James started with Raine & Horne in August 2024. He is an experienced numbers person, previously being the finance manager at Lyttelton Port Company, New Zealand’s third largest port. Before the Port Company, he was the finance lead at Couplands Bakeries, implementing an accounting system upgrade and enjoying the taste testing. A lengthy term at PGG Wrightson Limited preceded, where the role of business accountant provided a great education in many different aspects of finance, including treasury, overseas transactions, cost analysis, budgeting and forecasting, and the more mundane task of preparing financial statements and tax work.
A true Cantabrian, born and raised (even bred) on a farm in Leeston, James graduated from Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Commerce many years ago when the hair was brown, not platinum, and a smaller size belt was needed (thanks, Couplands). He then became a qualified Chartered Accountant, working in a variety of CA firms in Canterbury, before moving into the corporate environment at PGG Wrightson.
Married for over 25 years with two young adults, James enjoys the occasional round of golf when he is not the unpaid Uber driver of the aforementioned children. He is currently the Club Captain of Ellesmere Golf Club and Vice President of the Canterbury Golf Association. He is a keen follower of all sports, useful in a pub quiz for that one section.