ABOUT

A professional portrait of a middle-aged man with light skin, short light brown hair, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and a yellow tie with blue dots, smiling slightly against a plain white background.

The Bio

Jim Klein has spent more than four decades at the CFO level — not as an accountant who transitioned into consulting, but as a hands-on financial executive who has built companies from inception, taken them public, raised capital across multiple continents, and sat at the table with boards, investors, and regulators throughout.

As co-founding CFO of Triangle Pharmaceuticals, Jim helped grow the company from startup to a NASDAQ-listed business with a market capitalization exceeding $500 million — executing a successful IPO within 18 months of incorporation, completing equity transactions generating $350 million in proceeds, and negotiating a $335 million strategic alliance with a multinational pharmaceutical company.

As CFO of Adherex Technologies, he led a successful IPO, managed financial reporting across both U.S. SEC and Canadian Securities Administrators frameworks, and relocated the company's headquarters from Canada to the United States. At Micell Technologies, he completed equity and debt transactions totaling more than $100 million and directed the design, construction, and operation of an ISO 7-classified clean room manufacturing facility.

Jim has also built a company himself. As founder, CEO, and CFO of DataScout Software, he developed a specialized clinical trial data platform used in international pharmaceutical studies — and ultimately negotiated its successful sale.

Earlier in his career, Jim served as International Financial Controller for Wellcome plc (later Glaxo Wellcome), overseeing a $500 million R&D unit spanning London and Research Triangle Park, and spent seven years at Burroughs Wellcome advancing through corporate accounting and financial analysis roles. He began his career at Price Waterhouse, auditing clients across pharmaceuticals, banking, manufacturing, and technology.

In total, Jim has executed or overseen more than $750 million in financing transactions, supported companies operating in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, Hong Kong, and China, and brought CFO-level discipline to organizations at every stage of growth.

Credentials

 James A. Klein, Jr., CPA

  • Certified Public Accountant, licensed in North Carolina

  • 1998 Carolinas Council — Institute of Management Accountants Financial Executive of the Year

  • Executive Management Program — London Business School & Duke University Fuqua School of Business

  • Executive Management Program — UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School

  • Bachelor of Accountancy — University of Mississippi

Our Approach

  • Fixed, transparent pricing — no surprise invoices

  • Defined scope in writing before work begins

  • One dedicated point of contact who knows your business

  • Monthly financials delivered on time, every time

  • Proactive communication — we flag issues before you ask

Where We Work

Helix serves businesses throughout the Raleigh–Durham–Chapel Hill metro and the broader Research Triangle region, and works with companies across the United States. Jim has also supported companies operating internationally, including entities in Australia, Hong Kong, and China.

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Contact Jim