Attwood started his career as an investment banker for Goldman Sachs, where he worked in New York and Tokyo for eleven years.[4][6] He subsequently served as the Executive Vice President for Strategy, Development and Planning for Verizon Communications and GTE Corporation for four years.[4][7] He joined The Carlyle Group in 2000, where he is now a Senior Advisor. Between 2000 and 2017 he directed Carlyle's private equity investments in the media and telecommunications industries globally, and between 2014 and 2017 he directed the firm's investments in the technology industry as well.[6][5]
Attwood joined the board of directors of Nielsen Holdings in 2006 and was appointed its chairman in 2016.[8][6] He stepped down in October 2022 when Nielsen was taken private. He also serves as chairman of the board of directors of Syniverse.[9] He also served as an Independent Director at CoreSite Realty, and he formerly served as Co-Chair of Dex Media, and as director of Getty Images, Hawaiian Telcom and Insight Communications.
Attwood joined the Dean's Advisory Board for Harvard Law School in 2010.[5] He currently serves as chair of the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts in Katonah, New York [5] and also Chairs the New York PBS station group WNET and Friends of MVY Radio, operator of the public radio station WMVY on Martha's Vineyard. Attwood also serves as a member of the Global Board of The Nature Conservancy.
Attwood and his wife, Leslie Kim Williams, met at Harvard Law School, where they both graduated in the class of 1984.[5] They have one daughter, Samantha Kim Attwood. They reside in Bedford Hills, New York, Martha's Vineyard, MA and Honolulu, HI.
