James leads McKinsey's capabilities in global IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, which helps large institutions in implementing cyber-security strategies, conducting cyber-war games, optimizing enterprise infrastructure environments, and exploiting cloud technologies.
His recent client projects include:
- an infrastructure performance transformation for a major North America financial institution which will reduce run rate costs by $120 million through lean operational improvements, technology demand management, and improved software procurement
- a cybersecurity war gaming program for major global financial institution that resulted in enhanced, integrated incident response capabilities
- a data center strategy for a major North American health care services provider
- a $300 million core-technology transformation program for a healthcare-products company
- a $100 million demand-management program for a financial institution, developing the technology strategy for a major Internet carrier
- a $650 million infrastructure transformation for a major global financial institution
James led McKinsey's collaboration with the World Economic Forum on "Risk & Responsibility in a Hyper-Connected World," which was presented at a recent Annual Meeting in Davos. He has published on a variety of technology topics in the McKinsey Quarterly, the Financial Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Harvard Business Review Blog Network. James is co-author of the book Beyond Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Digital Business, (Wiley, April 2015).
Published work
“The consumer-data opportunity and the privacy imperative,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020
“Cybersecurity tactics for the coronavirus pandemic,” McKinsey & Company, March 2020
“Cybersecurity’s dual mission during the coronavirus crisis,” McKinsey & Company, March 2020
“Enhanced cyberrisk reporting: Opening doors to risk-based cybersecurity,” McKinsey & Company, January 2020
“Securing software as a service,” McKinsey & Company, September 2019
“Cybersecurity: Linchpin of the digital enterprise,” McKinsey & Company, July 2019
“Critical resilience: Adapting infrastructure to repel cyberthreats,” McKinsey & Company, January 2019
“A framework for improving cybersecurity discussions within organizations,” McKinsey & Company, November 2017
“Hit or myth? Understanding the true costs and impact of cybersecurity programs,” McKinsey & Company, July 2017
“Leaders and laggards in enterprise cloud infrastructure adoption,” McKinsey & Company, October 2016
“Ten books to make you a better business technologist,” McKinsey & Company, September 2015
“Repelling the cyberattackers,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2015
Beyond Cybersecurity: Protecting Your Digital Business, Wiley, April 2015
“Why senior leaders are the front line against cyberattacks,” McKinsey & Company, June 2014
“Risk and responsibility in a hyperconnected world: Implications for enterprises,” McKinsey & Company, January 2014
“How good is your cyberincident-response plan?,” McKinsey & Company, December 2013
“Enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of application development,” McKinsey & Company, August 2013
“Meeting the cybersecurity challenge,” McKinsey Quarterly, June 2011
“Getting infrastructure offshoring right,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2009
“Where IT infrastructure and business strategy meet,” McKinsey Quarterly, May 2009
Education
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
MBA, finance
Brown University
BA, history