Jim Lawnin is recognized for guiding the world’s largest energy companies through transformational change, leveraging exponential technologies—especially AI—to improve performance, accelerate growth, and create new business models that capture emerging markets. He has advised multinational and national oil companies on digital transformation and sustainability strategies and was invited by Harvard Business School to present on the groundbreaking work his teams led in reshaping the energy value chain. Jim has led several venture capital groups and is currently building a venture studio dedicated to AI adoption and disruption in the energy sector. He sits on multiple boards of companies applying AI in energy and advises Fortune 500 enterprises on scaling emerging technologies for competitive advantage. As a judge for Rice and Stanford business plan competitions, and as a mentor to Rice University students and professors, Jim bridges the gap between startups and global enterprises—helping innovative technologies reach industry scale. He holds undergraduate degrees in Petroleum Engineering and Accounting, an MBA, and a MSc in Blockchain and Cryptocurrency. His professional designations include PE, CFA, CPA, and Black Belt Six Sigma.