James Stark

Senior Client Partner

Based in Atlanta, James is a Senior Client Partner in Korn Ferry’s Financial Officers and Industrial Practices.

James partners closely with Boards and the C-suite to identify and develop strategic finance leaders to help drive growth, performance and value creation. As a seasoned leadership advisor, James is especially passionate about succession efforts and helping clients achieve sustainable competitive advantage.

James has cultivated expertise in the evolving and expanding role of the CFO, and how that translates to the development of earlier-career finance talent. As a result, he is often sought out by corporate clients, the business press (Financial Times, Fortune, CFO Magazine, etc.) and other leading organizations (World Economic Forum, Deloitte’s Next Generation CFO Academy, etc.) to share his perspectives on the evolution of the CFO role and its broader implications. 

Previously, James led the US CFO and Audit Chair Practice of another global executive search firm, with a focus on Industrial and private equity clients. Prior to executive search, James was a Managing Director at World 50, where he launched and led private communities of CFOs and aspiring CFOs from Fortune 500 companies. Before that, he worked in global strategy and corporate development at IHG. Earlier in his career, he spent eight years at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) as a global expert on innovation and organic growth.

James earned a BA in economics from the University of Virginia and an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill. Outside of work, he enjoys music, literature, playing golf (poorly) and hiking in the north Georgia mountains with his wife, daughter, and their two dogs.