Christopher James
Christopher James (28 January 1946) is a former SAS and MI6 operative who co-founded the high-profile corporate intelligence agency Hakluyt with Christopher Wilkins.[1]
Contents
Military career
Christopher James was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1965 and saw active service in the Middle East. He was selected for the SAS (Special Air Service) and spent four years on numerous special forces operations worldwide. In 1975 he joined the Foreign Service and worked in many diplomatic missions including Kenya, Nigeria, India, Zimbabwe and Cyprus[2]. James, was until 1998 in charge of MI6's liaison with commerce,[3] having also served in the Special Air Service.[4] He resigned in 1995.
Hakluyt
- During his time with Hakluyt Christopher built up the business working with the Chairmen and CEOs of some major global corporations including those in the US. He also worked with a number of distinguished personalities including Henry Kissinger (Kissinger Associates) with whom he formed a partnership in 2000; General Brent Scowcroft, former National Security Advisor, John F Lehmann, former Secretary for the Navy; Mack McLarty, former Chief of Staff under President Clinton; and Senator Bill Bradley who joined Hakluyt as a Non-Executive Director. He retired as CEO in 2006. [2]
Soliciting work from Enron
In 2001, prior to Enron's bankruptcy in the same year, James emailed Jeff Skilling, former CEO of Enron, advertising the services of Hakluyt. His email read:
- Dear Mr Skilling,
- Following Phil Carroll's letter to you of April 16 I would be delighted to call on you to tell you more about Hakluyt. While we have already done some work for Enron (Scott Tholan), virtually all our work for our clients is at a strategic level where our coverage of issues is of greatest value. With your challenging international objectives I am confident we could be of value to you.
- If you would find it useful to meet I will contact your office to arrange a suitable time.
- Yours sincerely
- Christopher James[5]
Other business interests
James is a founding partner of Longbow NXG - an organisation working to equip the extremely wealthy with skills allowing them to 'thrive and prosper'.[6]
He is also the founder of Malachite Ltd - a company linked to the charity The Malachite Foundation and provides political, business and cultural insight for investors in emerging and frontier markets. [7]
Education
James was awarded a scholarship at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. [2]
Awards
James was awarded the OBE in 1987 for services to Her Majesty’s Government. He was appointed Vice Lord-Leiutenant (Queen’s Representative) for the County of Herefordshire. [2]
Notes
- ↑ Stephen Robinson MI6, a death in China and the very secretive Mayfair company full of spooks The London Evening Standard, 30 March 2012, accessed 23 September 2014
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Christopher James Profile Longbow NXG, accessed 23 September 2014
- ↑ MI6: Inside the Covert World of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, 29 July 2000, Stephen Dorril, The Free Press, New York, 2000, pp. 783-800.
- ↑ Stephen Overell Financial times Hakluyt article Shell News reprint of the Financial Times, Originally printed 23 Mar 2000, accessed 23 September 2014
- ↑ Christopher James' email to Jeff Skilling, accessed 23 September 2014
- ↑ Longbow NXG about us, accessed 23 September 2014
- ↑ Malachite Group about us, accessed 23 September 2014
