James specialises in industrial design. He studied at Kingston University, graduating in 2000 with a commendation. He joined Foster + Partners in 2007 and has since produced a wide portfolio of mass-manufactured products for leading international companies. His work also extends to the design of bespoke solutions for a variety of architectural projects and is a key player in transport design projects. He was promoted to partner in 2014 and assists with the management of the industrial design team. His interests include alpinism and motorbike touring.