James Wright

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer Energy Transfer

Last Reviewed: October 3, 2026

Executive Summary

James Wright has been Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Energy Transfer since December 2022. He has been part of the partnership’s legal team since July 2005, with increasing responsibility: deputy general counsel from 2008, general counsel of the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners from 2015, and executive vice president for legal and chief compliance officer after the 2018 merger of Energy Transfer Equity and Energy Transfer Partners. Before Energy Transfer he gained experience at Enterprise Products Partners, El Paso, Sonat Exploration and the accounting firm KPMG Peat Marwick. He has served on the board of USA Compression Partners since 2024. His training spans both accounting and law.

Career Highlights

• Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Energy Transfer since December 2022.
• Executive Vice President, Legal and Chief Compliance Officer from October 2018.
• General Counsel of Energy Transfer Partners’ general partner, 2015 to 2018.
• Deputy General Counsel, 2008 to 2015.
• Director of USA Compression Partners since April 2024.

Professional Journey

Wright earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and finance from Texas A&M University and a JD from South Texas College of Law, according to Energy Transfer’s 10-K. Before joining Energy Transfer he gained experience at Enterprise Products Partners, El Paso Corp., Sonat Exploration Company and KPMG Peat Marwick.

He joined Energy Transfer’s legal team in July 2005 and held various senior positions in the legal department. He was deputy general counsel from May 2008 to December 2015 and general counsel of the general partner of Energy Transfer Partners from December 2015 to October 2018.

In October 2018, following the merger of Energy Transfer Equity and Energy Transfer Partners, he became executive vice president for legal and chief compliance officer of the combined partnership’s general partner. In December 2022 he was appointed executive vice president, general counsel and chief compliance officer. Since April 2024 he has served on the board of USA Compression Partners, a publicly traded partnership consolidated by Energy Transfer.

The 10-K lists him among the six executive officers of the general partner who perform all of Energy Transfer’s management functions, and among the named executive officers whose compensation it reports for 2025. Energy Transfer, a publicly traded limited partnership based in Dallas, owns natural gas, natural gas liquids, crude oil and refined products assets, including about 20,090 miles of interstate and 12,200 miles of intrastate natural gas pipelines, according to its 10-K.

Education

South Texas College of Law

JD

Texas A&M University

Bachelor of Business Administration, Accounting and finance