James Tunkey

About James Tunkey

I am Chief Operating Officer of I-OnAsia, a strategic and risk management consultancy with offices globally.> This is my 32nd year as a specialist on US-China/APAC investment risk esp intersection of business and national security, leadership and trust, corruption control and compliance.> This is my 22nd year in the C-suite at I-OnAsia. Eternally grateful for the trust of elite clients and thankful for the team at I-OnAsia’s support, without which it would have been impossible to handle over 5,900 investigations, diligence, and crisis management projects. I enjoy the work, maintaining hands-on involvement while building scalable solutions. The I-OnAsia team brings unique capabilities and insights, and work often begins after clients have exhausted other options. These are “edge cases” that benefit from my problem solving skills, deep expertise, and extensive network.> I was extremely fortunate to have achieved success in my field in the decade of work prior to joining I-OnAsia. My work at a major guard company (Pinkerton/Securitas) demonstrated how quantitative approaches to Operational Risk management were a part of the future of security. My time at a major consultancy (Kroll) touched all aspects of business intelligence and risk management services.> With a career spanning board and committee roles, product launches, and international market entries, I bring founder empathy, generational “pattern recognition,” and network connectivity. I have advised on resilience, governance, and strategy for Fortune 50, public, and growth-stage enterprises.> I am very interested in connecting with others at the intersection of the physical security, cybersecurity, and intelligence domains.Qualified Risk Director, Certified Fraud Examiner; acted as Court Appointed Receiver; eligible New York State Courts Fiduciary. Guest lecturer and presenter at leading global venues.

Experience

1. Chief Operating Officer

   I-Onasia

   Jul 2004 — Present

   Provide strategic risk management, product development leadership, and board-level advisory to major companies.Updated as of Feb 2026Actively manage and oversee 5900+ investigative, due diligence, and security projects since opening Americas offices, maintaining hands-on involvement in complex, multi-jurisdictional cases while building scalable investigative frameworks and methodologies.Lead the design, launch, and scaling of innovative products tailored for global corporations and financial institutions, with proven impact on client risk management and compliance operations. Lead comprehensive analysis and problem-solving across strategic, operational, compliance, reputational, and geostrategic risks—including qualitative and quantitative risk assessment and scenario planning.Guide enterprise investigations and integrity programs, personally directing high stakes and multi-year cases in fraud, corruption, and compliance, while designing investigative frameworks for high-risk sectors.Drive digital transformation as AI Adoption Lead, building and managing cross-functional teams to develop and implement AI roadmaps, optimize workflow, and integrate emerging technologies into organizational strategy.Foster a culture of collaboration, ethics, and continuous improvement focused on value creation, regulatory affairs, and organizational resilience in Asia-Pacific and globally.

Education

• TRIUM Global Executive MBA

  MBA, International Business

• University at Buffalo

  BA, Sinology (Maj.) Philosophy (Min.)

  1992 — 1994

Skills

• Crisis Management
• Analysis
• Entrepreneurship
• Policy
• Government
• Forecasting
• Risk Management
• Investigation
• International Business
• Physical Security
• Security
• Strategy
• Corporate Security
• Strategic Planning
• Management
• Fraud
• Due Diligence
• Program Management
• Private Investigations
• Risk Assessment
• Governance
• Consulting