executive director
james h Davidson
With degrees in molecular biology and ecology, informatics, and science and society, James worked first in DNA replication research, then in editorial and senior publishing positions from 1976 with Elsevier Science Publishers (Amsterdam), AMPCo (Medical Journal of Australia), Butterworths-Lexis, McGraw-Hill, HarperCollins, Pearson, Thomson Reuters and Sage Publications (Sydney) . In 2002 he tree-changed to the Sunshine Coast hinterland (Maleny) with his wife, Suzanne Cremen, establishing and developing eContent Management Pty Ltd. In early 2015, James completed the transfer of that company's 11 health, social and behavioural science research journals and its booklist to Routledge/ Taylor & Francis and moved to Melbourne.
Influenced by the pioneering research in ecology and entomology and leadership in arts policy and city governance of his grandfathers, James' initial studies at the University of Adelaide were in biology, philosophy and mathematics. He was drawn to understanding the multilayered biological interconnections and cycles throughout our ecosphere; the functions of symbolism, mimicry, sound and movement patterns in communication behaviour; and the beauty of pervasive mathematical dynamics in art, music and nature. He has long been an advocate for ecology, sustainable development, social justice, corporate social responsibility, cultural diversity, public health and education, and gender equity. His Master's thesis (‘Necessary Nodes, Linkages and Conditions for Technology Transfer and Diffusion’, 1990) explored innovation policy and drivers in regional economic development. James speaks English and Dutch, and enjoys dancing Argentine Tango.
James published poetry in the student press, performed in university revues, directed and produced eight plays in English during his ten years in Amsterdam, later joining the poet David Whyte at his Harvest & Pilgrimage retreat in Tuscany (2014). In parallel to executive development courses, meditation, yoga, men's wellbeing and family constellation retreats, James has attended courses at Pacifica Graduate Institute (Mythic Writing), Regenerative Design Institute (Ecology of Leadership), Esalen (Integral Transformative Practice), joined Ashok Bedi (The CG Jung Foundation of New York) on a Jungian Encounter with the Soul of India (Rajasthan, 2010) and Edge of the Sacred conference near Alice Springs (2016) engaging Dadirri (deep listening to the land) with Margaret Kemarre Turner and Miriam Rose Ungunmerr-Baumann:
'To do that, we say that "we call on the deep and the deep calls on us", so we connect and feel that we belong still. And nature plays a part in your becoming a whole person.'
Alongside duties as founding director of his company, James served on the boards of the Australian Publishers Association Scholarly Journals Committee, Maleny Credit Union (chair 2006), Hinterland Business Centre, Barung Landcare Association, International Society for Pedagogies & Learning, and earlier, InPlayers International Theatre in Amsterdam. James is currently Honorary Treasurer of the CG Jung Society of Melbourne Inc (est. 1962) and co-Treasurer of the Victorian Greens Nillumbik Branch. James is Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, past Fellow of the American Marketing Association, Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, Fellow Innovation Centre Sunshine Coast and Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Arts & Business, University of the Sunshine Coast. He has been member of the Australian Conservation Foundation since 1987 and is active in local environment rehabilitation and heritage site protection.
As principal consultant at Your Publishing Profile, James now provides mentoring services to selected scholarly, professional and self-published authors. James also serves behind the scenes to usher in the vision of the Life Artistry Centre.