Born into a family of French immigrants, James lived in Paris for the first twelve years of his life before moving to Los Angeles with his parents and two older brothers. He learned early on that becoming an overnight success takes decades of hard work, perseverance, and discipline after witnessing his dad drop out of medical school to start an aerospace manufacturing company. His brothers are now hardware and software engineers, a product of the family upbringing that sparked James’ early interest in technology and problem-solving.
James joined Lightspeed’s growth practice in 2019 to lead the reinvestment platform and invest in fast-growing consumer and software companies. James is passionate about helping entrepreneurs scale their businesses into sustainable category leaders.
Prior to Lightspeed, James worked at Battery Ventures for several years, focusing on growth and buyout investments in vertical SaaS, IT infrastructure, and consumer industries. At Battery he invested in Mews Systems, Curve Dental, and WebPT’s acquisition of BMS.
Prior to working in venture, James worked at Moelis & Company, an investment bank, where he advised software and communications equipment companies on M&A and strategic alternatives. Before Moelis, James held roles in Risk at Citi in New York, and in Asset Management at Bedrock Group in London.
James studied Economics and Industrial Engineering at UC Berkeley. In his spare time, James plays tennis and saxophone, skis, and loves learning about different cultures while traveling.
