James Russell is a two-time founder and business development leader with a strong background in fintech, capital markets, strategic partnerships, and sales execution. At Nations Royalty, James focuses on building relationships with Indigenous Nations, industry partners, financial institutions, and corporate stakeholders to help advance long-term Indigenous participation in the mining royalty and capital markets space.
Prior to joining Nations Royalty, James was the Founder & CEO of LIVO Financial, a Canadian fintech company focused on digital wealth management and investment solutions. Through LIVO, he led strategic partnerships, product development, customer acquisition, and institutional relationship management while working with major financial industry participants and technology providers.
Earlier in his career, James held roles across financial services, business development, and sales strategy, including positions with major Canadian financial institutions. His experience spans institutional relationship management, partnership negotiations, go-to-market strategy, and scaling early-stage businesses.
James is recognized for his ability to connect ideas, people, and opportunities — particularly in complex industries where relationship-building and trust are critical. His core strength lies in sales and partnerships: creating strategic alignment between organizations, identifying growth opportunities, and helping move discussions from concept to execution.
At Nations Royalty, James plays an active role in advancing partnerships and helping communicate the company’s vision of increasing Indigenous participation in long-term royalty ownership and capital markets structures.