James Owen is Managing Partner, Digital Risks, and a member of Control Risks’ Executive Committee. Based in London, he leads the firm’s global cyber threat intelligence, advisory, assurance, and incident response capabilities. He advises boards, CEOs and senior executive teams on the rapidly evolving intersection of technology, cyber threats, geopolitics and business risk.
James delivers threat-led, business-focused insight to inform strategic decision-making, strengthen resilience and guide enterprise-wide transformation. Working with multinational organisations across a wide range of sectors, he is frequently called upon to brief boards during periods of heightened threat, major incidents or strategic inflection points.
His perspective combines deep digital risk expertise with practical insight gained from years of operating in Russia, India, China, Europe, the Middle East and the United States. He helps organisations make informed decisions about emerging technologies, determine which risks to mitigate or accept, and build resilience that reflects both global threats and local operating realities.
Recent engagements include:
James has held senior leadership roles in regions characterised by geopolitical complexity, fast-changing operating conditions, and demanding stakeholder environments. He brings globally informed judgement, commercial acuity, and an ability to deliver calm, confidence-building guidance. He has a strong track record of building diverse, collaborative and high-performing teams.
Before joining Control Risks, James worked for Accenture in the UK, United States and China, and for the Foreign Policy Centre in London. He holds a BA in Modern European History from the University of York and an MA in Russian Politics from University College London. He is fluent in Russian.