- Conference Speakers
Topics:
- Business
- Entrepreneurs/Innovation
- Sales/Customer Service
Charles Dunstone
Charles Dunstone is a charismatic, motivational and interesting business speaker, a perfect guest for any business orientated engagement.
One of the Most Powerful People in the UK
Charles is Managing Director and Founder of the phenomenally successful company, The Carphone Warehouse, Charles is widely respected and admired as one of the UK's most dynamic entrepreneurs. A charismatic and engaging figure, he presides over the UK's leading independent communications specialist retailer; a company he has built up from scratch in less than ten years. An Observer survey rated him as the 124th most powerful person in the UK.
In the Beginning
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 floated the company on the London Stock Exchange, valuing it at £1.7 billion based on a 200p price per share. The co-founder likes to be seen as a man who does things differently. Carphone Warehouse prides itself on offering simple, impartial advice.
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 known as one of the most outstanding entrepreneurs in Europe.
Motivational and Key Note Speaking
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. Since then he has frequently addressed audiences on what it takes to be a leading player in such a competitive field as retail telecommunications.
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.
