James has worked in financial markets for over 25 years. He began his career on Merrill Lynch Japan's derivative trading desk in  middle office position during the Asia Currency Crisis. After earning his MBA from the University of Washington, he joined Price Waterhouse (Japan) specializing in back-office operations. He then moved to Goldman Sachs (Japan) where he built his career to eventually head their Asia Pricing and Valuation Group, becoming an expert in less liquid, hard-to-value instruments. After 16 years at Goldman Sachs, working in three locations, James spent 9 years as head of valuation at Viking Global Investors, where he built and managed a team responsible for valuing $10 billion in illiquid assets. 

James believes valuation should be objective and transparent. While valuing illiquid assets is technically complex, the results should be easy to understand. He focuses on clarity—ensuring that logic, assumptions, and drivers are accessible rather than hidden in a black box.

In his spare time, James serves as a volunteer city council member, a director for the Rye Sustainability Foundation, and a youth hockey coach. He enjoys sailing, skiing, swimming, and bicycling.

Contact: LinkedIn, email: jward@brunehare.com