James joins Hydrasun from global industrial tools and services company Enerpac Tool Group, where he most recently served as Regional President for Asia Pacific, leading a multi-brand, multi-channel product and services business across India, China, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Australia.
He succeeds Neil Thompson, who resumes his role as Chief Operating Officer, having successfully overseen a crucial transitional period for the company. During this time, Hydrasun further strengthened its global offering across the energy and industrial sectors through targeted acquisitions, helping position the business for its next phase of growth.
James brings 25 years of experience in the energy and industrial sectors, having begun his career in investment banking. During more than a decade at Enerpac, he held a series of senior leadership positions, including Vice President of Global Corporate Development and Global Business Development for the Energy and Industrial segments.
His appointment comes as Hydrasun marks its 50th year in business, having been established in Aberdeen in 1976.
Commenting on his appointment, James said:
"Over the past 50 years, Hydrasun has built an international reputation for engineering excellence, technical expertise and customer service, while developing strong relationships across some of the world's most important industrial sectors. I'm excited to continue this fantastic work as we enter a new chapter for the company.
"Hydrasun has a significant opportunity ahead as demand continues to grow for the services, technologies and expertise that support energy security and other relevant sectors, including industrial, defence, power and clean energy.
"I look forward to working with the team across our global operations to build on the strong foundations already in place, accelerate our growth strategy and continue delivering innovative solutions for our customers."