Charles Powell

Lord Powell of Bayswater KCMG joined the Diplomatic Service in 1963 and served successively as Third Secretary, Foreign Office, 1963-65 (Desk officer, Muscat and Oman); Second Secretary, Helsinki [Finland] 1965-67; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, 1968-71; First Secretary and Private Secretary to HM Ambassador (Lord Cromer), Washington [United States] 1971-74; First Secretary, Bonn [Germany], 1974-77; FCO, 1977-80 (Counsellor, 1979; Special Counsellor for Rhodesia [later Zimbabwe and Zambia] negotiations, 1979-80); Counsellor, UK Permanent Representation to European Communities, 1980-84.

In 1983-91 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, 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