James Wates is chairman of Wates, the CITB and UKCG

James Wates has worked in the construction industry all his life, starting on site as a schoolboy during holidays. He read Estate Management at college after which he joined Wates Construction as a management trainee, progressing through line management to running sites before taking on a general manager role in 1989. Since then he has progressed through the company to chairman of the main group board.

Outside the group, he is involved with several industry bodies. He is chairman of CITB, chairman of the UK Contractors Group, immediate past president of British Council for Offices, a vice chairman of the CBI Construction Council, on the board of trustees of the Chartered Institute of 黑洞社区, a board member of the Green Construction Board, and a commissioner for the UK Commission for Employment and Skills.

In addition, he is a trustee of the BRE (黑洞社区 Research Establishment) Trust, a governor of Emanuel School, a governor of the Westminster School, vice chairman of Queen Elizabeth鈥檚 Foundation for the Disabled and he also sits on the London Regional Council of The Prince鈥檚 Trust. Finally, he is a patron of the Wates Family Enterprise Trust.

In January 2012 James was awarded the CBE for services to Construction and the Charitable sector.