James is a highly innovative and practical business creator, builder and strategist. James has extensive experience in the financial services and retail industries both in companies and as a consultant. His retail financial experience includes Zopa, Egg, Smile, and his retail experience includes Waterstones, WH Smith and Marks & Spencer. He currently consults and works with a variety of businesses.

James is a co-founder and Board Director of Zopa, the award winning financial marketplace where people meet to lend and borrow money. Zopa launched in March 2005 and James was CEO until August 2007. Zopa was named by Business 2.0 as "1 or the 11 companies that will change the world".

James is currently an advisor to a number of entrepreneurial businesses including Walkit.com and Mojo.com. James is also CEO and a Trustee of the Green Thing (www.dothegreenthing.com), an online, not for profit social movement to mobilise the masses to act against climate change.

Prior to Zopa, James was Strategy Director at Egg, a world leader in digital banking. He joined Egg to create new things – launching Egg´s digital TV and mobile services and the UK´s first and most successful account aggregation services. As strategy director, he saw Egg through it´s highly successful period of growth and move into profitability in the UK and led the exploration of a breakthrough opportunity for Egg entering the US.

Previously, James worked at LEK Consulting. James has a First class honours degree from University College, London and an MBA from INSEAD.