David James, Baron James of Blackheath

He then became a director of many companies, often those in trouble, to assist their recovery: in 1973 he joined Cork Gulley to rescue Cedar Holdings; in 1989 he was appointed chairman of Eagle Trust; other directorships have included British Shoe Corporation, LEP group, Dan-Air, North Sea Assets and Central & Sheerwood.

Whilst visiting Eagle-owned Walter Somers factory in Halesowen in 1990, he noticed the muzzle of what appeared to be a large gun.

In late 2000, James was appointed as chairman of the ailing Millennium Dome project, a high-profile position, and was credited with saving the attraction from financial collapse.

[2] Ahead of the 2005 general election, James conducted a review for the Conservative Party that identified £35 billion of state sector savings.

James attracted some press and blog attention after a speech in the House of Lords on 1 November 2010, in which he claimed to have been approached by an unnamed organisation wishing to fund massive public works projects in the UK with vast currency reserves backed by gold bullion.

[13] James attracted some press[14][15] and blog[16] attention after another speech in the House of Lords on 16 February 2012, in which he claimed a massive $15 trillion money-laundering fraud from the United States Federal Reserve in the name of "Yohannes Riyadi"—a man who may or may not exist.