Who We Are

From the outset the company flourished with creativity and passion and personally I thrive on enabling people to achieve what they never thought was possible. In my own racing driving career, the people who influenced and pushed me the most were those who believed in me. They taught me that I could reach goals I never thought possible, including several ‘works’ drives and a few British Championships. I follow that philosophy each and every day – believe in people and do whatever I can to make sure people get the best out of themselves and just keep on improving.

Having used my nine lives behind the wheel of racing and rally cars, I tend to choose safer hobbies these days. I enjoy flying my Cirrus SR22, on occasions to attend client meetings, which is more fun than travelling on congested roads. Aside from that I love golf and try to stay active with activities like swimming, yoga, hiking, running, cycling and try to get a few days skiing in each year if the schedule allows.

I’ve enjoyed success in developing businesses ranging from recycling to golf to events. My continued passion for golf and home location enable me to play on premier courses, which are equally challenging and rewarding.

I’ve been a proud U.S. resident for 12 years, and have embraced the go-get culture, lifestyle, leisure and travel opportunities that exist. I enjoy hosting my family and friends and showing them the best that Florida can offer.

The beating heart of our business is our team, our Osbourne Purdie family, both office and field based, who represent our clients so well. My passion is growth and development, for our business, through our people. Unlocking your thinking and consistently doing your best really do make a difference. It’s being excited to be doing what you’re doing, in the location that you’re doing it, with the people you are with, and being 100% dedicated to those that you are engaging – because for that period, they are your sole focus.

In the few hours I grasp away from work, I’m a proud Dad to two children, who loves fresh air and being outside… in the mountains, in the sunshine… and with a beer, well that’s even better!

I joined Osbourne Purdie in 2009 and have worked in every department within our business, learning, developing, questioning and refining how we do what we do. It’s this business wide experience, passion for knowledge and experience, desire to understand, improve and succeed that enabled me to progress to managing our group operations in 2014, and become a Director in 2015. I’m driven by continuous improvement and open to new ways of working, embracing collaborative remote cloud-based activity, long before it became a necessity or norm.

I’ve been a touring musician and a drumming tutor, and still play in festivals around Europe. I’m a classic car enthusiast and have rebuilt my 1975 VW Beetle from the floor up and am restoring a 1966 Karmann Ghia, when time permits. I’ve recently become a determined cyclist, seeking out and challenging myself on renowned climbs.

As a result of working in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) environment for many years I have helped numerous brands and companies transform their customer support in everything from telecommunications sales and service to the retailing of wellington boots!

Outside of work I spend time out and about with my rescue dog Freddie Ljungberg Parsons and supporting The Arsenal. Freddie is a frequent visitor to the office and will often be found scrounging treats from colleagues. In the spring and summer I can also be found with earphones on, listening to podcasts or music whilst cleaning the filters that are connected to my fish pond.

I have sound commercial skills gained from 4 years within the retail side of the industry before progressing on to work in field and HQ roles in finance, sales and franchising, over a 15 year period for a global automotive manufacturer. In 2016 I was in a fortunate position of being able to choose what I wanted to do next. So, having some great experiences with the Osbourne Purdie team in the past, it seemed a natural fit to marry my automotive insight and understanding with their learning and development expertise. It was a good choice, we continue to grow together, in an environment which facilitates this.

Outside of work my passion is to travel. Having covered 13 countries on a motorbike I can often be found looking at Google maps for both work and pleasure!

I’ve been in the automotive industry for over thirty years and bring twelve years of dealership experience working in technical, sales and management roles. I started as an Apprentice Technician and progressed from there. I have an additional thirteen years of direct manufacturer experience, in different roles including Technical Trainer, Technical Training Manager and Training Manager for Fiat / Alfa Romeo in the UK. I’ve also been based in the USA, managing Customer Service and Sales Improvement initiatives for Volkswagen Group of America. Prior to my current role I have  successfully founded, run and exited my own business, developing Dealers solutions for the next generation of customer service.

I have recently completed a Modern Pentathlon. The experience took me outside of my comfort zone for each discipline, but I genuinely loved the opportunity to be part of an incredibly supportive team and environment. Love skiing in the winter and attempt to keep fit for this through walking, cycling and circuit training. Keeping in touch with friends all over the world is important to me, and I enjoy dinner parties, pub quizzes and sharing a fondue. All my colleagues know that I’m Roger Federer’s ‘”Number One Fan”!

I recently joined Osbourne Purdie to be involved in the Renault Academy – an exciting role, for an exciting organisation, working for an exciting brand! I enjoy building relationships and know that in my role within the Renault Academy team, I can help people in the Renault network achieve their goals and therefore meet our combined targets.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and friends, especially my little sausage dog, Winnie. There’s no better day for me than a pamper day and cocktails with the girls. I love jetting off on holiday and exploring different places and cultures, my dream is to travel the world!

I have a passion for cars and recently obtained my certification to become a light vehicle technician. Outside of work I like to try out new places to go, am up for all kinds of days out and activities – particularly ones that involve a few drinks! I have a love for food and like to challenge my cooking skills with dishes that sometimes end up testing my patience. I have recently started to get back into golf and have been able to attend car shows and events now they are re-opening.

In 2014 I went part-time which gave me the opportunity to continue working with the ‘OP Family’ which I enjoy very much. Reducing my hours enabled more time to spend with my non OP Family and I really appreciate everyone’s efforts at Osbourne Purdie to allow this flexibility.

Being the proud owner of two hungarian Vizsla’s, I’m out walking each afternoon and enjoy running in the evening with the Sisters!  I enjoy painting, mostly landscapes, with oil being my preferred medium. Recently, like the rest of the population during 2020, I grew my own vegetables, whilst I’m no Monty I feel I could give ODDBOX a good run for its money!

From the start of the 2000’s I held the position of Business Skills Training Manager for DaimlerChrysler UK. In this role I was responsible for the sourcing and delivery of pan-brand non-technical training throughout the United Kingdom. I was also specifically responsible for the development and implementation of Management Assessment and Development Centres for the recruitment of Market Area Directors (Sales and Aftersales) and the certification of Sales Executives, through a localised global certification programme, for Mercedes-Benz. Both of these programmes are still in operation today.

Since 2006 I’ve been fortunate enough to have developed and delivered bespoke content for luxury automotive clients, including Porsche in North America, Great Britain and the Middle East, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz AMG, Volvo, Bentley and Volkswagen Group of America. My experience with these brands means that I have a really clear understanding of the uncompromising standards that customers demand and I like to translate this into accessible yet challenging content for participants. I absolutely love learning, so as a lifelong learner myself, I am always looking for new and innovative methods to engage participants. My approach involves learners developing, growing and changing from the inside out; what I mean by that, is that people have to want to change and that helping participants see how a change will benefit them personally is key to making training ‘stick’.

Because I am fascinated with human behaviour, working on developing behavioural frameworks for competency-based assessments is something I have really enjoyed. Developing measurement criteria for both Sales and Aftersales job role functions, enabling manufacturers and individuals to clearly understand their performance in real-world scenarios and how this performance impacts their daily interactions with customers. Examples include Bentley’s global Silver Accreditation After Sales (for Service Advisors) and Renault UK’s Sales and Service Manager Accreditation programmes. I also worked extensively as an Assessor, working with Porsche Cars Great Britain for almost a decade (yikes!) to assess the performance of staff and managers. My understanding of the requirements of both Sales and Aftersales to drive profitability and ensure effective team dynamics means that the content I develop is meaningful and applicable to participants immediately.

One of the best things I ever did was to become a qualified Personal Development Coach. Doing this has allowed me to combine my knowledge of developing individuals with the operational requirements of a changing automotive industry – one in which the understanding of, and the ability to translate the concept of ‘service’, is key to developing materials which bring alignment of behaviours to brand values and customer expectations, quickly and elegantly. My coaching experience includes working with Dealer Principals and their management teams to understand the strategic aims of their departments, and overall business, in order to deliver the outcomes they need to achieve their goals.

Some people may think I am a little bit nuts, but I start every day at 5.00am with a fabulous morning ritual which sets me up for the day ahead – it includes a gratitude practice, a gym session, meditation and reading – I’m not quite into the cold showers yet, but I believe they are supposed to do great things! In my downtime (ha – what’s that I hear you ask?) I enjoy spending time with my gorgeous daughters, cooking, shopping and chilling out watching everything ever created in the Marvel Universe in chronological order – yes, including the TV series.

I have worked in automotive for my entire adult life; 9 years within retailers and 14 years with a global automotive manufacturer in field roles, and then joining the Osbourne Purdie team back in 2016, so I back up my creative learning ideas with a solid, commercial background.

Having gained formal qualifications in L&D, my experience covers the full range of expertise, from TNA, through instructional design and delivery, culminating in assessment.  People and their behaviours fascinate me, so coaching people is something that I love; helping someone unlock their own potential, overcome their personal giants, and see their own worth excites me.  I am also a part-time lecturer at my local University where I teach on Leadership and Management.

When not writing or delivering training programmes, I am an active member of my local church where I am part of the leadership team and a trustee. To let off steam I like to walk up hills and ski down them. As Dad to two lovely kids, a dog, two cats and four chickens, life is rarely quiet in the Charles household. My wife and I have also been known to win a medal or two on the dancefloor too!

My route to Osbourne Purdie was through a mutual friend, who prompted me to explore opportunities with them. He voiced that I’d thrive in Osbourne Purdie’s working environment, and that Osbourne Purdie would benefit from my skills, expertise and ‘get-it-done’ approach. There is nothing I love more than an organised project, with up-to-date action plans and to-do lists… to that end I’m never without handy post-its! In work I wear multiple event hats, and am able to do so by focussing on getting the detail right, such that quality output is always the result.

Away from work, I’m a self-confessed foodie, regularly frequenting the latest gastro pub or restaurant in and around my hometown of Henley on Thames. Having completed a rejuvenation of my garden, I’ve now moved onto the necessary decorating projects (and some that weren’t necessary!) I’ve become a smitten owner of new kittens… though on reflection, maybe I should have decorated after they’d grown up!

Outside of work, I am a self-declared shopaholic and spent as much time as I can afford to exploring new places to shop! Otherwise, you’ll find me meeting up with girlfriends for nice lunches or dinners – anywhere I have the opportunity to get dressed up and wear a new purchase!

I have a passion for people, I thrive on getting to know my clients on both a professional and personal level, which allows me to provide them with the very best customer service and experience, (just ask them!)

In my spare time I am, to the despair of my colleagues in the office, a huge Chelsea fan and try my very best to let everyone know when we have won! But more importantly, I am a proud father to my little daughter Isabella-Ivy. I enjoy getting out on the golf course (weather permitting) as well as getting in the kitchen trying to imitate Gordon Ramsay – with less of the swearing!