Mr James Williams
Group Executive, Corporate Relations and Culture
MBF Australia Limited

James Williams began his career as a lawyer in private practice, becoming a partner of a medium-sized firm in Sydney.  He left private practice to pursue a career in commerce working firstly in the Futures Industry, and then in several publicly listed organisations in the M&A area, and in financial services, in senior managerial roles. James’s roles have covered in-house counsel, corporate secretarial and public company administration, human resources, investor relations and communications.

In October 2005, James joined the diversified private health insurer/financial services group, MBF Australia, in the role of Group Executive Corporate Relations & Culture.  In his current role, as a member of the senior executive team, James has management oversight and responsibility for the provision of corporate services to the group in the areas of legal, corporate secretarial, human resources, community and government relations, and communications and sponsorship.

James has an active involvement in the not-for-profit sector having been a director of Guide Dogs NSW/ACT from 1988-2006, and its Chairman from 2001-2005 incl.  He is currently President of Royal Guide Dogs Associations of Australia and was for a period Deputy Chair of Father Chris Riley’s Sydney-based charity Youth Off The Streets.  James is a Director of Cranbrook School and President of the School’s Alumni.  He recently joined the Board of The Brains Trustee Limited, a charitable support foundation for the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute. 

James has degrees in Commerce and Law.  He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and the holder of a current Practising Certificate issued by the Law Society of New South Wales.  James also has a Licentiate in Music and has a strong interest in the arts.