James Cairns was appointed Senior Vice-President, Rail Centric Supply Chain in April 2019.
He oversees the execution and expansion of CN’s bulk and merchandise carload businesses, leading the commercial teams and non-rail operations in his supply chains, and adapting all last-mile services for customers.
In this role, Mr. Cairns is responsible for CN's grain, fertilizers, sulphur and coal businesses as well as for petroleum and chemicals, forest products, and metals and minerals.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Cairns was Vice-President, Petroleum and Chemicals since March 2010 and Assistant Vice-President of CN's domestic intermodal since 2006.
Mr. Cairns joined CN in 1988 as a train order operator, before being promoted to rail traffic controller and then to team leader with CN's Customer Service Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He entered the Sales and Marketing world in 1997 as an Intermodal account manager in Toronto, and was promoted to director, Intermodal Sales in 1999. Mr. Cairns then successively held senior positions in Intermodal Wholesale, Petroleum & Plastics Marketing, and IMX operations.
Mr. Cairns holds a Bachelor degree in Business Administration from the University of Winnipeg and an MBA from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.