Charles Allen

Charles has extensive corporate experience across a number of sectors, including finance, media, hospitality and retail. Having played a key role in the creation of ITV, he is recognised for his significant contribution to the television industry. Charles is currently Chair of Global Media & Entertainment Limited, Balfour Beatty plc and the Invictus Games Foundation and also Advisory Chair of Moelis & Company. He was also formerly Chair of Granada Media plc, Chief Executive of Granada Group plc and ITV plc and Chair of EMI Music, Endemol and The British Red Cross. Charles has also served on the boards of Tesco plc, Virgin Media and GET AS and been Chief Adviser to the Home Office and a Senior Adviser to Goldman Sachs.

Charles was Vice Chair of the London 2012 bid company, a non-executive director of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and Chair of the Manchester Commonwealth Games in 2002. In 2002 he was awarded a CBE for his services to Sport and Community and in 2012 appointed a Knight Bachelor for his services to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Charles received the Freedom of the City of London in 2006 and in 2013 was awarded a peerage and sits on the Labour benches.