Robert Roche (businessman)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Walter Roche | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | December 7, 1962 Oak Lawn, Illinois, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Illinois State University, University of Denver |
| Occupation | International Entrepreneur |
Robert Walter Roche is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist active in the U.S., China and Japan.
Roche grew up outside of Chicago, Illinois. He received his bachelor's degree in Economics and Japanese Studies from Illinois State University in 1985 and a J.D. degree from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 1988.[1][2]
Career
Business
Robert Roche is the co-founder and Executive Chairman of Acorn International Inc., a media and branding direct sales company based in Shanghai, China. He is also the co-founder, Executive Chairman, and President of Oak Lawn Marketing, Inc., a Japan-based company that engages in the TV home shopping business.[2][3] Roche founded Oak Lawn Marketing in 1993 and helped it to become one of Japan’s major infomercial and direct marketing companies.[1] NTT DoCoMo, Japan’s dominant mobile carrier, acquired a 51% stake in the company in 2009.[4][5]
In 2013, Roche co-founded IS Seafood, a company that imports Icelandic fish to China.[6] and also co-founded Cachet Hotel Group. The company is based in Hong Kong and was created with a focus on "building new distinctive hotel brands."[7] Under Roche, in 2014, Cachet acquired URBN Hotel in Shanghai[8] and JIA Shanghai.[9][10][11] Roche developed an award-winning golf and residential community in Hurricane, Utah.[12] and is developing a carbon-neutral manufacturing complex in Gallup, New Mexico.
Civic
Roche is a member of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai and served as Chairman in 2010.[13] He was also a member of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan.[14][15]
In September 2010, Roche was appointed by President Barack Obama as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations.[16]
Roche co-founded and serves on the board of trustees of Business Forward, an organization of business leaders that advise politicians on ways to accelerate the economy.[17] He also serves on the board of advisors of the Center for New American Security[18] and is Vice Chairman of the Quad Investors Network,a non-profit that facilitates investments, joint ventures, and licensing in emerging technologies across the Indo-Pacific.