Robert P. Baird, Jr. joined A.T. Cross, based in Providence, Rhode Island in August 2015 as CEO. Founded in 1846, Cross products are sold in 89 countries through fine department and specialty stores as well as through the corporate gift channel. Prior to A.T. Cross, for four years he was Group President and CEO of Dorel Sports, the world’s leading bike portfolio company with such brands as Cannondale, Schwinn, GT, Mongoose, Iron Horse, and SUGOI sold in more than 100 countries around the world. Prior to Dorel, Bob worked for Philips Electronics, the Dutch-based conglomerate. From 2006, he was Chairman of the International Retail Board, managing global customers. From 2002, he was President and C.E.O. of Philips Domestic Appliances and Personal Care (DAP) located in Stamford, Connecticut. Previous to Philips, from 1999 Bob Baird was a consultant in the New York office of Egon Zehnder International with practice specialties in the consumer products industry and marketing management.
Preceding his tenure as a consultant, Bob Baird was the Vice President & General Manager at Samsonite, where he was responsible for their largest business and setting their global strategy. Prior to Samsonite, Bob worked in various consumer goods companies in positions of increasing responsibility, including General Motors, Scott Paper, Bristol Myers, and Procter & Gamble. He started his career at General Electric in Finance and is a graduate of their Financial Management Program. Bob holds an MBA from the J.L. Kellogg School at Northwestern University, with concentrations in Marketing, Management, and Finance. He holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Lawrence University.