13 June 2025
He is a renowned expert in regional competitiveness policies, with a solid track record both internationally and in the Basque Country.
Since 2018, he has been the research director at the Basque Institute of Competitiveness.
He takes over from Mari Jose Aranguren, who will remain at the University of Deusto as Vice-Rector of the San Sebastián campus and Institutional Relations.
The Board of Directors of Orkestra-Basque Institute of Competitiveness (Deusto Foundation) has appointed James Wilson as the new general director. The appointment follows the launch of Orkestra's 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, which marks the start of a new phase focused on strengthening the Institute's international projection and its impact on the region.
Wilson is taking over from Mari Jose Aranguren, who, during her 12 years as general director, managed to established Orkestra as a leading institution for the competitiveness of the Basque Country, and an international benchmark for transformative research.Under her leadership, the Institute has consolidated a team of 40 professionals that promotes around 45 research projects per year in collaboration with more than 50 public and private entities. This research activity also supports the development of 11 doctoral theses, reinforcing Orkestra's commitment to the training of new research profiles.
An international profile with a deep knowledge of the Basque context
James Wilson joined Orkestra in 2007 and since 2018 he has been the research director. He has more than 20 years of research experience in the field of competitiveness and territorial development. He began his academic career in the UK, where he graduated in Economics from the University of Warwick. He holds an MA in Economics from the University of Cape Town and a PhD from the University of Birmingham, where he was a Senior Lecturer.
His research focuses on the analysis of public policies and territorial strategies, governance and clusters, and he has published extensively on these topics in high-impact academic journals. He has participated in numerous European projects and regularly collaborates as a speaker and advisor with institutions such as the European Commission and the OECD.
Wilson has extensive knowledge of the Basque context as he has directed several projects for Basque institutions and coordinates the annual Basque Country Competitiveness Report. He has also been a Lecturer at Deusto Business School since 2008, where he teaches in the fields of economic geography and regional development.
Orkestra’s new general director faces this responsibility with enthusiasm: "It is an honour to have the opportunity to lead Orkestra and I feel fortunate to begin this journey with a team as diverse, skilled and committed as the one we have. We are entering a new phase, but our mission remains clear: to generate rigorous and actionable knowledge that has a positive impact on competitiveness and wellbeing in the Basque Country, and that simultaneously achieves international recognition and impact".
Reinforcement of the management team
In addition, Orkestra's management will be reinforced by incorporating several senior profiles with in-depth knowledge of the Institute:
- Ibon Gil de San Vicente, the new director of projects and territorial impact, with the responsibility of coordinating the strategy of research projects aimed at generating real impact in the territory.
- Susana Franco will be the research director, responsible for coordinating the evolution of the Institute's lines of knowledge and the strengthening transformative research methodologies.
- Mercedes Oleaga, the new organisational director, with the challenge of promoting an agile, collaborative and people-centred organisational model.
This reorganisation of roles aims to provide continuity and reinforce the Institute's strategy, and to carry on moving towards new areas of research in line with the challenges of the global context.
The Board of Directors would like to thank Mari Jose Aranguren for her excellent work as head of Orkestra, and wishes her all the best in her new role at the University of Deusto, where she will be named on 8th July as Vice-Rector for the San Sebastian campus and Institutional Relations.
