James Ward

Dr. James J. Ward is a privacy lawyer, data strategist, and technologist who helps governments, regulators, and enterprises deploy artificial intelligence systems responsibly. With a PhD from Oxford University and a distinguished career at the intersection of law, technology, and public accountability, he guides organizations in building AI systems that are not only powerful but defensible.

As a Fellow at Cambridge University, James is at the forefront of developing quantifiable frameworks for AI accountability that have been adopted by national regulators and multilateral institutions. His research translates "ethical AI" into enforceable, measurable outcomes through clear governance design and testable performance metrics—a practical approach now informing policy in the UK, EU, and the United States.

James serves as chief data strategist and privacy officer for multiple publicly traded companies, advising clients including FIS Global, EY, Duff & Phelps, Arizent, and Broadhaven Capital Partners. He has led teams that created new data products, generating millions of dollars in annual revenue while maintaining rigorous privacy and compliance standards across complex regulatory environments (GDPR, HIPAA, CCPA).

A certified Fellow in Information Privacy (CIPP/E, CIPP/US, CIPM) and member of the European Union's qualified expert pool on privacy and data, Dr. Ward brings more than a decade of experience in data strategy, privacy law, and high-stakes litigation to his work. He is the author of Data Leverage: Unlocking the Surprising Growth Potential of Data Partnerships and was a principal drafter of The A-Z of AI, a Webby Award-winning collaboration with Oxford-Google. His insights on AI governance and privacy have been featured in The Guardian, the BBC, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.

Dr. Ward's methodology combines the pragmatism of an engineer with the precision of counsel: rigorous model-risk assessment, transparent governance design, and outcome-driven accountability that connects AI performance to clear business results and defensible oversight.