James Gates

James Gates is a Partner at JM Search and a member of the firm’s Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice. He specializes in recruiting senior executives for private-equity-backed companies across healthcare, digital health, life sciences, and technology. With two decades of executive search experience, James has a proven track record conducting C-level searches, including CEO, COO, President, Heads of M&A, and commercial, product, and technical roles.

James’s operating background provides firsthand insight into the challenges his clients face. Earlier in his career, he spent several years in healthcare with a nationally recognized provider, gaining a deep understanding of healthcare delivery and business models. He later served as Chief Operating Officer of a Silicon Valley–based B2B SaaS startup, where he took the company from beta to revenue in 18 months, driving market adoption and establishing strategic partnerships with major cloud storage providers.

James earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Georgia, where he played lacrosse and was later named to the UGA Alumni Association’s “40 Under 40” for distinguished young alumni. He attended the J.B. Fuqua School in Farmville, Virginia, and has served as its commencement speaker. Active in the Atlanta community, James serves on the board and the strategic planning and finance committees of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School.