When Robbie Robertson came out to friends and family over two decades ago, he decided to hide his sexuality in his professional life.

"I was afraid that it was going to be career limiting for me, that my bosses would see it as a negative or as a weakness," the 43-year-old, who was working as a designer in London, recalls.

Robbie Robertson, experience design partner at Deloitte, being open about his sexuality at work helps him to be more comfortable and productive. Credit:Louie Douvis

Unfortunately, in Robertson's case his fear was not unfounded.

"My direct boss at the time, who was quite homophobic, saw me out in the street with my boyfriend and realised that I was gay, and made my life pretty much hell for many months," he says.