James Drake, CFA

James Drake, CFA, has a diverse work experience spanning across various roles in finance and corporate development. James is currently the Chief Financial Officer at Ansarada, a position they have held since April 2020. Prior to this, from July 2015 to April 2020, they served as the Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategic Finance at LegalZoom.com, Inc.

Before joining LegalZoom.com, Inc, James was the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Verse Music Group from June 2011 to June 2015. At Verse Music Group, they played a crucial role in building one of the largest independent media copyright companies globally, focusing on music copyright, brand, image, masters, and other intellectual property rights.

James'searlier experience includes serving as the Investment Manager and Co-Founder of First State Media Group from November 2006 to May 2011. As part of this joint venture with Colonial First State, they emphasized alternative asset management with a particular focus on intellectual property.

Before First State Media Group, James worked as an Alternative Asset Investment Analyst at Colonial First State Global Asset Management from December 2005 to November 2006. In this role, they managed direct equity investments for infrastructure projects on behalf of public and institutional investors.

James began their career as an Institutional Banking Analyst at Commonwealth Bank, where they worked from January 2004 to December 2005. James performed financial analysis for major diversified clients in sectors such as infrastructure, power and energy, financial institutions, hospitality, construction, and structured finance.

Overall, James Drake's extensive experience across various finance roles demonstrates their proficiency in corporate finance, strategic planning, and asset management.

James Drake, CFA obtained a Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance, Accounting, Maths, and Psychology from the University of Sydney from 1999 to 2003. James also holds a certification as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) from the CFA Institute, which they obtained in 2022.