James Grieve, MBA, FCMC, FEA, CCPA, CCXP

James Grieve is an Associate of Wirk Consulting, partnering with us on Strategy Formulation & Implementation, Succession Planning, and Economic Development projects.  He is the Principal of Catalyst Strategies Consulting and a Fellow Certified Management Consultant (FCMC), Family Enterprise Advisor (FEA), and Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP) with over 25 years of experience supporting public and private sector organizations, economic development agencies, Indigenous communities, co-operatives, and board-governed not-for-profits across British Columbia and Canada.

James brings deep expertise in economic development, Indigenous economic development, organizational strategy, governance alignment, stakeholder engagement, operational performance, and succession planning, supported by a strong commercial background in market development and growth strategy. He has a keen understanding of the dynamics of the economic development ecosystem and a strong passion for rural economic development and for supporting small and medium-sized businesses as they grow, scale, and position for successful transition or exit.

He holds an MBA and a graduate certificate in organizational design and development from Royal Roads University. He has also completed graduate studies in circular economy and sustainable strategies through the University of Cambridge and employee ownership through Rutgers University. James is a qualified business consultant under the Agri-Foods Business Development Program and holds ISO 20700:2017 certification for management consultancy services. James has led and supported regional initiatives in workforce and entrepreneur capacity building, value-added agriculture and food systems, tourism and cultural destination development, and complex multi-stakeholder environments, with particular strength in rural and Indigenous economic development contexts.

Earlier in his career, James held senior enterprise sales and business development roles developing distribution strategies, assisting manufacturers across North America and forging strategies for growth and succession. He is Past President of the Institute of Certified Management Consultants of BC and has served on the boards of the BC Co-operative Association and the Manitoba Tourism Education Council. He is also an active member of the BC Economic Development Association and the Southern Interior Construction Association, maintaining strong working relationships with economic development practitioners, local governments, and industry stakeholders.