Member Profile

James is a senior consultant in Tower Watson’s international consulting group. Since 2004, he has been based in Chicago, working with multinational companies on the design, implementation, financing and management of non-U.S. benefits and HR policies. This includes working to: - Manage and deliver coordinated global advice at a corporate level, including global governance, global US GAAP and IFRS accounting, multinational pooling and global pensions risk management - Support global merger and acquisition activity, including due diligence and integration planning and implementation - Develop and review global benefits policies and practices - Review and implement expat policies and benefit programs James’s responsibilities include being the Americas lead for Towers Watson’s global governance and oversight group, responsible for development and sharing of best practices and other intellectual capital, for leading in-house training, and for supporting client assignments on this important topic. Recent assignments have included advising companies on the implications of the move to more transparent accounting and on responding to increased needs for global governance. Before moving to Chicago, James worked for 12 years in the U.K. at Bacon & Woodrow in the roles of corporate adviser and scheme actuary to U.K. pension plans and one year in their executive benefits team. This experience included project managing the valuation of a complex, multi-employer privatized pension plan, and advising a major client on their decision to move their pension plan to be 100% invested in bonds. James is a fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (U.K.) and a fellow of the Society of Actuaries (U.S.). He has a mathematics degree from the University of Durham (U.K.). In the past, James has spoken at events such as the CCA Conference, CFO.com, the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, and the PHRA International Benefits Committee.