Robert B.D. Batlivala, 83, of River Forest, a philosophical thinker and world traveler, died on May 3, 2023. Born in 1940 of Zoroastrian-Persian ancestry, to Dinshaw and Gool “Rose” Batlivala in Bombay, India, he was a PhD graduate in business and economics from IIT and a post-doctoral fellow in economics at the University of Chicago. He retired as director of regulatory economics and corporate strategic planning after he spearheaded the merger of Amoco and BP. He also took pride in participating as a strategic member of multiple boards. What he enjoyed most was the opportunity to lecture both in the classroom, as an adjunct professor of business and economics, and outside the classroom, sharing his never-ending thirst for knowledge. He loved to tell stories.
He was a profound figure in many peoples’ lives and will be deeply missed.
Robert was the husband of Carole Feustel for 59 years, the father of Amy (Brian) McNeilly and Dina (Scott) Tresselt, and the grandfather of Alexander and Cyrus McNeilly.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers please contribute to the educational fund or academic program of your choice.
