the photocopier and fax machine, where I stayed for eight months.
I then increased my knowledge of journalism via a succession of jobs on things like puzzle magazines, contract publishing and kids and teens mags, learning an incredible amount every step of the way.
When I reached Emap in 1999, I finally felt as if all that early slog had paid off. I worked at the now sadly defunct LOOKS, followed the infamous more! magazine, before going freelance.
After a summer of working for Wanadoo in 2004, I landed a maternity contract at AOL, where I spent almost 3 years, working on Youth and Women’s projects.
I’m currently at IPC Media working on a mass-market women’s site called goodtoknow
