James Yeates

Dr. James Yeates (he/him) is the Chief Executive Officer of WFA. As CEO, James oversees the Federation’s advocacy strategy, membership recruitment and engagement strategies, and serves as the public face of WFA and its vision for animal welfare.

James has over a decade of experience in advocacy for animal welfare. He was previously the CEO of NGO Cats Protection and the RSPCA’s Chief Veterinary Officer. As well as his CEO role at WFA, James is a member of both the Scottish Government Animal Welfare Commission and DEFRA Animal Welfare Committee, advising Scottish and English politicians on companion animal welfare.

He is the author of four books and other publications, has veterinary and ethics degrees, a Ph.D. and MBA, and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. James currently has a rehomed cat and chickens, a small area of natural set-aside habitat, and young children who capture his concern for both animal welfare, nature loss, and sustainability.