Engr. Dr. Charlie Than has been appointed to Union Minister of Industry in May, 2021 as well as the Patron of Myanmar Engineering Council in August, 2021. His alma mater is a Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT) where he graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical). He received his master degree of Marine Engineering and doctoral degree of Naval Architecture in Defence Services Technological Academy, Myanmar.

He served the Inland Water Transport Corporation, Myanmar from 1974 to 2002 where he has achieved diversified experience in the sector of inland water transport, shipbuilding, shallow draft Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering. In 1996, he was appointed as a Visiting Professor in Naval Engineering Department, Defence Service Technological Academy, Myanmar. In 2002, he was appointed as a Pro-Rector (Academic) at newly formed Myanmar Maritime University (MMU), the first higher educational institution in the country with quality systems. He retired from public service as a Rector of the university in 2013.

Since 2013, he has practiced as a consultant naval architect providing technical knowledge to inland passenger vessel projects and maritime affairs in Myanmar.

The Myanmar Engineering Council is formed in 2013 and he was appointed as a Chair of Engineering Education Accreditation Committee (EEAC). EEAC conducted the first accreditation assessments in the history of Myanmar’s higher education sector with a landmark visit to Yangon Technological University in 2015. After being appointed as a President of  Myanmar Engineering Council in 2016, he facilitated the bid for the organization as provisional signatory of Washington Accord and it was achieved in 2019.

Dr. Charlie is an alumnus of Newcastle University Upon Tyne and his selected professional recognition includes Chartered Engineer from Engineering Council (UK) and Fellows from Royal Institute of Naval Architects, UK.

Since 2019, he has been elected  as the Vice-President of Federation of Engineering Institutions in Asia and Pacific. In addition, Dr. Charlie Than was nominated as the Chair of the WFEO Committee on Education.