James Fields

James Fields is the Director of Finance and Administration at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). In this capacity, he oversees the Institute’s annual budget of $150+ million and leads the finance and administration across the Institute which includes Finance, Computer Services, Travel and Facilities departments.

Prior to his appointment as the Director of Finance and Administration, James served as IFPRI’s Controller for thirteen years. During his tenure as Controller, James has played an instrumental role in successfully launching key financial and administrative initiatives. He has participated in a number of CGIAR meetings and working groups in relation to the current funding and operational changes within the CGIAR.

James has also gained extensive accounting and management experience working for eighteen years for a variety of companies in the private industry, including several years with one of the big four accounting firms. James is a Certified Public Accountant and earned his B.S. in Accounting from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.