Sir James Wates CBE joined the Wates Group in 1983 and was appointed to the Board in 1997.
He served as Chairman from 2013 to 2023 and is currently a member of the Nominations Committee. Outside of the company, James is Chairman of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), Chairman of Vestey Holdings Ltd, Chairman of Tewke and on the Board for The King’s Trust 50th Anniversary Campaign. Sir James feels passionately that good business, well done, is a force for good in society. In 2012 he was awarded the CBE and in 2019 was knighted for services to business and to charity.
