Carlson was appointed an independent non-executive director of Standard Chartered PLC in February 2019 an independent non-executive director of Standard Chartered Bank in April 2019.
Carlson has a deep understanding and knowledge of operating in mainland China and Hong Kong and has significant experience of the financial services sector in those markets.
Carlson joined KPMG UK in 1979, becoming an Audit Partner of the Hong Kong firm in 1989. He was elected Chairman of KPMG China and Hong Kong in 2007, before becoming Asia Pacific Chairman and a member of the global board and global executive team in 2009. He spent over 30 years at KPMG and was actively involved in the work of the securities and futures markets, serving as a member of the Main Board and Growth Enterprise Market Listing Committee of the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong from 2002 to 2006 (Chair from 2004 to 2006). After retiring from KPMG in 2011, he was appointed a non-executive director of the Securities and Futures Commission, becoming its Chair in 2012 until he stepped down in October 2018. He oversaw a number of major policy initiatives during his term as the Chair including the introduction of the Hong Kong and Shanghai/Shenzhen Stock connect schemes and the mutual recognition of funds between the mainland and Hong Kong.
Carlson sits on various Hong Kong SAR government bodies, including as a non-executive director of the Airport Authority of Hong Kong, Chair of the University Grants Committee and a member of the Hong Kong Exchange Fund Advisory Committee.