Ed James is a highly skilled branding and communications professional with more than 25 years of experience across multiple disciplines, including lifestyle, entertainment, music, luxury goods, business-to-business, experiential, technology, non-profit, and crisis management.
Through CHQ, James has developed ongoing consulting agreements with global marketing and public relations firms, including the global agency Hopscotch, award-winning marketing company Anthemic, G7 Marketing (part of Project: Worldwide), High10 Media and Clyne Media.
High-profile clients and projects include 3M, VH1 Save the Music, Lucky Strike Entertainment, Toyota, Bowers & Wilkins, NAMM, Guitar Center, RWS Entertainment Group, AllianceBernstein, Waves, FLOOD magazine, Fender, Firestone Walker, John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, Reason Studios, Ernie Ball, Pensado Awards, Littmann, and the Audio Engineering Society.
Previously, James founded and served as president of Cornerstone Public Relations, an extension of New York City-based lifestyle marketing company Cornerstone. In that capacity, he worked on projects for HBO, Pepsi, Microsoft, Diageo, Turner Broadcasting, Mountain Dew, Guitar Center, BitTorrent, Sweetgreen, TDK, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Converse, Reader’s Digest, Red Stripe, Bushmills, Nike, Jose Cuervo, Crown Royal, The FADER, Kia, Threadless, 2K, Levi’s, Activision and Adult Swim.
James also served as vice president of Gibson Guitar where he oversaw international press relations for the company. In addition, James serves and board chair and president of the Give a Note Foundation, a national non-profit dedicated to strengthening music opportunities for all students.
James is a regular editorial contributor to trade publications offering his perspective on best practices and the state of the industry. Named one of the industry’s “40 Most Influential” by Folio Magazine, James has also been profiled in PR Week and PRSA, nominated several times as Executive of the Year by PR News, and awarded Bulldog Reporter’s Silver Medal for PR Professional of the Year.