Robert Hii was born in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, and later moved to Canada. He returned to Malaysia when he saw the need to raise awareness of deforestation and the role that palm oil was playing in its destruction. He has worked extensively with local NGOs including Hutanriau, and as an independent consultant in the palm oil sector. He now runs CSPO Watch, a platform which monitors the palm oil industry with a focus on sustainability.