Jim is a senior experienced executive for strategy, sustainability, climate, ESG, and innovation, working across Fortune 100 and global companies, public sector, start-ups, civic sector, and NGO sectors globally (in over sixty countries). He is also a leading strategist, futurist and innovator to help senior decision-makers better understand the future and act.

Recently, he was an Executive Director in NEOM’s financial services, where he led the development of an ESG trading exchange (green bonds, carbon credits, etc.) and advised on creating an ESG framework for NEOM. He also advised PIF, the sovereign wealth fund, on ESG frameworks and sustainability, and other PIF projects, such as the Red Sea resort. For the 4th FII (Future Investment Initiative or Davos in the Desert), he moderated an ESG investing panel with global CEOs. Prior, he was an investment partner in the NEOM Investment Fund (NIF), a $3-5Bn global ESG private equity fund, where he developed their ESG fund approach.

Previously, Jim served as a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley (MS) in senior leadership roles. He created and led the first Global Sustainability Office (CSO), with 50% of his role creating new business initiatives in renewable energy banking, carbon trading, sustainable/ESG investments, municipal finance and real estate (and, sat on the firmwide Investment Committee). He developed new industry-wide principles (Carbon Principles), was a thought leader for leading sustainability conferences, like SIF, and helped launch new green start-ups like Solar City (successful IPO). During his tenure, MS moved from #114 to #2 in global green banks. In his first role at MS, he led the Strategy Engagement Group (SEG), as Chief Strategist and Futurist, to create future business strategies across the firm, from senior executives to business units.

Prior, he helped create the Global Business Network (GBN), the leading global scenario planning consultancy, as a Senior Partner, where he worked with and learned from the original scenario planning masters Pierre Wack and Napier Collyns. He developed deep expertise in strategic and scenario planning across all industry sectors, innovative approaches, sustainability, leadership, and nature and social impact investing. His early career was with the Ford Foundation, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and leading a Clinton Administration White House initiative, under Al Gore, to create the first sustainable U.S. National Energy Plan. These roles linked innovative strategy and sustainability, including public-private partnerships.

In the green finance arena, he has been involved with various sustainability, ESG, nature solutions and social impact investment efforts, including global thought leadership:

• Created a new cleantech/sustainability private equity (PE) fund ($140M first fund close) as a Partner and Chairman of the Advisory Board,
• Advised on re-starting the P8/P80 global pension initiative for climate change (e.g. the largest global pension funds),
• Advised on creating the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), an impact network including nature solutions and biodiversity,
• Advised leading private equity, investment and asset management firms (TPG, Cherokee, Calpers, Veris Partners, among others),
• Helped create the ‘Conscious Capitalism’ initiative, under John Mackey, former Whole Foods CEO,
• And, advised many new green start-up companies and innovation (from Solar City (a successful IPO), Fisker (electric car), XL Hybrids (conversion of commercial mini-vans to hybrid powertrains), Fathym (IoT), and Descartes Labs (global satellite imagery).

A compelling speaker, Jim shares his experience and expertise in a variety of settings, including writing for publications like Harvard Business Review (HBR), a guest lecturer at leading universities and business schools, including University of Oxford (Said Business School), Yale, Stanford, and Cornell Universities, and speaking at many industry and client conferences.

Jim received his M.A. and B.A. degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE), with advanced economics focus, at Oxford University, England, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. His undergraduate degree is in civil and environmental engineering from Utah State University. He has served on various advisory panels and boards, including the Nature Conservancy, National Academy of Sciences, American Water Foundation, and the Leadership Council of the Corporate Eco-Forum (CEF).