Charles was appointed Director of Technology & Engineering and a member of the Centrica Executive Committee on January 2016 and the Chairman of Centrica Innovations on May 2017.

Charles has extensive technology and engineering experience including R&D, IP management, process technology development and deployment, technical service and general technology management in refining, petrochemicals, conversion technology, lubricants and fuels.

He has held corporate roles in marketing, planning and M&A. Before joining Centrica he was Head of Technology, Downstream at BP plc, a member of the Downstream Executive Team, and an advisor to Castrol InnoVentures and BP Ventures.

Prior to his time at BP, Charles spent 23 years with the French Institute of Petroleum (IFPEN) and their catalyst, technology licensing and engineering service business, Axens.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, obtained a PhD in Chemistry from Purdue University, Indiana, was a Post-Doctoral Associate of Queen’s University, Canada and a National Science Foundation Exchange Scientist with France’s CNRS