James K. Holman has had more than 30 years of broad international business experience in connection with oil exploration, government relations, project and crisis management, private equity, and start-up ventures. Between 1969 and 1978, Mr. Holman played a leading role in Conoco's international oil exploration program. Subsequently, he helped manage the turnarounds and restructuring of Commonwealth Oil Refining, Purolator Courier, Pilot Freight Carriers, and TransOcean Airways. He was president of U.S. business centers and the developer of an office building in Warsaw (1990 - 1994). From 1995 to 2002, he was a managing director of the Carlyle Group with broad responsibilities for the Middle East.

A graduate of Princeton University, Mr. Holman earned an M.A. in Middle East studies from Harvard University. He also obtained an advanced degree in Arabic at the British Middle East Center for Arabic Studies in Shemlan, Lebanon. The chairman of the Wagner Society of Washington, D.C., he has authored and edited three books on the composer. 

Contact Information

This individual is a member of MEI's Board of Governors. Please contact the board secretary, Thomas Halvorsen, at thalvorsen@mei.edu for assistance contacting this person.