Stephen A. Carter

Stephen Carter CBE (born 12 February 1964), is a former businessman and political advisor and currently Minister for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting in the UK Government.

Biography

Born in Scotland, Carter was educated at Currie High School, Edinburgh. From 1982-87 he studied a law degree at the University of Aberdeen, where he graduated with LLB Hons and was the student president in 1985-86. He later attended the London Business School, Leading The Firm programme in 1995; and Harvard Business School's Advanced Management Program in 1997.

Career

After graduation from the University of Aberdeen, he started as a trainee with the advertising agency J Walter Thompson UK. He was made Managing Director in 1995 and Chief Executive two years later. In 2000, Carter became Chief Operating Officer of UK cable TV company NTL, guiding the company to established a leading position in the UK broadband market.Fact|date=April 2008 As a NYSE listed company, he also presided over the Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection proceedings of NTL, which at the time had debts of £12bn.citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2004/sep/07/media.ofcom |title=Stephen Carter: 360 degrees|publisher=The Guardian|author=Jane Martinson|date=September 7 2004|accessdate=2008-01-13] Carter left NTL at the end of 2002 as the Group was poised to exit Chapter 11, with a payoff of £1.7m in compensation, including a £600,000 bonus. After the company resolved a class action law suit brought by shareholders by paying out $9Million in compensation in late 2007, it emerged in papers released by the court that Carter's alleged comment about shareholders was: "What I tell them is nine-tenths bullshit and one-tenth selected facts.” [citeweb|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3177616.ece|title=Gordon Brown’s new spin doctor ‘deceived shareholders’|publisher=The Sunday Times|author=David Leppard|date=January 13, 2008|accessdate=2008-01-13]

On 21 January 2003, Carter was named as the first chief executive of UK media watchdog Ofcom. He stepped down in October 2006 before taking the top job at Brunswick Group, whose clients include BP British Airways, BT Group, and EMI. [ [http://ofcom.org.uk/media/news/2003/01/nr_20030121 Ofcom News Release: Appointment of Stephen Carter as Chief Executive, 21 January 2003] ]

In January 2008, Carter became Gordon Brown's Chief of strategy and principal adviser in 10 Downing Street. [citeweb|url=http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/page14174.asp|title=Prime Minister appoints Chief of Strategy and Principal Advisor|publisher=10 Downing Street|date=7 January 2008|accessdate=2008-01-13] [citeweb|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7175302.stm|title=Brown names No 10 strategy chief|publisher=BBC News|date=7 January 2008|accessdate=2008-01-13] To take up his new role, he had to step down from his jobs as group chief executive at Brunswick Group LLP; non-executive director posts at Royal Mail Holdings plc and Travis Perkins; and as a commissioner of the UK Commission for Employment & Skills.

In October 2008, Carter was appointed as Minister of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting. He will serve jointly in the DBERR and the DCMS, and on the Prime Minister's new National Economic Council. [citeweb|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/oct/03/television.digitalmedia|title=Stephen Carter gets communications post in cabinet reshuffle|author=Mark Sweney|publisher=The Guardian|date=3 October 2008|accessdate=2008-10-03]

Personal life

Carter is married to Australian Anna Gorman daughter of Kevin and Joan who had a family of ten and in that family was Stephen Gorman who married Patricia Denton and had five girls and one boy whom he met at JWT, and has a young family of two children. A private man, he plays golf, enjoys The Archers and pool.

References