Charles Allen was born and educated in the UK. He served for two years (1955–6) in the Royal Engineers in Malaya during the Emergency there. He joined Shell on graduation and his professional career commenced as an exploration geophysicist in various parts of the world and later in production and general management. He was posted to Australia in 1979 as Executive Director of Woodside Petroleum Ltd and Chairman of the North West Shelf Project. He became Managing Director of Woodside in 1982 and retired in 1996 when the initial project was complete. He was appointed AO in 1990 and received the Centenary Medal in 2003. He received the APPEA Reg Sprigg Gold Medal in 1996 and the Lewis G Weeks Gold Medal in 2002. He was chairman of CSIRO (1996–2001), National Australia Bank (Dir. 1992–2004, Chrmn. 2001–2004), Air Liquide Australia Ltd (Dir. 1998–2008, Chrmn. 2005–2008), Australian Mines and Metals Association (President 1989–92), The Cambridge Australia Trust (1996–2002) and The Florey Neuroscience Institutes (Chrmn. 2007–present) and he was a director of Metals Manufacturers (1990–2), Earthwatch Institute (1995–2005), Amcor Ltd. (1996–2005), and AGL (1996–2008). Charles Allen was married first to Angela (nee Evatt, dec. 2001) by whom he had two sons and a daughter. He married secondly Jocelyn Searby (nee Paynter) in 2002.