James has over 25 years of senior leadership experience in technology and the built environment, including twelve years at Great Portland Estates (GPE) plc as Director of Innovation, where he developed and executed strategies to improve staff productivity and reduce energy consumption through digital transformation in line with the organisation’s customer first and net zero ambitions. Having overseen the successful delivery of over 6 million square feet of commercial, residential and retail space across central London, James shaped the business to become a market leader in smart buildings, winning the prestigious individual EG Tech Award in 2022 for ‘Bridging the Gap’ between technology and real estate. He also led the use of data resulting in the British Property Federation Award for ‘Best Use of Data’ in 2023.

James was a board member for the UK PropTech Association from 2021-2023 as well as on the British Council for Offices from 2017-2022, and is currently a Strategic Advisor for Laiout, Norway, supporting founders in their development of a generative AI space planning platform.

James studied Digital Transformation at MIT, including a specialism in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence.