Robert Hilmer
Founder of Goanna Capital and Former Technology Executive
About Robert Hilmer
Robert Hilmer is an Australian-born fund manager based in Palm Beach, Florida. He is the Founder of Goanna Capital and a former technology executive.
Robert spent much of his early career working for Goldman Sachs in New York.
Prior to founding Goanna Capital, he was the Head of Private Market Execution at Coatue Management – A $40 Billion US technology focused hedge fund.
Before joining Coatue, Hilmer was on the founding team of Forge Global, a multi-billion valued US technology company where he led global business development.
He has extensive experience in the technology sector and funds management.
Early Years
Hilmer was raised and educated in Australia. He attended the University of Queensland where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Commerce (Finance).
Hilmer also earned a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the T.C. Beirne School of Law.
As a graduate, Hilmer worked for the global markets division of the Royal Bank of Scotland in the United States. It was here that he cut his teeth in financial markets, working on the interest rate derivatives trading desk. Hilmer was then head hunted by Goldman Sachs to work in their Investment Management Division in New York.
The Forge Global Years
Seeking new challenges, Hilmer joined Forge Global in 2016 as the Global Head of Business Development. This private technology trading platform, which has since grown to also include a data subscription business, has transformed private markets around the world.
Hilmer’s role included hiring, raising capital around the world, business operations and negotiating private tech transactions.
The Coatue Years
After successfully growing Forge into a global business, Hilmer enjoyed a challenging career with Coatue Management, a $40 Billion AUM technology focused hedge fund. Hilmer was the Head of Private Market Execution, based in New York.
Goanna Capital
Hilmer drew on his success at Coatue to launch Goanna Capital.
Goanna’s first fund was raised in 2020 and focused on growth stage technology investments. Goanna manages a large pool of discretionary capital on behalf of institutional investors and family offices.
Personal Life
Hilmer lives in Palm Beach, Florida. He is an enthusiastic competitive-sports follower and is passionate about hiking, skiing and sauna.