James’ most recent corporate role was as Chief Commercial Officer at Heineken, where he was responsible for shaping global commercial strategy, integrating brand, customer and route-to-market agendas and driving performance across multiple markets. Before that he served as Chief Brand, Beauty and Stores Officer at Avon (later part of Natura & Co), where he also spent time as General Manager for Avon China, giving him first-hand experience of leading in one of the world’s most dynamic consumer markets.

Prior to these roles, James spent nearly 25 years with Diageo in a series of senior positions, including President, Global Reserve (its luxury portfolio), and Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer in both North America and Asia Pacific. His early career was with Unilever, where he spent a decade in marketing roles that grounded his approach in disciplined consumer insight, innovation and portfolio management.

James is a Fellow of Judge Business School at the University of Cambridge and of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. He sits on the Advisory Board of Peace One Day, is a Director at VinePair Inc and a Non-Executive Director at BA Glass.