James Needham

Jim Needham has more than 20 years of experience designing, implementing and testing compliance programs across diverse regulatory frameworks, including international trade and sanctions, ethics, anti-corruption, AML/KYC, privacy and emerging technologies. Mr. Needham is skilled at breaking down complex regulatory landscapes to enable organizational integrity, mitigate risk and advance business objectives. He has a proven track record of fostering cross-functional collaboration, advising C-suite executives and boards of directors, and guiding organizations through growth, transformation and regulatory challenges.

Prior to joining FTI Consulting, Mr. Needham served as Vice President & Associate General Counsel at RTX Corporation, where he spent more than a decade leading and operationalizing compliance programs across a wide range of regulatory regimes. In this role, he was responsible for developing and steering the company’s global ethics and compliance program through significant transformations, including the merger of United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”) and Raytheon Company; UTC’s acquisition and integration of Rockwell Collins; and the spin-offs of Carrier Global Corporation and Otis Elevator Company. He also led the development and implementation of RTX’s anti-corruption, ethics and third-party management programs and spearheaded the creation of the company’s first enterprise-wide AI risk management framework, establishing foundational controls for the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence. 

Before joining the RTX corporate office, Mr. Needham held executive leadership roles in international trade at Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX. There, he led international trade operations and oversaw compliance with the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) sanctions programs. He also coordinated engagement with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) in connection with international M&A transactions. Mr. Needham rose to leadership during Pratt & Whitney’s compliance with UTC’s $75 million settlement with the U.S. Department of State for ITAR violations.

Mr. Needham began his legal career at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and later joined Bracewell LLP. While in private practice, he conducted corporate investigations and worked with clients to build and enhance compliance programs across a range of regulatory regimes and industries, including aerospace, consumer products, financial services, firearms, insurance, manufacturing and medical supplies.

Relevant Experience:

• Advised a range of executives and boards on driving cross-functional collaboration, including guiding companies through transformation, regulatory scrutiny and strategic growth
• Advised broad clientele using deep trade and regulatory expertise with respect to ITAR, EAR, OFAC and CFIUS matters in deals and enforcement resolutions
• Led enterprise compliance at RTX Corporation, including post-deal integration and the development of global programs in ethics, anti-corruption and third-party risk management