Who I am
I've spent over 30 years working with and for American and Swedish business interests; mostly out of love for both countries and a belief in the benefits of international trade - But also out of necessity. It's what I'm good at.
During my career I've been involved in countless deals. Many of these deals were small, some very large and a lot in-between. Having been a part of some early stage start-ups looking for venture capital to managing a national sales force to leadership roles in industry associations. I've had my ups and my downs and I've met a lot of great friends along the way. These friends have in turn become associates. This sums up my philosophy in that 1) "business can be messy" and that 2) your reputation is all you truly have. In other words, roll with the punches, keep your nose clean, have a good time and laugh a lot!
The Formal Version
Robert “Rob" Yarbray is an International Business Developer and the founder and President of Yarbray & Company, Inc.
Having studied at the University of Umeå, Sweden, where he majored in marketing through the masters level, Rob is fluent in Swedish, and conversationally in Norwegian and Danish.
Having begun his professional career in Sweden; from 1995 through 1999 Rob was International Marketing Manager at UniMedia AB based in Sweden. In order to promote Sweden as a viable market in Europe he created a unique partnership with the Swedish Postal Service and indirectly the Invest in Sweden Agency bringing into the country a number of large international clients. Over the course of these four years UniMedia’s International sales increased ten-fold. He won a client an award for "Highest Response in a B2B mail campaign" at the Swedish Direct Marketing Annual Conference in 1998.
In September of 1999, having moved back to the United States, Rob took employment at UUNET, the Internet arm of WorldCom. By 2001 he had become one of the company’s top Channel Marketing Managers having created some of its most successful and profitable partnerships. Rob has remained involved in the field of telecommunications; active for many years in promoting Sweden as a destination for Data Centers, as a Telecom VAR, and currently as a corporate member of the Pacific Telecommunications Council.
In 2002 Rob started Why Marketing – an international marketing consulting agency. One of its’ first customers was Envision EMI, where Why Marketing assisted the company in its marketing efforts in over 100 countries. Since then, Why Marketing’s clients has and is including companies and organizations such as: Invest in Sweden, The Swedish Foreign Ministry, The European Spallation Source (ESS), Global Crossing, Level 3, and Reliance Telecom.
Since 2004, as a Senior Advisor to the Swedish Government regarding inward investment, Rob has successfully promoted Sweden as an investment destination to North American C-Level executives and Fortune 1000 Companies. First through his work with Invest in Sweden Agency, then Invest Sweden and today Business Sweden. His Business Development work included the Retail Sector, Cleantech, and others including Data Centers where he was acting Country Head for Invest Sweden when Facebook chose Sweden as its first DC location outside the US.
An excellent networker with leadership experience in his field, Rob was actively involved within various marketing associations during the years 1997-2005. Rob played an active role on the Federation of European Direct Marketers (FEDMA), List Council Operating Committee as its Vice Chair, and was a two-term Chairman (2003-2005) of the Direct Marketing Association’s, International Council. Under his leadership, the Council tripled its membership by more than 600 corporate members to become the largest professional international marketing community in the world.
A good communicator and presenter, Rob has been a speaker at numerous marketing conferences over the years, including annual FEDMA conferences, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conferences and the DMA Annual Convention. Drawing on this experience Rob, as a Professional Conference Organizer has managed numerous meetings and conferences from the conceptual stage through to completion. He is involved with many conferences and industry events both as an attendee and organizer, to promote client interests and identify and develop business opportunities.
Rob is a knowledgeable entrepreneur with hands-on experience, including in a number of technology and cleantech start-ups. He was hence elected to become a Venture Mentor in 2007 through George Mason University and was also elected to join the Pacific Telecommunications Council in 2011.
Rob currently resides just outside of Washington, DC with his wife and two children.
I've spent over 30 years working with and for American and Swedish business interests; mostly out of love for both countries and a belief in the benefits of international trade - But also out of necessity. It's what I'm good at.
During my career I've been involved in countless deals. Many of these deals were small, some very large and a lot in-between. Having been a part of some early stage start-ups looking for venture capital to managing a national sales force to leadership roles in industry associations. I've had my ups and my downs and I've met a lot of great friends along the way. These friends have in turn become associates. This sums up my philosophy in that 1) "business can be messy" and that 2) your reputation is all you truly have. In other words, roll with the punches, keep your nose clean, have a good time and laugh a lot!
The Formal Version
Robert “Rob" Yarbray is an International Business Developer and the founder and President of Yarbray & Company, Inc.
Having studied at the University of Umeå, Sweden, where he majored in marketing through the masters level, Rob is fluent in Swedish, and conversationally in Norwegian and Danish.
Having begun his professional career in Sweden; from 1995 through 1999 Rob was International Marketing Manager at UniMedia AB based in Sweden. In order to promote Sweden as a viable market in Europe he created a unique partnership with the Swedish Postal Service and indirectly the Invest in Sweden Agency bringing into the country a number of large international clients. Over the course of these four years UniMedia’s International sales increased ten-fold. He won a client an award for "Highest Response in a B2B mail campaign" at the Swedish Direct Marketing Annual Conference in 1998.
In September of 1999, having moved back to the United States, Rob took employment at UUNET, the Internet arm of WorldCom. By 2001 he had become one of the company’s top Channel Marketing Managers having created some of its most successful and profitable partnerships. Rob has remained involved in the field of telecommunications; active for many years in promoting Sweden as a destination for Data Centers, as a Telecom VAR, and currently as a corporate member of the Pacific Telecommunications Council.
In 2002 Rob started Why Marketing – an international marketing consulting agency. One of its’ first customers was Envision EMI, where Why Marketing assisted the company in its marketing efforts in over 100 countries. Since then, Why Marketing’s clients has and is including companies and organizations such as: Invest in Sweden, The Swedish Foreign Ministry, The European Spallation Source (ESS), Global Crossing, Level 3, and Reliance Telecom.
Since 2004, as a Senior Advisor to the Swedish Government regarding inward investment, Rob has successfully promoted Sweden as an investment destination to North American C-Level executives and Fortune 1000 Companies. First through his work with Invest in Sweden Agency, then Invest Sweden and today Business Sweden. His Business Development work included the Retail Sector, Cleantech, and others including Data Centers where he was acting Country Head for Invest Sweden when Facebook chose Sweden as its first DC location outside the US.
An excellent networker with leadership experience in his field, Rob was actively involved within various marketing associations during the years 1997-2005. Rob played an active role on the Federation of European Direct Marketers (FEDMA), List Council Operating Committee as its Vice Chair, and was a two-term Chairman (2003-2005) of the Direct Marketing Association’s, International Council. Under his leadership, the Council tripled its membership by more than 600 corporate members to become the largest professional international marketing community in the world.
A good communicator and presenter, Rob has been a speaker at numerous marketing conferences over the years, including annual FEDMA conferences, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Conferences and the DMA Annual Convention. Drawing on this experience Rob, as a Professional Conference Organizer has managed numerous meetings and conferences from the conceptual stage through to completion. He is involved with many conferences and industry events both as an attendee and organizer, to promote client interests and identify and develop business opportunities.
Rob is a knowledgeable entrepreneur with hands-on experience, including in a number of technology and cleantech start-ups. He was hence elected to become a Venture Mentor in 2007 through George Mason University and was also elected to join the Pacific Telecommunications Council in 2011.
Rob currently resides just outside of Washington, DC with his wife and two children.