Loh was born in Sumatra,[7] and moved to Singapore during the 1940s at the age of 18.[2][5] He began his career in business by salvaging abandoned U.S. Army military equipment.[5] He also worked as a taxicab driver.[2] In the early 1970s, Loh established the Robin Shipyard in Singapore.[2]
In 1980, Loh purchased 20 square kilometres of grazing land on the southern Gold Coast in Queensland.[1] Loh built the town of Robina, which grew into a planned community with a population of approximately 30,000 people, as of 2010.[1] Loh built a town center with entertainment, parks and healthcare facilities.[1]
In addition to Robina and other real estate holdings, Loh also held interests in research and development, hotels, banking, shipbuilding, manufacturing, shipping and oil rig construction during his career.[1]
Robin Road and Robina House, in Singapore's Shenton Way, are named after Loh.[2]
The government of Malaysia also granted him the title Datuk.[5]
On 28 August 2010, Robin Loh died of breathing difficulties on an international flight from Singapore to Hong Kong, at the age of 81.[1] He had suffered from Parkinson's disease.[1]