James is the Global Director for Water and Wetlands at IUCN Headquarters near Geneva, Switzerland. With degrees in rural development, science and politics and irrigation engineering – as well as a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering focused on groundwater management in the Aral Sea Basin – he brings deep expertise to global water management. Over the past 30 years, he has worked in more than 25 countries, driving solutions for sustainable water use. James holds key leadership roles across the water and sustainability sectors. He serves on the Steering Committee of the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, the Board of the Alliance for Water Stewardship and the Board of the Alliance for Global Water Adaptation. Additionally, he is a Technical Advisor to the Climate Bonds Initiative, a member of CDP’s Water Security Advisory Council, an advisor to the Dutch Government’s Valuing Water Initiative and part of the Steering Committee for the Water in Net Zero Initiative (WINZ). From 2020 to 2022, he was a Member of the European Commission’s Platform on Sustainable Finance. In 2024, International Water Power and Dam Construction recognized him as one of the 75 most influential people in the sustainable hydropower industry.
