Charles Dunstone first began selling mobile phones out of his flat on Marylebone Road in 1989. He was 25 years old and had £6,000 of savings to start his Business, having previously worked at NEC as a sales executive.
In July 2000 the company floated on the London Stock Exchange and based on an Issue price of 200p, the company was valued at approximately £1.7 billion.
He was also an early supporter of the Technology Trust, and has been an ambassador for the Blue Marine Foundation since 2005.
In May 2008, Best Buy, an American multinational consumer electronics corporation, and CPW agreed to create a new company, Best Buy Europe. Best Buy acquired 50% of CPW's European and US Retail interests for a cash consideration of £1.1 billion or $2.1 billion. The assets of the newly formed company comprise CPW's existing Retail Business, operating from more than 2,400 stores in nine European countries under CPW and Phone House brands. These include the UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden.
He made a Knight Bachelor in the 2012 Birthday Honours 'for services to the mobile communications industry and to charity'. In the 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) for his work with The Prince's Trust.
He has supported both the Labour Party & the Conservatives. On 26 April 2015, he published an opinion piece in The Daily Mail encouraging the public to vote for the Conservatives on the basis that they were better for the economy.
