James Alexander

Chair, Executive Director

James has been involved in Finance Earth since it was founded in 2016. He is the Chair and Executive Director of FE and supports the team in its strategic innovation work for partners.

He is also Chair at Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Chair at Agricarbon, a leader in high integrity soil carbon measurement. Previously, he served a full term as Trustee for the RSPB, co-founded #VoiceForThePlanet, and was an early co-convenor of #TheRaceIsOn to secure a nature positive world by 2030. He was awarded an MBE for services to the environment in 2023.

James has also been an innovator and entrepreneur, including co-founding Zopa, the world’s first peer-to-peer lender (now a unicorn), and was Strategy Director at Egg, the UK’s first digital bank. As a foresight, strategy, and innovation consultant, James has led work around the world for organisations including Amazon, Tesco, AB Sugar, McCain, M&S, Mastercard, Save the Children, Which?, and WWF.

He holds an MBA from INSEAD and a first class honours degree from University College London. He is a keen birdwatcher and was fortunate enough to be part of a three-person team who re-discovered three species of bird considered by many to be extinct.

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