As Managing Partner, EMEA and Global Head of Energy at Gerard Daniels, James leads board and executive leadership appointments across the global energy, industrial services and industrial technology sectors.
He works with listed, privately held and investor-backed businesses on leadership succession and organisational capability, with a particular focus on complex, asset-intensive environments.
A significant part of James’ work involves supporting investors to define and secure the executive leadership needed following acquisition, ensuring the right talent is in place to deliver strategic and value creation objectives. His expertise spans the full oil and gas value chain as well as the broader industrial services ecosystem that underpins critical infrastructure and large-scale projects.
James has cultivated long-standing relationships across the Middle East, Europe, as well as international energy and industrial markets. He is well regarded for supporting clients through complex operational, commercial and organisational challenges, bringing practical and informed perspective to every engagement.
Prior to joining Gerard Daniels, James held generalist HR advisory roles in the energy sector across Australia and Asia, working within a global integrated energy company and an international engineering and industrial services organisation. That experience provided direct insight into the leadership and governance demands of operating critical energy infrastructure and delivering complex projects at scale, something that continues to inform his advisory work today.
Conversation Starters
- James has an interest in sport, particularly F1 and football (as an Arsenal supporter).
- A family man, he enjoys the company of his wife, two young children and dog.
- James also makes time for his musical passions of playing the guitar and drums.





