James Sherwood

James Blair Sherwood (August 8, 1933 – May 18, 2020) was an American-born, British-based businessman, and the founder of Belmond Limited and Sea Containers.

Early life James Blair Sherwood was born in Newcastle, Pennsylvania, He grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and earned a degree in economics from Yale University. Sherwood learned about shipping first in the United States Navy, spending three years as a cargo officer, and then working for United States Lines and CTI for six years.

Business career In 1965, Sherwood founded Bermuda-based, New York Stock Exchange listed, London-headquartered shipping company Sea Containers with initial capital of $100,000. Over forty years Sherwood expanded Sea Containers from a supplier of leased cargo containers, into various shipping companies, as well as expanding the company into luxury hotels and railway trains, including the Venice-Simplon Orient Express and Great North Eastern Railway that operated the InterCity East Coast franchise.

Although valued with a net worth of £60million in the 2004 Sunday Times Rich List, as Sea Containers hit financial troubles, he resigned as Co-Chief Executive Officer from each of his companies in 2006. He continued as a Director of Orient Express Hotels Ltd until retiring on 9 June 2011. He was later designated as Founder and Chairman Emeritus.

Personal life In 1977, Sherwood married the writer and botanist Shirley Cross.