James Edward 'Jes' Staley is an American banker (with British-American identity from long professional residence in London) renowned for his extensive career in investment banking. Born on December 27, 1956, in Lakeland, Florida, Staley graduated from Bowdoin College in 1979 with a degree in economics. He joined J.P. Morgan in 1980 and spent 34 years there, rising to become the head of the investment bank division, where he played a key role in major deals and expansions, including managing Jeffrey Epstein's relationship with the bank. In 2013, he left J.P. Morgan to join BlueMountain Capital Management as CEO, but his tenure there was short-lived as he was recruited by Barclays. Staley assumed the role of group chief executive of Barclays in December 2015, succeeding Antony Jenkins, and focused on revitalizing the bank's investment banking arm while navigating regulatory challenges in the post-financial crisis era.

During his time at Barclays, Staley faced significant controversies, particularly related to his personal associations. He maintained close personal ties with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted sex offender, even after Epstein's 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution. Emails and communications revealed that Staley referred to Epstein as a 'true friend' and sought his advice on professional matters as late as 2015. This relationship came under intense scrutiny following Epstein's 2019 arrest and death, leading to investigations by UK regulators. Staley resigned from Barclays in November 2021 amid these revelations and ongoing probes into his conduct, including misleading the board about the nature of his Epstein ties. The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) later banned him from the financial industry in 2023, citing his dishonesty.

Post-Barclays, Staley has kept a lower profile but remains a figure of interest in discussions about ethics in high finance. His career exemplifies the interconnected networks of Wall Street and global banking, though marred by allegations of poor judgment in associations that tainted his legacy.