John James joined Soho Estates Limited in 1986, and was appointed Head of Estates in 1989. He was then appointed Director in 1990, and became the Managing Director in 2010. As Managing Director, John manages the family estate on behalf of his daughters, Fawn and India Rose, and is responsible for the strategy and management of the company. John is determined to ensure that the capital value of every asset Soho Estates owns is optimised and generates income to its full potential.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, John campaigned for the pedestrianisation of Soho streets to allow outdoor seating, in order to safeguard the hard-hit hospitality businesses and ensure a bright future for Soho.

Soho Estates also granted £9 million in rent frees to the most vulnerable hospitality tenants, to allow the opportunity to trade out of the crisis and survive.

John James is a founding member of the Soho Business Alliance. This acts as a unified voice for all businesses in Soho, with the aim of protecting and growing the economic diversity of the area through engaging with each other, residents, other amenity groups and the Westminster City Council, thereby protecting its unique character.

John also sits on the board of the Heart of London Business Alliance.