Charles Hartwell

Charles Hartwell graduated from Aber in 1995 with a BSc, Accounting and Finance with Economics.  He has worked at a number of successful organisations before taking up his current position with Eville & Jones in their Leeds head office providing a wealth of experience experience.

What do you remember most about your time at Aber?

Being from the Isle of Wight, being by the sea made me feel at home and one of the best memories that I have of Aber is the community spirit. As Aberystwyth is a small place, the university is the heart and soul of the town. As a result, there was a great atmosphere and I made some friends for life while I was there.

What are you doing now career-wise and how has your Aberystwyth degree helped?

I have had a varied career so far and worked across a number of different sectors, including professional sport, legal, cosmetics and hospitality.  It is my financial background that has allowed me to transfer my skills across sectors, something that my degree has surely helped with.

I am now the CEO Eville & Jones Europe’s largest provider of Official Veterinary Controls whose mission is to ensure that food is safe to eat, and the highest standards of animal welfare within the food chain are observed.  As CEO, my current role is ultimately to shape and deliver the company’s growth strategy as we look to enter new geographical markets, building on our success in the UK, Spain, and Australia, but also  capitalising on the experiences of our people to widen the breadth of services that we offer.  I joined Eville & Jones from Stowe Family Law, where I led the business through a period of exceptional growth that included an exit to Private Equity investors.

Furthermore, since graduating from Aberystwyth University, I became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales and am a past president of the West Yorkshire Society of Chartered Accountants.  My first job was with the cruise line company, Cunard, before joining Estée Lauder as Senior Brand Accountant.  During a time of high growth, I concentrated on both wholesale and retail for the company’s Aveda brand.  I thoroughly enjoyed this role and found it challenging and equally interest and developed a strong interesting in the products.

 

What advice would you have for a student doing your course now?

Enjoy your time at Aber as your university days will be the best of your life.

My course at Aber laid the foundations for everything that I have gone on to do since graduating and I advise students to grasp the opportunities that Aber offers and make the most of it.