Bob Burlton has been Chair of the Ethical Property board since 2009, replacing Sam Clarke. Prior to his appointment, Bob held a number of significant positions, having been appointed Chief Executive of Oxford & Swindon Co-operative Society in 1987, at a time when they were experiencing severe difficulties. Following a successful turnaround, the Society absorbed Gloucester & Severnside Society in October 1991 and merged with West Midlands Co-operative Society in 2005 to form the Midcounties Co-operative. Bob retired as Chief Executive of the Midcounties Co-operative in 2006.

Bob was a Director of The Co-operative Group (CWS) from 1992 and was elected Board Chair in 2004. He retired from this role in 2007 having overseen its merger with United Co-operatives, which created the largest consumer co-operative in the world. Bob was formerly chair of Co-operativesUK, the apex body of co-operative societies in the UK, and a member of the Board of the Co-operative College. He was elected a Director of The Co-operative Bank in 1993 and is now Chair of Co-operative Financial Services, which is responsible for the banking and insurance arms of the Co-operative Group.

Bob was elected as President of the Co-operative Congress, the annual conference of the UK consumer movement, for 1999 and was a leading member of the Corporate Governance working party that was responsible for the production of the 1994 Corporate Governance Code of Best Practice. He was also one of twelve members of the Co-operative Commission that was established with the support of the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. Its report was published in February 2001 and is providing the basis of the continuing co-operative renaissance in the UK.