James T. Gillies

James T. Gillies, CFA, CAIA joined the Pollen Street board in June 2025. James is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of EverStory Partners, serving on the Audit, and Trust and Investment Committees, he is also currently the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Blue Owl Alternative Credit Fund, and a member of the Audit and Nominating and Governance Committees.

James retired from Wafra Inc. in 2021 as a Senior Managing Director after a 17 year career focused on all aspects of alternative investments including liquid alternatives, private equity, alternative real estate, real assets, credit, minority GP stakes, and seeding of alternative asset managers. While there he led dozens of investments and was a member of the investment committee, deeply involved with recruiting, compensation, and the annual review process, worked closely with Wafra’s non-investment departments and sat on the firm’s technology committee.

Starting in his first year at Wafra, James took an active role in Wafra’s rotational training program for recent college graduates. He sat on the Board of Jiko bank, was a Board Observer for Hamilton State bank, and was on the LPAC for funds managed by Stone Point, Towerbrook, Strategic Value Partners, Atalaya, and Henderson Park among others.

Prior to Wafra, James co-founded the largest database of hedge funds in 1997 and sold the business in 2000, remaining with the rebranded Channel Capital Group until he joined Wafra. At Channel, he held the Series 7, 63 and 24 FINRA licenses.

James graduated cum laude from Hamilton College with a degree in English and a minor in economics, holds the CAIA designation and is a CFA charterholder.