Robert Leitz founded iolite Capital in 2008 and incorporated it as iolite Capital Management AG in 2011. He built it with his own capital, through the worst financial crisis in a generation, without institutional backing and without a safety net. That experience — the combination of genuine risk and genuine accountability — shapes every investment decision the firm makes.

He brings experience across public equities, distressed debt, restructurings, and complex capital structures, developed through prior roles at Glencore, TPG Credit, Goldman Sachs (European Special Situations Group), and KPMG Corporate Restructuring.

Robert holds an MSc from the University of St. Gallen (HSG), Switzerland, and wrote his master's thesis under the guidance of Prof. Eli Noam at Columbia University, New York. Beyond iolite, he has served as a board member of Opterion Health AG, Switzerland — advancing innovation in the treatment of end-stage kidney disease — and as former Finance Chair of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) Zurich.

Since founding iolite, he has managed the portfolio through the global financial crisis, the European sovereign debt crisis, the pandemic shock, and the inflationary regime shift of 2022. Each cycle has sharpened the emphasis on balance-sheet resilience, downside discipline, and the willingness to act against consensus when fundamentals are clear.

Every investment is underwritten with a private-equity-style focus on cash-flow generation, governance quality, and long-term compounding potential. Since inception, the portfolio has compounded at approximately 15% per annum.

Robert is an active participant in the global value-investing community, presenting at and contributing to conferences including VALUEx Klosters, FatAlpha Value Cyprus, MOI Global, The Intellectual Investor Conference, Nordic Value, Good Investing, and EO Zurich.