Commissioner’s biography
Karen’s career spans both the public and private sectors in the UK and abroad. Her early years were spent in the health service and the hospitality industry. A need to see some of the world before she settled down took Karen to Australia, where she worked with the Government of Victoria during the creation of their Industry Training Commissions. On her return to Scotland Karen worked in a number of senior HR roles; she was, for example, the first director of Investors in People Scotland and created Scotland’s IiP assessment and recognition framework. Karen moved to a position as Managing Director of an organisation development company, then set up her own business, providing HR and organisation development services. As part of her portfolio, she became one of the independent assessors who monitor Scotland’s public appointments process. She was appointed as Commissioner in June 2004.
Karen’s role as Commissioner is part time; she is also a member of the appointments panel for the BBC Audience Council and a non-executive director of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.
Karen Carlton
0131 718 6363
karen.carlton@publicappointments.org
From 26 January 2011, Karen's phone number will be 0131 226 8136. Her email address remains the same.