As well as being Pro-Chancellor, James was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Business Administration by Sunderland University in 2016 , made an Honorary Fellow of the Association of International Accountants in 2017; and awarded a CBE for services to business and the North East economy in the 2019 New Year’s Honours list.
James became Chair of Newcastle Building Society in August 2021. Prior to this, he was Chief Executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce for 15 years, and Chairman of Darlington Building Society until December 2017.
Previously James was Vice Chairman of North East construction firm, the Esh Group, and before this spent 14 years in corporate banking in Barclays Bank plc, latterly as Marketing Director.
James was a soldier for 12 years with the Royal Green Jackets, and benefited from executive education at Harvard (USA), INSEAD (France), and Oxford University, after graduating from Durham University.
He maintains his associations with the military as an Honorary Colonel for The Rifles and as a Deputy Lieutenant for County Durham. He is also a Lay Canon of Durham Cathedral and is Vice Chair of The Foundation of Light, and a Trustee of The Willan Trust and the Gillian Dickinson Trust.