Robert S. Franklin graduated from the University of Leeds, England in 1979 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. After joining Mobil Corporation in 1981, he held various engineering, operational and commercial positions in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

In 1994, Mr. Franklin became asset manager for Mobil's operations in the southern North Sea, and in 1997 he accepted the assignment of managing director of Mobil gas marketing (U.K.) based in London. Following the Exxon Mobil merger in 1999, he became European gas marketing manager.

In 2001, Mr. Franklin moved to Houston, Texas to become vice president of new business development for ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, with global responsibility for the commercial development of major new gas ventures. In 2007, he was appointed executive assistant to the chairman of Exxon Mobil Corporation, based in Irving, Texas, before serving as U.K. lead country manager and vice president of production for Europe, Caspian and Russia in 2008. In 2009, he was appointed president for Exxon Mobil Upstream Ventures based in Houston, Texas and served in this role until assuming his current position in 2013.

Mr. Franklin is married with two children.