Robert Banfield is the Chairman Willie Creek Pearls, a Western Australian business that provides the complete pearl experience through interactive tours depicting their creation, from shell to showroom. With perseverance, integrity, and passion, Robert has overseen the evolution of the proudly family-owned business into a multi-faceted, vertically integrated company. Under his stewardship, the Banfield family name has become synonymous with tourism in Broome, a legacy recognised with Robert’s recent honour of the Sir David Brand Medal, Western Australia’s highest tourism accolade.

Robert is a key advocate for the Broome and Western Australian tourism industry, having served on the boards of The Broome Visitor Centre, Australia’s North West Tourism, the Broome Chamber of Commerce and the Kimberley Development Commission. Robert is proud to contribute to the progression of Marine Biomedical and sees the opportunity to establish the Kimberley region as a vibrant new hub of biomedical research.