Commissioner and Vice-President of the IHFFC since 20 February 2017
Dr. Robin McNeill Love has served in the United Kingdom's Royal Navy and UK Defence Medical Services (DMS) from 1981-2014. Graduating in Medicine from the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine, University of London (1984), he later achieved Membership of the UK's Royal College of General Practitioners and UK Royal College diplomas in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Anaesthetics, and Aviation Medicine. Appointed Consultant in Occupational Medicine (2005), he was honoured in 2014 with Fellowship of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians of London.
During his naval career, Dr. McNeill Love has served on a global basis in several of Her Majesty's ships. This has included service as Principal Medical Officer (PMO) in the Royal Yacht, HM YACHT BRITANNIA (1992-4), which provided him with a privileged insight into the power of diplomacy in furthering harmonious international relations. Service as PMO in the Aircraft Carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS (1995-7) involved the peaceful transition of the sovereignty of Hong Kong from the UK to China. Later senior appointments included Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Hospital (RNH) in Gibraltar 2002-6. Promoted to Surgeon Captain in 2006 as President of the Naval Service Medical Board of Survey, he oversaw medical care and employability of significantly ill or injured Naval Service personnel. He was appointed Deputy Defence Postgraduate Medical Dean (2009-10).
In 2011, Surgeon Captain McNeill Love attended the prestigious Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in London. This was followed by appointment as Assistant Head of Medical Policy at the HQ of the UK's Surgeon General (2011-13) when concurrently he was the UK delegate to the NATO Military Healthcare Committee. During this time, Surgeon Captain McNeill Love became significantly involved with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and Military Medical Ethics. Working closely with the British Red Cross, he played a key role in the formation of the UK DMS Professional Conduct and Ethics Committee and in enhancing IHL training for DMS personnel.
Appointed an Honorary Physician to HM The Queen (QHP) in 2013 he was promoted to the UK 1* rank of Surgeon Commodore as Head of the Royal Naval Medical Service. Surgeon Commodore McNeill Love retired from the Royal Navy in December 2014.
Since 2015, Dr. McNeill Love has been employed as Consultant Occupational Physician in the City of London, for the UK's National Air Traffic Services (NATS), for the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and for other major Occupational Health Providers. Through his current employer, Optima Health, he provides Consultant Occupational Services to HM Judiciary.
A member of the Royal Institute of International Affairs (‘Chatham House') and life-member of RCDS, Dr. McNeill Love maintains close liaison with the International Law Department of the British Red Cross. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine and a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.
Dr. Robin McNeill Love was a trustee of a UK Military Charity between 2015 to 2018. From July 2018 to July 2019, he was elected as the Prime Warden of the City of London's Worshipful Company of Blacksmiths. He was appointed to the Medical Board of The HALO Trust in 2018 and, in this capacity, visited Zimbabwe’s mine clearance areas in 2020 and 2022.
On 8 January 2019, Dr McNeill Love was greatly honoured to be appointed by HM Lord-Lieutenant for Greater London, Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, as a Deputy Lieutenant (DL). This role involves representing the Lord-Lieutenant and, through the Lord-Lieutenant, initially HM The Queen and now HM The King and the Royal Family. In January 2025, he was additionally appointed as the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for the London Borough of Merton.