James Woods is a UK-based consultant advising corporations, individuals, and political leaders in Africa on communications, political risk, stakeholder engagement, and business strategy.

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As a communicator and entrepreneur, James captures the potential of the continent’s next generation. He is the winner of the 2015 Young African Achiever Award in the Changemaker category, an honor given to an African under 35 working to bring development and change to the continent. 

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A native of Malawi, James has advised clients in Europe and the Middle East and across Sub-Saharan Africa. He has worked in sectors ranging from sports and media to solar energy and gas. From his current base in London, James advises a broad range of clients at the firm he founded in 2014, AJ Africa Consulting Ltd., and serves as the Regional Director for Rainbow Sports Global, the leading global sports agency focused on African football.

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James is a regular current affairs analyst on some of the worlds’ leading media platforms such as Arise TV, TVC, ABN, Bloomberg and BBC. He sits on a number of boards, including the Youth Advisory Board for Brand Africa, which aims to promote a positive image of Africa through intergenerational partnerships. He previously served as the Malawi country director for Invest Africa Ltd., a leading pan-African business platform promoting trade and investment between the UK and Africa.

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Prior to founding his own firm, James worked for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation on issues concerning media, communications, political and socio-economic affairs and good governance in Africa. 

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James holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of London and a Master’s from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He has also completed an executive leadership program at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and a certificate in global diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies.