James Leigh

James Leigh was born in Kent, evacuated but returned to Kent in time for the Battle of Britain. He was educated at Maidstone Grammar and Keble College Oxford, between them coming National Service during which he learned Russian and worked at GCHQ. His most fun in the world of work, though, came with teaching for the University of Maryland in Spain, France, Germany and England, after which he jumped ship to work in advertising, becoming an agency deputy creative director before running his own consultancy with clients such as The Economist. He now lives and writes on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park where, just now, it is raining like Noah wouldn't believe.

In the CWA award dinner pictured above, he was the handsome young shaver mid-picture in the dinner jacket.