James Graham

ASR specializes in providing Strategic advisory and Governance services to Local Government and Commercial organizations.

Consulted to Western Bay of Plenty District Council in 2022 as Acting GM of Corporate Services and CFO.

• Developed and Implemented an Enterprise Risk Management Framework aligned to Council's key financial and non-financial risks. Including the formation of an internal audit program.
• Member of the LGFA Shareholder Council representing WBOP, Hauraki, Whakatane, and Matamata District Councils. Ensuring strong Governance oversight including monitoring and reporting of performance to member councils.
• Lead Executive on the Audit and Risk Committee. Providing broad financial and reporting business acumen to Councillors, particularly on treasury, risks, property, and commercial appraisal and reporting.

Advisory Board Member University of California Riverside Design Thinking Executive Program.

• The Board provides strategic direction and feedback into the program helping to guide quality improvements in the program and assess the program's efficacy.

Appointed by the board of the dental technology company to commercialize its products and transition it from a start-up to an international sales and marketing company.

• Reported to the board and worked with the board to develop high-quality business strategies. Managed all company operations and markets to execute the business strategy. Developed a reporting framework for the board to report on performance including key risks.
• Managed and executed three fundraising rounds. Including the production of investor information memorandums and leading the investor presentations and negotiations.
• Project Managed the company’s expansion into the UK in 2019. Including conducting all commercial negotiations in NZ, Australia, the USA, and the UK.

Member of the Senior Leadership Team participating in the organization's strategic leadership, working with Councillors to develop and execute the LTP.

• Trusted advisor to Councillors in providing advice and transparency on financial and non-financial risk management, policy, and governance support.
• Implemented the transition to a risk-based approach for the Health and Safety at work act 2015. Including working with Councillors to educate and assess their risk tolerances to Council activities within the PCBU.
• Gained sponsorship and funding from Councillors to implement a multi-year IT Enterprise Resource System including the transition to digital tools and mobile customer services

My career with UBS the top-tier Swizz Investment Bank and largest wealth manager in the world spanned several roles, promotions, and locations including London, Zurich the USA, and Singapore.

• The early stages of my career through to 2006 were spent in London and Switzerland where I was the CFO for several Fixed Income and Currency products.
• In 2006 I relocated to Stamford Connecticut where I headed up the Fixed Income finance strategy team. My role covered optimizing revenue, balance sheet utilization, treasury management, and special projects.
• Post the Global Financial Crisis in 2009 I was appointed to lead a Group Executive Board program to transform the bank’s finance systems, product offering, structure, and culture in response to the implementation of capital adequacy legislation across its core markets.