Charles joined Motability Foundation's Board of Governors on 26 September 2019. He became Chair of Motability Foundation on 1 June 2020.
Charles joined Cargill, a global agribusiness corporation in 1980, as a graduate trainee from Oxford University where he achieved an MA (Classics). He worked as a grain trader for eight years based in London initially, transferring to Paris in 1986 as Head of European Maize Trading.
In 1989 he gained an MBA with distinction from INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France.
In 1990, Charles began his career with Goldman Sachs International, initially as an Associate, promoted to Vice-President in 1992, Managing Director in 1997 and Partner in 2000. From 2003 until 2011 he was Global Co-Head of Global Telecommunications, Media and Technology Group in investment banking, where he led a team of 45 professionals in London and 200 worldwide, responsible for lead coverage of major corporate clients and governments. From 2011 until 2017 he was Global Co-Chairman of Commitments Committee, responsible for approving all underwritten equity transactions worldwide. He retired from Goldman Sachs International in 2017.
Charles chaired the development board for the Cancer Research UK campaign, 'Create the Change', a voluntary role from 2012 until 2016. This campaign raised £100 million for Cancer Research UK's contribution to the construction of the Francis Crick Institute in London, a major biomedical research facility and the largest philanthropic appeal in the UK ever outside those of the Universities.
Charles is or has been a Trustee and Board member of the following organisations: Muscular Dystrophy UK; Oxford University's Committee to Review Donations; Innovation Advisory Board, NESTA; Chairman 750th Campaign Board, Merton College; INSEAD UK Council and Shrewsbury School Foundation, and a Board member of GET A/S, a Norwegian broadband and TV company.
A keen and experienced sailor, he recently skippered an 18m sailing yacht, successfully circumnavigating the globe with his wife from 2017 until 2019.