James Forsyth is a Swiss-American-British professional with a diverse background in economics, politics, and leadership. After completing his education, James worked as a political adviser and field organizer for the 2008 Obama presidential campaign, before transitioning to a career in finance. He spent six years with HSBC as a private banker, covering middle eastern markets and alternative investments.

In 2016, James joined the World Economic Forum, where he has since held various roles. He initially worked on Blended Finance, a program aimed at mobilizing private sector capital for sustainable development. Later, he led the Climate & Nature portfolio of the Global Shapers community, a network of young change-makers around the world. Currently, James leads the leadership development for the Young Global Leaders community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum that brings together exceptional leaders under the age of 40 from across sectors and regions.

He obtained a Bachelor's degree in Economics from the University of Montreal before pursuing an MBA (Summa Cum Laude) from the University of Geneva, School of Economics and Management, where he was awarded the Vacheron Constantin Best MBA Project Award. James is passionate about leveraging his expertise and networks to advance sustainable and equitable development and has been recognized as a thought leader in his field.