Charles Powell

Lord Powell of Bayswater KCMG joined the Diplomatic Service in 1963 and served successively in Helsinki, Washington, Bonn and at the European Community in Brussels, as well as in the Foreign Office in London. In 1983 he was Private Secretary and adviser on foreign affairs and defence to Margaret Thatcher and for the first months of John Major's government.

Since 1992 he has been an "international businessman", currently serving on the board of a number of major companies including Caterpillar, Schindler in Switzerland, Yell Group in the UK and Mandarin Oriental Hotels, Safinvest Limited and Chairman of Louis Vuitton Moet-Hennessy, British Mediterranean Airways, Matheson & Co, and Northern Trust Global Services

Powell is also a member of the International Advisory Boards of Rolls Royce, Barrick Gold, Magna Corporation and the UK advisory boards of Hicks Muse, Thales, GEMS Oriental & General Fund, International, Alfa, Wingate Capital ACE and Diligence.

He is a cross-bench member of the House of Lords, where he serves on the Economic Affairs Committee. He is Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Entrepreneurship.

Previous directorships include Jardine Matheson Holdings and associated companies (1992-2000), National Westminster Bank, Arjo Wiggins Appleton, Said Holdings, J. Rothschild Name Co., Phillips, de Pury & Luxembourg, Arjo Wiggins Appleton, Trafalgar House.

Affiliations

• Henry Jackson Society
• China-Britain Business Council
• Atlantic Partnership
• Oxford University Business School Foundation
• British Museum
• Aspen Institute
• International Institute for Strategic Studies

Family

Powell has three brothers, Chris, Roderick and Jonathan Powell, who became the Chief of Staff to Tony Blair's privately funded office private office, a member of the Labour Party. His wife is [Carla Bonardi] who he married in 1964