Meet the team in 90 seconds – Dan James

Who are you?

Hi, I am Dan James, owner manager of Wilson Partners. I have two amazing daughters and am a keen (but average) golfer, an avid Tottenham fan and follower of Welsh rugby.

I grew up in Thame, Oxfordshire, before moving to Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, to go to the grammar school. I studied Geography at The University of Nottingham, as I was exceptionally good at colouring in without going over the lines. However, realising that colouring in was not going to earn me a living (and I can’t draw so being an illustrator was no option), I joined the BDO graduate scheme in Reading, where I stayed for 11 happy years. I moved to Maidenhead in 2009 and joined Wilson Partners in 2015.

What’s your role at Wilson Partners

I co-lead our Corporate Finance practice with Adam Wardle and am specifically responsible for providing due diligence services to our broad base of private equity, corporate and bank clients. We operate across the lower mid-market on deals typically ranging between £1m-£50m.

In the past, until we hired a dedicated Head of Employee Experience, I was also tasked with leading and developing the people aspects of our business, which included liaising with our outsourced HR and training teams, driving our wellbeing roadmap and coordinating with our social committee. I hope I handed over a solid platform to Emma to create an even better environment for our employees; we deeply care for our WP family and do whatever we can to keep employee engagement, spirit and wellness high.

Favourite drink in the office and out of the office

Tea, splash of milk, no sugar (I am sweet enough already…) in the office and a nice cold lager outside of the office (preferably premium continental European).

Favourite Film

City of God. Brazilian crime film released in 2003, centred around a favela in Rio called Cidade de Deus (“City of God”) during the 1960s and 1970s. The plot follows two young men that choose different paths, one a photographer who documents the increasing drug-related violence of his neighbourhood and the other an ambitious drug dealer that starts a turf war.

Favourite Hobby

Easy, Golf! It’s one way I get to spend quality time with my Dad, but we also have an annual trip with 8 of us that has been going for 12 years and affords us some late sun usually in Spain or Portugal in October. For me, one of life’s great pleasures is being out on a golf course in the sunshine with good company.

Favourite Food

This is tough. I love food, and cooking! I am going to have to break it down…

• Can’t do without: bacon sandwiches.
• Favourite home cooked dinner: Greek lamb stew with giant cous cous, feta and coriander.
• Favourite dinner out: steak and (triple cooked) chips.
• Favourite takeaway: Indian medium/hot curry.

Favourite Country/ Holiday

My favourite country is Italy. It has it all, stunning scenery, history, great food, great people.

My favourite holiday was exploring Vietnam. I spent just over 3 weeks travelling north to south and it was just something like I had never experienced before. An unbelievable country.

Cats or Dogs?

Dogs, 100%. We actually had both in the family when I was born but we always had dog as I grew up, first Ricky (the cat was called Ossie if anyone can make the link….) and then Basil.

One thing that most people don’t know about you

I have competed with 2 world class sportsmen.

1. I lined up against Sir Mo Farah in the U15’s National Schools Cross Country Championships in Stevenage c1998. Sir Mo (unsurprisingly) won the race, whilst I came 27th out of a field of more than 300, with my school (Aylesbury Grammar) coming 3rd in the country. Unfortunately, I did not speak to Mo at the start line and after about 20m he was already too far away. By the time I finished he was probably already at home having a nice bath!
2. I played county level squash (can’t remember the age category but possibly around U12’s) against James Willstrop (I lost, comfortably), who went on to reach the World Number 1 spot, which he held for most of 2012. In contrasting fortunes, I made it to South England squad level but then never really got any better and finally hung my racket up after dropping out of the University first team. I did pick it up again about 12 years later but then gave it up again after I developed tendonitis in my wrist!

Ask one colleague to describe you

“Dan, you are truly one of a kind. Loyal, kind, thoughtful and, despite assurances to the contrary, you have a lot of emotional intelligence! You take the time to ask how others are and genuinely listen to the answer (a rare quality!). You are easy to talk to, always make me laugh, you’re great company and you throw yourself 100% into social events (particularly when there is 80’s music on the dancefloor). We are lucky to have you.” [Katie]

Dan, thanks for sharing this…and let us know when you’re next cooking and we’ll be over!