At a time in history when career mobility is the norm, Robert Cohen is something of an anomaly. Thirteen years after his summer MBA internship in 1997, he is still working for the same company: Goodman & Company Investment Counsel.

With a degree in Mining and Mineral Process Engineering, Robert worked for 4 years in the mining industry prior to doing his MBA. His keen interest in mine and project valuation enabled him to hit the ground running with Goodman & Company. As the firm grew, it opened up the opportunity for him to become lead portfolio manager on the Dynamic Precious Metal fund in 2000.

Over the past 10 years, the expansion of monetary supply to stave off depressions, financial crises and to deal with ongoing budget deficits has propelled the gold price up five-fold and driven a lot of attention to the gold sector. Both understanding the macroeconomic forces that drive gold prices and his background in engineering and finance from UBC have given Robert the tools to make excellent investment selections for the portfolio. He is now managing close to $1 billion in assets and the firm continues to grow as it gains traction in the US and Europe.

Originally from Vancouver, Robert made a permanent move to Toronto upon completion of the UBC MBA program. He enjoys Toronto’s cosmopolitan lifestyle and notes that it is a more affordable city in which to live than Vancouver. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with friends, golfing and skiing.

When asked for advice for recent Sauder graduates, he offers the following: Think globally – do not limit yourself to employment opportunities in your hometown. You must be prepared to work anywhere, at least for a little while, in order to gain valuable experience. You never know what doors might open for you. Secondly, patience is a virtue.  While many young graduates feel that their way to move up in the world is to keep flipping from job to job, there is something to be said for growing your career with the right company.  While your career path can be at times frustrating, especially in your early working years, it will eventually pay off.  As Warren Buffett said, "Do something that you are passionate about."