Find your path to James
187 people in our graph share verified history with James — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Charlotte HowardunlockedJames: together at University of the West of England
×7James: together at Loughborough University
×3James: together at University of the West of England
James: together at Nationwide
About
James Saunders is Chief People Officer at Wates, joining in May 2025. He began his HR career at Nationwide, later holding senior HR roles at Vodafone from 2011, and served as Chief People Officer at Intu and then at Highbourne Group, a private equity-backed carve-out of building supply businesses from Travis Perkins.
Experience
- Wates GroupChief People Officercurrent2025 — present
- Highbourne GroupChief People & Culture Officer2021 — 2024
- intuChief People Officer2020 — 2021London, England, United Kingdom
- VodafoneHead of HR - Vodafone Business Global Commercial & Operations2018 — 2020Newbury/Paddington
- VodafoneHead of HR - Technology2013 — 2018Newbury
- VodafoneSenior HR Business Partner - Technology2011 — 2013Newbury
- Nationwide Building SocietyHead of HR - HR Strategy, Transformation & Platforms2008 — 2011
- Nationwide Building SocietySenior HR Manager - Strategy, Performance & Risk2006 — 2008
- Nationwide Building SocietyProgramme Manager - Merger People Workstream2005 — 2006
- Nationwide Building SocietyLearning & Development Manager2004 — 2005
- Nationwide Building SocietyProject Manager - Corporate Projects2000 — 2004
- Nationwide Building SocietyAnalyst - Business Strategy & Planning1998 — 2000
Skills & more
RemCoPeople StrategyExCo LeadershipHuman Capital ManagementHR Transformation15HR Strategy1Change Management30HRIS3Program Management6Human Resources20Employee Engagement8Talent Management5
+11 more
Performance ManagementHR ConsultingTUPEStrategic HRProcess ImprovementPersonnel ManagementBusiness TransformationStrategyManagementStakeholder ManagementBusiness Process Improvement- Hogan Accreditation — Indigogold
- Chartered MCIPD — CIPD
From James's professional profile.
Colleagues at Wates Family Holdings
Andrew Wates
WFET Chair at Wates Family Holdings
Anna Mann
Group Communications and Marketing Director, Wates Group at Wates Family Holdings
Brian Long
Group Health, Safety & Wellbeing Director at Wates Family Holdings
Charles Wates
Director at Wates Family Holdings
Chelsea Walters
Group Legal Director at Wates Family Holdings
Chris Cornall
Group Technology and Data Director at Wates Family Holdings
Cressida Curtis
Group Sustainability Director at Wates Family Holdings
David Morgan
Executive Managing Director, WPS at Wates Family Holdings
Frequently asked questions
- Who is James Saunders?
- James Saunders is Chief People Officer at Wates, joining in May 2025. He began his HR career at Nationwide, later holding senior HR roles at Vodafone from 2011, and served as Chief People Officer at Intu and then at Highbourne Group, a private equity-backed carve-out of building supply businesses from Travis Perkins.
- Where does James Saunders work?
- James Saunders is Chief People Officer at Wates Family Holdings.
- Where did James Saunders go to school?
- James Saunders studied at Loughborough University (BEng Hons, Mechanical Engineering with Diploma in Industrial Studies); University of the West of England (MA, Human Resource Management).
Same school
Also attended Loughborough University96
Abbie RobusAssociate Director at Mayfair Equity PartnersDiane WalkerHead of Group Finance & Operations at Mayfair Equity PartnersCostanza CariniInvestor at DN CapitalJoe HalliwellClient Team Member at Generation Investment ManagementAlasdair MitchellPortfolio Support at Giant Ventures Global LlpTom WigmoreFinancial Accountant at Advent Life Sciences
+ 90 more
Also attended University of the West of England51
Charlotte HowardInvestor at Index VenturesJames WilsonDesigner-in-residence at Brighteye VenturesRossInvestor at Dig Ventures Management LimitedGareth JonesManaging Partner at FinTech CollectiveDotun OlowoporokuManaging Partner at Ventures PlatformMohamed FoulserPartner at Redstone
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+ 45 more
Shared employers
Also worked at Vodafone135
Antonio TurroniOperating Advisor at P101 VenturesSimon SegarsExecutive Advisor at Black Opal VenturesTommy AhlersFormer Danish Science Minister at Giant Ventures Global LlpLirui DingPrincipal at TRANSCENDEren BaydemirExperts | Product Management at 212Marcos OsórioDirector, Cyber at Bright Pixel Capital
+ 129 more
Also worked at Nationwide Building Society9
Rajiv DhokiaPartner at Sprints CapitalKate VineInvestment Associate at Columbia Lake PartnersKaren MossTreasurer at Charity BankOliver T. BussmannBoard Advisor at Blockchain Valley Ventures, LlcSarah SmithInvestor at ASK PartnersAndrew RogersChief Financial Officer at Frogmore
+ 3 more