Robert Yates is a political health economist specializing in universal health coverage (UHC) and progressive health financing. He is a Visiting Professor in Practice at the London School of Economics and an Honorary Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Between 2019 and 2024 he was the Executive Director of the Centre for Universal Health at Chatham House and was previously a long-term consultant to The Elders on their universal health programme.

He has special expertise in the political economy of UHC, with a focus on advising political leaders and government ministries on how to plan, finance and implement national UHC reforms.

He has previously worked as a senior health economist with the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the World Health Organisation, advising numerous governments in Asia, Africa and Europe on health financing policy and health systems reforms.

He holds a BA degree in Natural Sciences and Economics from the University of Cambridge and a MBA, from the University of Leeds.