James grew up in Switzerland and France and was educated in England. After graduating from Bristol University he joined what is now Accenture where he worked across consumer and retail sectors for 20 years, the last seven as Co-Managing Partner for European Media & Entertainment sector.
In 2002 he joined EMI Music as EVP & CIO and until 2008 led their global technology investments & operations supporting the emerging digital age covering all processes from artist creation to consumer consumption. From 2009 to 2018 he served as Chairman of Harrison Maritime Industries Ltd, a maritime manufacturing & navigational information services company, with operations in Liverpool, Newcastle, Birmingham, Plymouth and Singapore. He was also Chairman of a consultancy in the Software-as-a-Service sector from 2013 to 2024, whose investment in digital shelf analytics SaaS software, for the online consumer goods retail channel, was sold to Silicon Valley based CommerceIQ.
James has a passion for helping young people and for 26 years he helped fund raise for the Music Industry Trust Dinner. This annual event raised money for two charities – Nordoff Robbins which delivers 50,000 music therapy sessions UK-wide per year, and the free BRIT School for Creative & Performing Arts for 1400+ children in Croydon. He served the five year Trustee term as a founding trustee of The Lindsell Foundation which from 2019 has been supporting projects for disadvantaged children of all abilities helping improve their educational outcomes. In 2023 he became an external adviser on the Marketing & Commercial sub-committee of The Courtauld Institute of Art’s Governing Board.