James Ballard is the Managing Partner of Annapurna Recruitment, a multi-award winning international search firm. With years of experience in the recruitment industry, James leads Annapurna Executive, a division focused on finding world-class senior talent for transforming organizations. He is also the founder of The Business Transformation Network (The BTN), a community that serves as the world's home for business transformation thought leadership and events.

James is a graduate of Harrogate Grammar School and the University of Nottingham, where he earned a degree in Geography. He started his career at Huxley Associates before joining the Liberal Democrats as a Constituency Assistant. Eventually, he became a Founding Partner of Annapurna Recruitment, which has since won numerous industry awards, including the Recruiter Awards for Excellence "Best Professional Services Recruitment Firm" three times.

Apart from his work at Annapurna and The BTN, James is interested in a wide range of fields, including HR, business change, and technology recruitment. He has won several awards for his innovative approach to recruitment and business transformation, including the Global Recruiter "Innovator of the Year" and the APSCO Awards for Excellence "Innovator of the Year."