Bob Richards is the author of TRIANGLE OF TREASON, a taut WW2-era spy thriller set in one of the most unexpected places: Bermuda. The island served as a hotbed of intrigue and espionage during the war, details which Richards weaves effortlessly in his first novel. He knows firsthand, having grown up on the island where he witnessed Bermuda become not just a military outpost for the Allies and later western powers, but also a financial powerhouse linking both sides of the Atlantic. Richards, who rose to become Finance Minister of his native country, has used its fascinating history for inspiration and detail in TRIANGLE OF TREASON, which he envisions as the first of a trilogy. I hope the takeaway is how unique Bermuda really is, being shaped, from inception back in the 1600s, by the intersection of the three elements: the British, the American and the Caribbean. Hence the Triangle, Richards explains. We have played key roles in the transatlantic geopolitical rivalries over the centuries, despite our miniature size. Our location is our natural resource. The other take away is that I hope people can get the sense of how amazingly beautiful my island is. The truth is, no words can describe what I have the privilege to see every day, he adds. Richards has enjoyed a 24-year-career in public service and policy in Bermuda, having been part of its Senate for four years and a member of its Parliament for a decade. Most recently, he served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance from 2012-2017, where he helped generate more than $1 billion of direct investment into the country. He also cut government spending, reduced its debt, improved its credit rating, restructured payroll taxes and balanced Bermuda's budget. Previously, Richards served as the country's Minister of Communications, where he pushed to de-monopolize its telecom industry among other achievements. Before entering government, Richards enjoyed a successful career in private finance and banking, most notably as the founder of Bermuda Asset Management, Ltd (BAM). The company managed pensions and private assets using global equities, later affiliating with INVESCO. There, he rose to become General Manager and partner at its London parent company. Richards reverted his company back to a family business in 1999 when INVESCO left Bermuda. Earlier in his career, he served roles with Shell Trust Bermuda Ltd, managing a $1 billion investment fund; the Bermuda Monetary Authority, where as an economist and ultimately as General Manager he oversaw the research and investment of Bermuda's official foreign exchange reserves; and Bermuda National Bank, CIBC and Scotia Bank in Toronto. Married with two sons, Richards received a BA in economics at Waterloo Lutheran University in Ontario and an MBA University of Windsor, also in Ontario.
