Nicholas James

Core Competencies 

Digital Transformation & Business Change 

Business Analysis & Requirements Engineering 

Regulated & Compliant Systems (GxP, CSV, SEPA/ISO, etc.) 

Process Optimisation & Automation (Process Mining, RPA, AI/ML, etc). 

Trading & Risk Management Platforms (Murex, Openlink/Endur, bespoke) 

Data & Cloud Solutions (SQL, Migration, Dashboards et al) 

UX/UI Design & User Experience Enhancement 

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication 

Project & Program Leadership (Agile, Hybrid & Waterfall) 

Cross-Industry Consulting (Pharma, Agritech, Finance, Energy, Digital Media, Nonprofit) 

Professional Experience 

Consultant Business Analyst / Project Manager (Freelancer)   

Basel & Zürich | 07/2012–Present  

Delivered 20+ consulting projects and digital solutions for healthcare, agritech, finance, and nonprofits. 

Led RPA initiatives (UIPath, Microsoft Power Suite) at Octapharma, enhancing efficiency and compliance. 

Drove digital transformation for Roche across clinical trials (EVIDENS), health systems (DCEN), manufacturing (PTDC), and data platforms (MES, LIMS, ELN). 

Engineered SQL-based reconciliation and SEPA/ISO payment migration for the Bank for International Settlements (BIS). 

Designed VEEVA eDMS and structured authoring tools for Syngenta regulatory operations. 

Implemented IT asset management, QMS, JIRA Service Desk, and communication frameworks at Novartis, impacting 4,000+ global users. 

Key Achievements: 

Spearheaded automation and compliance programs, delivered innovative UX/UI for clinical and operational systems, recognised for cross-domain leadership in process optimisation and structured content systems. 

Managing Consultant 

Sapient | Zürich, Essen & London | 2010–2012 

Led complex engagements across energy, finance, automotive, and education sectors, including Markit Equities, EON Energy, Ferrari SpA, and Cambridge Assessment. 

Delivered business-critical analyses and cross-functional process redesigns, integrating scalable architectures and intuitive UX/UI strategies. 

Key Achievements:  

Designed Ferrari digital car configurator, pioneered energy and automotive client acquisition strategies, led UX/UI solutions enhancing operational efficiency. 

Managing Consultant 

Steria Mummert | Frankfurt | 2008–2010 

Directed solution design and business analysis for RWE Energy Trading, HBV/UniCredit, and Commerzbank. 

Delivered strategic process engineering, requirement capture, and end-to-end testing across multi-asset trading operations. 

Key Achievements: 

Orchestrated digital transformation initiatives and testing frameworks that enhanced system reliability and expedited go-live timelines. 

Consultant Business Analyst (Freelancer) 

Total Energy (TOTSA) | Geneva | 2008–2010 

Supported Murex financial instrument research, quantitative analysis, and development specifications for crude and refined oil trading desks. 

Key Achievements: 

Accelerated platform customisation and improved alignment with trading workflows under tight deadlines. 

Principal Consultant 

City Practitioners / Capco | London & New York | 2004–2008 

Implemented Murex and Openlink trading solutions across multiple asset classes for ABN AMRO, Caxton, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, Bank of America, and HBOS. 

Directed digital engagement and transformation strategies, system migration support, and training for trading desks. 

Key Achievements: 

Accelerated solution ideation, analysis, creation and delivery using tried & tested approaches to successful delivery for clients as ideated by City Practitioners. 

Project Manager / Business Analyst l London 

Duke Energy | London | 2001–2004 

Delivered Openlink Endur and PeopleSoft implementations across energy trading operations involving Natural Gas, Power, and Crude/Derived Oil trading. 

Managed $2M budgets, cross-functional teams, and global vendor evaluation projects. 

Key Achievements: 

Enabled scalable trading platform implementation, improving long-term operational efficiency.  

Engineered credit assessment tools enhancing client delivery and financial visibility. 

Trade / Business Analyst  

Sogemin Metals | London & Tokyo | 1995–2001 

Oversaw full LME trade lifecycle for Non-Ferrous, Precious Metals, FX, and Islamic Finance. 

Acted as liaison between Risk, IT, and Front Office to optimise trading platform performance. 

Key Achievements:  

Introduced automation and machine learning tools, enhancing operational efficiency and compliance. 

Project-managed rollout of new options trading platform, strengthening product coverage. 

Trade / Business Analyst 

Triland Metals | London | 1987–1995 

Managed trade execution and reconciliation across Non-Ferrous, Precious Metals, and FX. 

Provided analytics on positions, margins, and P&L to support trading decisions. 

Key Achievements: 

Implemented advanced trading systems, improving accuracy and regulatory adherence. 

Delivered process enhancements that improved operational throughput and risk management. 

Early Career & Freelance Roles 

London | 1980–1987 

NJ Associates, Sedgwicks Personal Finance, VNU Business Publications BV, Olrose Freight 

Delivered core business analysis, system optimisation, trade, and finance workflow improvements. 

Key Achievements: 

Developed integrated PFM/CRM platforms enhancing compliance and operational efficiency. 

Built entrepreneurial experience and expertise in business solution and process innovation, and risk mitigation. 

Technical Skills 

Platforms: Murex, Openlink, Core Banking systems, PeopleSoft, VEEVA eDMS 

Tools: SQL, Excel, JIRA 

Methods: Agile / Scrum, Waterfall, FT/UAT Testing, Data Migration, Interface Design 

Skills and Tools 

Digital Transformation & Automation: RPA (UIPath), Power Suite, Cloud Migration, QMS 

Trading Platforms: Murex, Openlink, Endur 

Regulatory & Pharma Systems: VEEVA eDMS, LIMS, MES, ELN 

Data & Analytics: SQL, KPI dashboards, Machine Learning risk reporting 

UX/UI Design & Structured Content: Clinical, operational, and client-facing solutions 

Project Management: Agile, Waterfall, Stakeholder Management, Budgeting 

2023 
UX/UI Design & AI/ML 
Coursera 

2023 
WEB3 – Blockchain/AI/ Metaverse 
Web3-architects.de 

2022 
Scrum & Kanban 
Scrum-Institute.org 

2004 
BSc Information Systems & Management  
University of London, Birkbeck College