Charles articled at Ball, Baker Deed in London, England from 1969 to 1973. He passed the final exams in 1974 and was admitted into the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The same year he moved to Montreal, Canada with Price Waterhouse & Co.
While articling in London Charles played rugger as scrum-half at Rosslyn Park, then at Harlequins, and played golf with a membership at Hankley Common, Surrey. He also continued his interest in music playing violin/viola with the RAE orchestra Farnborough, Hants.
Charles` work in Montreal was primarily auditing of subsidiary companies of US public corporations.
While working at Price Waterhouse & Co. Montreal, Charles played rugger at Montreal Irish, enjoyed playing golf when he could find a game, joined a ski house at Jay Peak, Vermont and played viola with the Concordia University orchestra. One highlight of his time in Montreal was being selected for the Canadian rugger team; however, injury prevented him earning his cap.
In 1976 during the Montreal Olympic Games Charles met Viviane two weeks before moving to Price Waterhouse & Co. Los Angeles office for a one year term.
His assignments in L.A. included assisting with the closing of a sale of an oil refinery in Long Beach, litigation support of a major US corporations west coast operations, and business valuation of a sizable dental practice.
He returned to Price Waterhouse & Co. office Toronto, Canada in 1977. He was one of three founding members of the Price Waterhouse & Co. National Business Valuations Department. In 1978 he was admitted to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.
In July 1978 Charles and Viviane married in Montreal, Quebec; however continued living in Toronto, Ontario.
In 1979 Charles joined Monarch Investments Limited, a public company quoted on the Toronto Stock Exchange, as corporate controller. Monarch was a comprehensive real estate company with land holdings for development, commercial and retail leasing operations, and residential subdivision developments in Ontario, Quebec, Florida and Texas.
In 1981 he joined Real Property Trust, a public Real Estate Investment Trust, as Treasurer. Real Property Trust held commercial properties in Ontario and Atlantic Canada.
In 1983 he started his own practice as a sole practitioner, and also in the same year worked for the federal government at the Department of Regional Industrial Expansion. He continued to grow his practice with special attention on real estate industry through 1980s and 1990s.
In 1997 Charles became a partner at Anderson, Quick & Furnivall, Chartered Accountants. The firm grew, changing its name many times, and finally he returned to being a sole practitioner, after working at David Quick & Associates Inc. under contract.
In 2002 Charles and Viviane moved to Caledon area north west of Toronto. Charles moved his office to the firm`s Orangeville offices in 2004, while still continuing to work part-time out of the Toronto offices.
In 1990 Charles started his mortgage business, buying and selling private vendor-take-back mortgages across Canada. Charles was licensed as a mortgage broker in Ontario from 1990 until 2006.
Charles continues to provide tax planning and consulting services to his primarily owner-managed business clients across Canada, currently located between Montreal and Calgary. His interest continues to focus on real estate operations, including different elements of construction, and leasing. However, country living has expanded his services to include farming operations.
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