Interview | TENGOAL


Armed Forces. “But like many contemporaries, I


found the transition quite a challenging one on leaving the Armed Forces. There are commercial considerations which I didn’t have to contemplate in the military. In the army it’s all about leadership and men and getting things done, you know what the resources are, and they let you get on and do it ... and commercial life seems far removed. “I was 28 when I left, and was still at a


learning stage of my life, and was therefore able to learn an entirely new skill set, but I saw a lot of my soldiers leaving, and they were more institutionalised and really struggling with what to do next. A good example was a charming colour sergeant from the Scots Guards, one of the most competent, capable soldiers I had come across. His issue was that his skills were as an infantryman, and he had no formal civilian qualifications, although he got to the very top of the soldier ranks, he was struggling with the transition into a new career, a feat all too familiar


for those


leaving the Services. This was just the


spur that Charlie and his fellow Capstar founder, Rob Bassett-Cross, a former Scots Guards officer, needed. “We wanted to generate meaningful


W


hen Charlie Bowmont, the founder of Capstar, says “I found transitioning out of the army quite


a challenge,” we should all take notice. If the Eton, Newcastle University and Sandhurst-educated heir to the Duke of Roxburghe found it a struggle, what is it like for his fellow soldiers with a less privileged start in life? Luckily for them, this former officer in


the Blues & Royals, had a similar thought and the chauffeuring service Capstar was born. “I don’t think you realise how institutionalised you become in the army and how different it is to civilian life,” said Bowmont. “I was lucky I had a good education and I loved my time in the


founder, whose


require from a modern chauffeur”. “Our association with Guards Polo


Club is a good example of this, as I believe that the type of individuals that want to attend prestigious polo events are exactly the same as those who would appreciate being picked up by an ex Guardsman or Household Cavalryman. We have Marines, Green Jackets, Gurkhas, as well as several former Metropolitan Police Officers on our books too; they know London so well.” Four years on, Capstar is flourishing,


The quintessential guardsman, they turn up on time,


are smart, dynamic, security aware and all that you want in a chauffeur


employment, utilising the qualities learnt during their career in the Forces,” explained the Capstar


formal title is the Marquess of Bowmont and Cessford, but is known by everyone as Charlie. “We started by buying four Jaguars and employed the first drivers to provide a landing pad for soldiers I knew who were looking for employment, but this quickly grew. So soon I went to see Rals Speth, the CEO of Jaguar Land Rover and he encouraged us, saying ‘Don’t be sub scale, turn this into something that has a real purpose’. So we bought 10 further Jaguars to increase the fleet and operational capacity.” Today, Capstar has a roster of some 30


chauffeurs who all epitomise Capstar’s founding values of the “quintessential guardsman”, they turn up on time, smart, dynamic, security aware and are all you


but is also expanding into new areas. The arrival of Piers Shotter as the Managing Director, a former officer in the Prince of Wales Royal Regiment, has “defined the service lines of Transport, Security, Lifestyle Management and Training divisions which Capstar now operates.” Meanwhile, a contemporary of Charlie’s from Eton and Sandhurst, Mark Chisholm, is operating Capstar’s Mayfair office, from where he runs Capstar’s Lifestyle and Concierge Service. “He deals with all the unusual requests we get – ‘Can we get 10 tickets to Guards Polo


Club this


weekend or charter a private jet to go to the Maldives and organise the full holiday?’” says Charlie.


“However, the cars are absolutely


integral and will always be the core part of the Capstar business. But what has been really exciting and something that we always knew was important when we first started, is our drivers’ security awareness. There are lots of our clients who have security teams, but we often advise that in London this is not always the most appropriate option. Often it’s a more suitable option to have a Capstar driver, who has close protection qualification, although as a licenced security company, we can offer the full suite of more advanced services if required!” “We are trying to create a modern-


day Jeeves with a bit more of Jason Bourne when required, rather than just the old fashioned view of a chauffeur,” said Bowmont. “We are entrusted with taking care of some of the most sensitive parts of our clients’ lives – such as driving


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