Research notes
James Vowles was born in England in 1979, and holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of East Anglia and a master's in Motorsport Engineering and Management from Cranfield University. In 2001 he joined the BAR team at Brackley as a Strategy Engineer, staying with the team through its transformations into Honda, Brawn GP, and Mercedes, serving as Chief Strategist and Motorsport Strategy Director, and taking part in nine Constructors' Championships and multiple Drivers' Championships. In February 2023 he became Team Principal of Williams.
Yes, engineering/strategy route
F1.com states that he started out in an engineering role at BAR in Brackley and rose steadily through the Honda/Brawn/Mercedes structure.