James Lam & Associates

What James Lam & Associates does

James Lam & Associates, Inc. (JLA) is a US-based boutique consulting firm founded in 2002 and singularly focused on enterprise risk management (ERM). The firm serves corporate directors, CEOs, chief risk officers, CFOs, CIOs, and other senior executives, delivering ERM framework development, risk policies, analytical tools, key risk indicators, dashboards, and customized board-level training. James Lam, recognized as the first-ever chief risk officer globally, personally serves as principal consultant on every engagement, creating a founder-led delivery model that constrains scale but anchors the firm's reputational moat. The client base spans financial services (Bank of China, Citibank, Edward Jones, The World Bank), healthcare (UnitedHealthcare), technology (IBM), and waste management (Recology), with engagements delivered virtually or in-person across North America, Europe, and Asia.

The firm's core offering is a portfolio of professional services rather than a software platform: management consulting, board advisory, risk training programs, and keynote speaking. Commercial mechanics rest on customized consulting fees negotiated per engagement, supplemented by royalties from two best-selling Wiley ERM books and keynote speaking fees. Marketing is driven almost entirely by thought leadership — published books and articles, white papers, podcasts, and earned media — supported by faculty positions at Carnegie Mellon's CRO Certification Program and NACD's director certification courses that provide institutional access to senior decision-makers. The firm holds no external funding, operates as a privately held corporation, and has completed over 75 client engagements since founding, with at least one engagement (Recology) externally recognized with the RIMS 2019 Global ERM Award of Distinction.

Name

James Lam & Associates

Legal name

James Lam & Associates, Inc.

Website

https://jameslam.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

James Lam & Associates is a US-based boutique consulting firm founded in 2002, singularly focused on enterprise risk management advisory for corporate directors, CEOs, CROs, CFOs, and CIOs. It delivers ERM frameworks, risk policies, board training, and speaking engagements worldwide, with founder James Lam personally leading each engagement.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Advisory (BPAHAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) (HDADAIAC), Risk Management Consulting (Enterprise & Operational Risk) (FSAEADAG)

Keywords

• Enterprise risk management
• Risk advisory consulting
• Board governance services
• ERM training programs
• Risk management speaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Wellesley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Management Consulting: Fees for ERM consulting engagements including ERM framework development, risk policies, risk assessment tools, key risk indicators, dashboard reporting, and board-level training programs.
2. Books and Publications: Revenue from ERM books including 'Implementing Enterprise Risk Management: From Methods to Applications' (Wiley, 2017) and 'Enterprise Risk Management: From Incentives to Controls' (Wiley, 2003, 2nd Ed 2014).
3. Speaking and Training: Keynote speaking fees and customized training programs on ERM, strategic risk, financial risk, operational risk, and cybersecurity topics.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

James Lam & Associates is a boutique consulting firm that provides enterprise risk management (ERM) advisory services to corporate directors, CEOs, CROs, CFOs, and CIOs. The firm's core deliverables include ERM frameworks, risk policies, risk assessment and quantification tools, key risk indicators, board dashboards, and customized board training programs. The principal consultant, James Lam, personally leads every engagement.

Product overview

James Lam & Associates is a boutique consulting firm singularly focused on risk management. The company offers a portfolio of professional services including Management Consulting, Board Advisory Services, Risk Training Programs, and Speaking/Keynote Services. Rather than a unified software platform, the firm delivers customized ERM solutions through direct engagement with corporate directors, CEOs, CROs, CFOs, CIOs, and other senior executives. Key deliverables include ERM framework development, governance structures, risk appetite statements, risk assessment and quantification tools, interactive dashboards, and risk culture surveys. The firm was founded in 2002 and has completed over 75 client engagements across major industry sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Recology implemented robust ERM program in under 2 years without additional staff, ahead of original 3-year plan
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments7 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and featured.

• National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJLA has partnered with NACD to develop in-boardroom and virtual training programs on governance and oversight of strategy and ERM, cybersecurity, and disruptive risks. James is a faculty member of NACD's foundation and director certification courses.
• Carnegie Mellon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Lam serves as a faculty member of Carnegie Mellon's CRO Certification Program, contributing to professional development for chief risk officers.
• RecologyfeaturedOthersRecology, a San Francisco-based waste management company with over $1 billion in revenue and 3,800 employees, worked with JLA to implement a best-in-class ERM program. The engagement resulted in Recology winning the RIMS 2019 Global ERM Award of Distinction. JLA helped reduce emergency cleanup time from 18 months to 6 months during a massive fire event.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Aon: Global professional services firm offering risk management, insurance brokerage, and risk advisory services including enterprise risk and cyber risk consulting, competing with JLA on integrated risk advisory mandates at large enterprises.
• Deloitte: Big 4 professional services firm with a Risk & Financial Advisory practice offering ERM, governance, and risk technology services; competes with JLA for enterprise risk advisory mandates, often as part of broader multi-disciplinary engagements.
• KPMG: Big 4 firm offering Enterprise Risk Management consulting as part of its Risk Consulting practice, providing integrated risk advisory, technology implementation, and managed services that compete with JLA's standalone ERM advisory model.
• EY (Ernst & Young): Big 4 firm with a Risk Consulting practice offering ERM advisory, internal audit, and risk transformation services that overlap with JLA's enterprise risk advisory offering for mid-to-large enterprises.
• Marsh McLennan: Global professional services firm in risk, strategy, and people, including Marsh (insurance brokerage) and Oliver Wyman, with enterprise risk capabilities that compete with JLA on integrated risk and insurance advisory mandates.
• PwC: Big 4 firm with a Risk and Compliance Services practice that includes enterprise risk management advisory for boards and CROs, frequently competing against boutique risk specialists like JLA in procurement processes.
• McKinsey & Company: Global strategy consultancy with a Risk & Resilience Practice that competes with JLA on enterprise risk transformations, particularly where ERM is bundled into broader strategic or operational engagements at large enterprises.

Direct peers

• Protiviti: Global consulting firm specializing in risk, audit, and financial advisory, with a dedicated Enterprise Risk Management practice serving boards, CROs, and audit committees — directly competing with JLA for the same boutique, expertise-led risk engagements.
• Oliver Wyman: Global management consulting firm with a prominent Enterprise Risk Management practice. James Lam was previously Partner and Global ERM Practice Leader at Oliver Wyman, making it a direct precedent and a primary competitor for the same enterprise risk mandates JLA pursues.
• FTI Consulting: Global advisory firm with a dedicated Risk & Investigations and Corporate Finance practice, providing enterprise risk, governance, and board advisory services that overlap with JLA's risk advisory and board training offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/in/james-lam-93328

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about James Lam & Associates