Charles Dunstone
Widely respected and admired as one of the UK's most dynamic entrepreneurs
Managing Director and Founder of the phenomenally successful company, The Carphone Warehouse, Charles Dunstone is widely respected and admired as one of the UK's most dynamic entrepreneurs. A charismatic and engaging figure, and a dynamic speaker on topics such as leadership, motivation and customer service, .he presides over the UK's leading independent communications specialist retailer; a company he has built up from scratch in less than ten years. In the Sunday Times Rich List 2006 he was listed in 64th place, with an estimated fortune of £830 million.
When he left school he had planned to study business at Liverpool University. However, during a year off he got a job as a computer salesman, first with Torch Computers in Cambridge and then with NEC, the Japanese communications giant. At NEC, Charles moved from computers into the mobile communications division.
While working there he identified the huge growth potential among small and medium-sized businesses which were being poorly served by the mobile communications industry. In 1989 he seized his opportunity, setting up the Carphone Warehouse with just £6,000. Charles Dunstone has recently floated the company (14 July) on the London Stock Exchange, valuing it at £1.7 billion based on a 200p price per share. The 36-year-old co-founder likes to be seen as a man who does things differently. Carphone Warehouse prides itself on offering simple, impartial advice. Employee commission is not affected by which phone the customer decides to buy, so that sales consultants can offer the most objective advice.
The Carphone Warehouse now has four hundred and sixty-two shops in the UK and a market share of 24%. The Carphone Warehouse is the only pan-European mobile communications retailer with a presence in 14 countries, he is now setting his sights on further European expansion as well as growth in telecoms services and the wireless Internet. However, the company is not just expanding the business, but is also profitable ranking 4th amongst British firms with fastest growing profits.
Charles is known for his modesty and does admit that the Carphone Warehouse concept was not startlingly original since he did not invent some great new product. But he did take the simple idea of selling phones with a dedication to customer service and implemented it with such great style, passion and commitment that he is now one of the most outstanding young entrepreneurs in Europe. Charles was a keynote speaker at the prestigious Annual IoD Convention at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1997 and spoke at the Annual KPMG ProfitAbility Club event in March 1999 to more than 1,000 directors of owner managed businesses. He is frequently asked to address audiences on what it takes to be a leading player in such a competitive field as retail telecommunications and how he has created such a first-class company in such a short space of time. Charles has great insight into how the telecommunications market will progress into the twenty-first century and how customer service can make the difference in a competitive environment.
Charles is also non-executive Director of HBOS Plc, the holding company for Halifax Plcand the Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland, a non-executive Director of Daily Mail General Trust, one of the largest media companies in the UK, non-executive Director of Independent Media Distribution Plc, a Council Member of The Prince’s Trust and chairman of the Prince’s Trust Trading Board.
An interesting and entrepreneurial character able to enthral an audience and leaving them with many things to think about for the future.