James leads Oracle Cloud UK’s Defence and National Security business. He is a seasoned leader with extensive experience in both military and business environments. Prior to Oracle, he established and grew the Defence practice at Plexal, the market-leading innovation services company, driving business development and delivering innovation programmes for both government and private sector clients, including the UK Ministry of Defence and global tech companies.
In his 25-year military career, which culminated as a Lieutenant Colonel, James held command and staff positions where he shaped future military concepts, including AI, cyber, and robotics, as part of the Army’s strategy for 2035 and beyond. He was also deeply involved in acquisition, overseeing complex logistics, resource management, and digital transformation initiatives. His roles included leading operational teams and working on multi-national interoperability, with a focus on strategic technology solutions.
James’ contributions to defence transformation were recognised with an MBE in 2015. He strives for a values-driven leadership approach, focused on collaborative approaches to achieving optimal performance and developing teams to fulfil their potential.
James holds an MA in Defence Studies from King’s College London and a BA in History & English Literature from Newcastle University. He is an active British Army Reservist and holds interests in technology, coding, and outdoor sports.