James' background
James came to Australia from England at 15, trained in Electrical Engineering and cut his teeth as an industrial engineer on production process and technology innovation in large scale manufacturing for Olympic Cables. Often presenting at C-level, he learned early the driving principle that business strategy, will, and capital are essentials for any effective business innovation.

Ambition led James to consulting with NCR and three years later Olympic invited him back to lead the CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) transformation of the company – cut short by the merger with Nylex..

At APPM, a large timber products conglomerate, James led the team that created and deployed the head-office financial management suite and then lead technology strategy development for all the production facilities in Australia. James joined Fenwick Software, a consultancy that excelled in strategic midrange solutions using advanced software tools. He worked on client projects, tooling development, and marketing professional services. He lectured and presented seminars and training on software tooling and development methodology.

James took the opportunity to build an agency and consultancy in the emerging micro-processor industry. After the US parent withdrew from the market, James continued consulting in custom projects using the emerging PC platforms in management and retail. Along the way, he won a two year research assignment in advanced software tooling using AI. Invited back to Fenwick, James led the push into the system integration market, did solution architecture and sales for an advanced public sector financial management package, and developed and presented ancillary courseware. Freelance contracting led to diverse assignments including acting CEO, consultancy establishment, robotics, mining projects, standards compliance, maintenance systems and international channel development for local software. Then followed many years contracted to Telstra Business and Government in a variety of roles covering project and programme management, development methodology, strategy, leadership mentoring and architecture.


James' capabilities
• Facilitator opening the path to acknowledgement of common ground and differences, even in difficult circumstances, for negotiation, consensus and concerted action.
• Dealing, communicating and planning at senior executive level to achieve shared goals.
• Thinking through the complex to the essential, clarifying ideas and expressing them coherently. A generalist with broad understanding and deep analytical skills.
• Mentor with empathy and rigour to build confidence and inspire creativity.
• Communicator and presenter with a style that is clear, engaging, challenging and motivating
• TOGAF trainer delivering and facilitating engaging learning experiences.

James' select achievements

Olympic Cables
Introduced advanced financial models for innovation and plant replacement.
Pioneered factory management computer systems. Manager of CIM transformation initiative - CIO equivalent.

APPM
Original concept and design, then manager of development and deployment of head-office financials dealing with the complex consolidation issues of this large conglomerate.

Telstra
- Architecture: application, data consolidation, integration, security, front-of-house transformation, CRM, workflow, governance for requirements capture and selection criteria, strategic systems plot flowing from business strategy.
- Strategy: lead for front-of-house and outsourcing strategies
- Programme Management: application delivery management philosophy and process, pilot retail front-of-house programme leveraging CRM, complaint management and service guarantee, strategy audit and troubleshooting, performance and mentoring of project managers.
- Project Management: business case, requirements, planning, testing, and quality. Project manager for both in-house and outsourced front-of house initiatives including the CRM pilot.
- Software Engineering: methodology development and support for on-line.

Melbourne Diamond Exchange
As executive director, CIO, and shareholder, James took the opportunity to apply enterprise architecture to build a high ticket make-to-order business from start-up through organic growth to public listing as a global franchise:- web marketing with cloud infrastructure integrating an international supply chain with local points-of-presence and contract manufacturing.