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James French is the founder of Brownland Leadership Solutions (BLS), a 501 (C3) consultancy dedicated to enhancing institutional performance, public trust, and societal impact through innovative governance practices. Guided by the belief that institutional resilience thrives on broad stakeholder engagement, BLS is pioneering stewardship innovation, ushering in a new era of governance practices.

In 2019, James, an innovator in technology, finance, and governance, established the Montpelier Descendants Committee (MDC). Over four years, he spearheaded a successful power-sharing revolution at The Montpelier Foundation, which oversees the historic site of James Madison's former residence. In 2022, he implemented the concept of 'structural parity' at Montpelier, ensuring equal co-stewardship between the board and descendants of enslaved Africans—a groundbreaking achievement for US institutions and museums. Subsequently, he became the first Chair of a Founder site from a descendant background and secured a $5.8 million Mellon Foundation. He stepped down after completing his term in 2023.

James posits parallel and interdependent ethical, business, and strategic justifications for promoting equity within governance structures, emphasizing their broader implications beyond cultural institutions. In March, at the 2024 SXSW Conference in Austin, James delivered a talk on how structural parity offers a robust governance model for AI. Rooted in Madisonian principles of representative democracy, this innovative approach has earned broad acclaim. James highlighted its potential to ignite an institutional renaissance by reshaping power and equity dynamics across various sectors, including museums, corporate boardrooms, and notably, artificial intelligence.

Throughout his career, Mr. French has occupied various senior executive roles, notably at Citigroup in Africa, as a US Treasury Advisor to Algeria, and as a board director for Africa's largest microfinance bank. Additionally, he has been an active entrepreneur within the global fintech sector.

James draws from his upbringing in West Africa and education at Phillips Exeter Academy, Boston University, and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business to bring a wide range of perspectives and expertise to his work in fostering impactful change.