THE owner of a Chester-based ecology consultancy company has been named in Insider Media’s prestigious 42 Under 42 list for the North West.

Royal chartered biologist Robert Oates is the owner and CEO of Arbtech, a market-leading provider of ecology and biodiversity surveys to the UK’s development and real estate sectors.

Oates has been commended for his leadership skills and ability to foster a strong company culture, driving Arbtech’s growth and success while maintaining a focus on innovation, collaboration, and employee wellbeing.

For more than 30 years, Insider’s annual 42 Under 42 list has been designed to highlight entrepreneurs that represent the best of the UK’s emerging talent.

Those named in the list are predicted to be leading business figures over the next decade, so an acknowledgement is a huge achievement.

Founded in 2005, Arbtech has provided tree surveys, biodiversity surveys and bat surveys to homeowners, architects, planning consultants, project managers and property developers nationwide.

The business not only survived but grew through the 2008 global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic and now employs more than 100 arboriculturists, ecologists, and other relevant specialists.

In 2024 it doubled its EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) to £6m.

This achievement highlights Oates as a driving force behind the success of the company, which has handled more than 50,000 projects since its inception.

In October 2024, Oates also won The Distributor Award as part of the LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme. 

Commenting on the accolade, Robert Oates, said: “I am delighted to have been named in the 42 Under 42 list. This recognition holds special meaning for me as it reflects the incredible efforts of the entire team at Arbtech.

“Our company culture is the heart of everything we do. I feel fortunate to work alongside such passionate, dedicated individuals who share my vision and are fully committed to our collective success. Their drive and enthusiasm are what make Arbtech such a special place to work.

“Over the next few years, I aim to keep pushing boundaries to continue our momentum of business success. We want to build a company that is a great place to work and create a national brand that clients love to work with.”