An experienced consultant, trainer and speaker, Charlie Pownall helps organisations, leaders, executives and entrepreneurs build their profile, communicate more effectively, and manage their reputations.
Strategic, trusted advisor
An independent advisor, Charlie provides reasoned, objective advice based on years of experience working closely with senior leaders and teams.
Organisations Charlie has worked with include the Singapore government, Hong Kong Civil Service Bureau, Barclays, BP, CIMB Group, HP, Huawei, Indofood, Johnson & Johnson, London Business School, MTR Corporation, Qualcomm, Safwa Islamic Bank, Taylor’s Education Group, The Peninsula Hotels, and the V&A museum.
Charlie was previously Regional Managing Director (Asia-Pacific) at communications consultancy Burson-Marsteller (now BCW), Group Communications Manager at WPP plc, and Group Communications Director at digital marketing agency SYZYGY Group AG.
Charlie Pownall started out as a speechwriter and press officer at the European Commission.
Author, commentator, speaker
Charlie Pownall is the author of Managing Online Reputation, a practical, common-sense guide to protecting and defending corporate name and image on the internet and social web.
He speaks on communications and reputation management at conferences, business schools and universities, and is quoted by business and marketing communications industry publications.
A member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Charlie chaired the Communications and Marketing Committee at The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong for three years.
Digital rights and technology transparency advocate
Long fascinated by technology and its impact on business and society, Charlie is an active proponent of strong digital rights and safe, transparent and trustworthy technologies.
Charlie founded and runs AIAAIC, an independent, non-partisan, public interest initiative that examines and makes the case for AI, algorithmic, and automation transparency and openness.
An RSA Fellow, he is a member of the European Commission’s European AI Alliance, AI audit organisation ForHumanity, and digital rights organisation the Open Rights Group.
International footprint and outlook
Charlie has worked for international organisations and multinational companies for much of his working life, giving him a decent understanding of different societies and cultures.
Born in Hong Kong, he has lived and worked in Singapore, Hong Kong, Brussels and Madrid, and has served lengthy placements in Tokyo, Sydney, and other locations.
Based in Cambridge, UK, much of Charlie’s work is in the Middle-east and Asia-Pacific.