Charles Style CBE

Charles spent 33 years in the Royal Navy, serving extensively at sea (including six commands) and in the Ministry of Defence in London where his last role was Deputy Chief of Defence Staff responsible for UK operations worldwide.

His experience mainly centres round operational leadership, financial management, the leadership of change, and strategy at various levels. Operational leadership included command of the UK Maritime Force, the NATO Maritime Response Force, and the aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS (in the aftermath of 9/11). Financial management included membership of the Defence Equipment board where he led a major change programme. Strategy was the challenging essence of his last role as a Deputy Chief of Defence at the height of the Iraq and Afghanistan operations.

Charles’ experience leads him to believe that strategies and change succeed where a clear understanding of ‘what, how, and with what resources’ exists and is supported across organisations; often more easily said than done. At sea, he played a direct part in the post-9/11 operations into Afghanistan, the Armilla patrol in the Gulf at the end of the Iran/Iraq war, embargo operations in the Adriatic, and the Sierra Leone crisis. After the Navy he directed the Royal College of Defence Studies in London which helped to develop already experienced strategic leaders from over sixty countries. He now consults on leadership, is a Vice Chairman of a substantial charity, and contributes to others. He has honorary positions at the Manchester Business School and King’s College London.

Charles is a Cambridge graduate. lives in Wiltshire, and has three daughters and three grandsons. He tries to keep fit by sailing, gardening and paramotoring, and also enjoys inaccurate piano playing and – a new interest – even more inaccurate painting.