James Nicolson
About James Nicolson
James Nicolson serves as the VP of Engineering at Circular.co, where he applies his extensive experience in technology and leadership. He has previously held key roles at IOUze, Standard Bank Group, and Civic Technologies, and he specializes in utilizing modern technologies to address complex challenges in various markets.
Current Role at Circular
James Nicolson serves as the Vice President of Engineering at Circular.co, a position he has held since 2022. In this role, he focuses on creating digital tools that enhance circularity in commodity markets, particularly through trading, supply chain, and risk management. His leadership emphasizes a clear commercial vision and engineering excellence, aiming to empower teams to solve complex problems using modern disruptive technologies.
Previous Experience at IOUze
Prior to his current role, Nicolson co-founded IOUze, where he served as Chief Technology Officer from 2018 to 2022. His tenure at IOUze spanned four years and took place in both Johannesburg, South Africa, and California, United States. During this period, he was instrumental in developing innovative technology solutions.
Background in Financial Technology
Nicolson has extensive experience in the financial technology sector, having worked at Standard Bank Group in various capacities. He served as Director of Global Markets Technology from 2005 to 2010, followed by roles as Executive Head of Global Architecture and CIB eCommerce Technology until 2018. His work involved overseeing technology strategies for corporate and investment banking.
Educational Qualifications
James Nicolson holds a Bachelor's Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand. He also completed the Senior Executive Program Africa at Harvard Business School, focusing on Organizational Leadership. His educational background supports his technical expertise and leadership in engineering.
Technical Skills and Expertise
Nicolson possesses a strong technical focus on Rust blockchain technology, emphasizing scale and security, as well as Decentralised Finance. He has recent expertise in various programming languages and frameworks, including Node, React, Python, Kafka, TensorFlow, and Machine Learning. His ability to combine strategic business goals with hands-on engineering skills is a key aspect of his professional profile.