Charles Watson

Charles Watson may refer to:

Charles Watson (businessman)

Charles "Chuck" Watson is the founder of The Natural Gas Clearinghouse. Later renamed Dynegy, the firm was a highly diverse energy trading company that was similar to rival Enron in many respects. Watson attempted to orchestrate a buyout of Enron in late 2001, but withdrew following the restating of Enron's financials. At one time this was the 11th to the largest corporation on the Fortune 500.

Watson left Dynegy in late 2002 when Dynegy's own finances took a turn for the worse amid allegations of accounting frauds, misconduct in the California energy crises and other serious problems. He was replaced by Bruce Williamson.

He later founded Eagle Energy Partners where he acted as the chairman. Eagle Energy Partners was later acquired by Lehman Brothers and then sold to EDF Trading, pending Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy. At Lehman Brothers, he served as a Partner and Managing Director. He currently serves on the board of EDFT, the managing partner and governing body of Eagle Energy Partners. He is also a Senior Advisor to the EDF Group in North America.

Charles Watson (Royal Navy officer)

Vice Admiral Charles Watson (1714 – 16 August 1757) was an officer of the Royal Navy, who served briefly as colonial governor of Newfoundland, died at Calcutta, India.

Origins

He was the son of John Watson by his wife the sister of Sir Charles Wager (1666-1743), First Lord of the Admiralty. The armorials used by his son the 1st baronet (Argent, on a chevron engrailled azure between three martlets sable as many crescents or) are a differenced version of the arms of the Watson family, Marquess of Rockingham, and thus the family may have been a cadet branch of the latter.

Naval career

Watson entered the navy as a volunteer per order on HMS Romney in 1728. He was promoted lieutenant in 1734 and promoted captain and given command of HMS Garland in 1738. He transferred to HMS Plymouth in May 1741 and to HMS Dragon in November 1742 which he commanded in the Battle of Toulon.

In 1746 he transferred to HMS Princess Louisa which he commanded at the First Battle of Cape Finisterre in May 1747 and in the Second Battle of Cape Finisterre in October 1747. In January 1748 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the Newfoundland and North American station with his flag in HMS Lion. He became governor of Newfoundland and commander-in-chief of Cape Breton. The position of governor of the colony had temporarily lapsed after the departure of Richard Edwards and therefore his successor, James Douglas, was not a governor of the island but commodore. No commodore nor governor was sent in 1747, but Charles Watson became the governor on arrival in 1748. As governor of Newfoundland he set about deporting Irish and Scots Catholics from the colony.