Jim brings more than 25 years of experience in corporate finance, investment management, and corporate governance to the team. After serving 11 years at Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) as its Deputy Head of Research, and 14 years in corporate M&A and investment management, Jim joined Alliance Advisors in 2019 to lend his insights to the Governance Advisory and Proxy Contest/M&A groups.
While at ISS, Jim managed a team of twelve analysts through six proxy seasons. Prior to, or concurrent with that role, Jim served on the M&A Edge contested situations team, benchmark policy committee, and the benefits finance audit committee – the latter as a fiduciary for the company’s 401(k) plan. Jim developed, updated, and codified ISS’s benchmark proxy voting guidelines particularly those pertaining to mergers, proxy contests, SPACs, capitalization, poison pills, and mutual funds.
Jim’s strong finance acumen – combined with hundreds of engagements with companies and investors – enables him to guide companies through a wide range of governance and takeover challenges. As a recognized governance expert with a unique understanding how proxy advisors apply their policies in contentious and non-contentious proposals, Jim is a frequent speaker and panelist at industry conferences, and a contributor to articles in major publications including the National Law Review and Harvard Law School Forum.
Jim was a member of the aircraft crash investigation team while at United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. Jim participated in NCAA athletics, holds an M.B.A. in finance from Cornell University, a B.S. in math, engineering and applied science from UCLA, and is CFA charter holder, licensed CPA, and a life member of the California Scholastic Federation.
