Robert Shetler-Jones began his business career in Kyiv in 1991 as the founder of BPI, a consultancy, offering advisory services to facilitate business between the UK and Ukraine.
In 1993-1994, Mr Shetler-Jones managed the Kyiv office of Jones East 8, the real estate agency practice. In 1994, he became the joint Managing Director of DG Jones & Partners, Kyiv, one of the leading international Quantity Surveying practices.
In 1997-1999, Mr Shetler-Jones worked for Commonwealth Property Investors, an affiliate of AEW International, as Project Coordinator for a US$50 million private equity fund that invested in property developments in the Former Soviet Union.
In 2000, Mr Shetler-Jones became General Director of Dniprovska Prystan, a property development company in Kyiv, and was responsible for managing a US$100 million residential project on behalf of UK and Ukrainian investors. Following that, he became Director of Sabre Management Group, a specialist hotel development company in the Former Soviet Union.
Later, Mr Shetler-Jones became Managing Director of RSJ Erste GmbH, an investment company owning chemical production assets in Ukraine, Germany and Italy, including soda ash and titanium dioxide. RSJ Erste is now part of OSTCHEM, a subsidiary of Group DF.
Mr Shetler-Jones was CEO of Group DF from its inception in 2007 to August 2012, and became Member of the Group Supervisory Council in September 2012.
Mr Shetler-Jones is also founder and Chairman of Scythian Limited, a consultancy advising businesses on structuring of corporate acquisitions in the Former Soviet Union.
Mr Shetler-Jones graduated from the University of Surrey with a B.Sc. Honours, in Linguistic and International Studies in 1991. He is a fluent Russian speaker.