James is a commercial strategist and former British Army officer with more than 25 years’ experience building and scaling businesses in the defence, security, and energy sectors across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. A serial entrepreneur and C-suite operator, he has led multi-million-dollar growth programmes, secured major government contracts, and driven high-value exits for blue-chip companies and fast-growth startups alike.

Across his career, James has built and led global sales organisations, delivered record-breaking revenue results and negotiated complex commercial arrangements in some of the world’s most challenging markets. He has advised governments, sovereign wealth entities, and Fortune-500 corporates on investment, resilience, and operational strategy, helping them unlock opportunities in environments shaped by geopolitical volatility.

Working at the intersection of growth, risk, and international security, James combines commercial discipline with deep geopolitical insight. He is trusted by boards, investors, and senior government stakeholders for his ability to structure deals, build international partnerships, and create value while managing exposure in hostile or emerging markets.

For Legate, James brings the rare combination of commercial leadership, government access, deal-making experience, and risk-management expertise, enabling founders and investors to scale defence innovations into NATO-aligned markets with confidence and strategic clarity.