James Rupert Jacob Murdoch, born on December 13, 1972, in London, United Kingdom, is a British-American businessman and media executive. He is the fourth of six children and the younger son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his second wife, Scottish-born journalist Anna Murdoch Mann (née Torv). Often regarded as the brightest among the Murdoch siblings during his youth, he was also seen as somewhat rebellious. He attended Harvard University but dropped out in 1995 to co-found Rawkus Records, an independent hip-hop label, which was later acquired by News Corporation in 1996, marking his entry into the family business.

James quickly rose through the ranks at News Corporation, becoming CEO of Star TV in Asia in 2000, where he oversaw significant expansion. In 2003, he became CEO of Europe and Asia for BSkyB (British Sky Broadcasting), leading the company through growth and digital transformation. By 2011, he had ascended to Deputy COO, Chairman, and CEO of 21st Century Fox, managing a vast portfolio of media assets. His tenure was marked by strategic deals like the acquisition of Sky, but also controversies including the News of the World phone-hacking scandal in 2011, which led to his resignation as executive chairman of News International. He resigned as CEO of 21st Century Fox in 2017 to pursue independent ventures and was formerly a board member of News Corp.

He founded Lupa Systems, his own investment firm, in 2019, with a portfolio including stakes in companies like Tribeca Enterprises and climate-focused initiatives. Politically, he has distanced himself from the conservative editorial stance of his family's media empire, holding more liberal views than his father and publicly criticizing News Corp's coverage of issues like climate change and social justice. In 2020, he stepped down from the News Corp board, citing disagreements over the company's direction. He is married to Kathryn Hufschmid, a former marketing executive, and they have two children.