Since entering into a consulting career in 1993, David Charles has built up a strong practice in economics and public policy issues related to industry development, research and innovation, life sciences and health and program reviews. At the outset David was one of the three founding directors of the Allen Consulting Group and was for a time its Co-Chairman. In 2006, David and Jon Stanford together with Melanie Kelly and two other consultants left to form Insight Economics – he was the Founding Chairman. From 2006-09 David helped to establish a new economics practice at Deloitte.

David has been a member of a number of Boards such as Austrade, the Australian Industry Development Corporation and the Business School at Melbourne University. He served as the Chair of the Automotive Industry Innovation Council, a member of the Board of the Advanced Manufacturing CRC and the Australian Advisory Board of TUV Rheinland, as well as President of the Australian German Association. Before becoming a consultant David Charles held a series of senior positions in the Australian Public Service concerned with economic policy, industry development, innovation, trade policy and employment. From 1985-1990 he was Secretary of the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce and from 1990-1993 Australian Consul General in Berlin and Special Trade Representative in Central Europe.