Dr. John Bamforth
Dr. John Bamforth is a global innovation leader, author, and Executive Director of Eshelman Innovation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Raised in the industrial town of Wigan, England, his early worldview was shaped by working-class culture and later expanded through education and global experience. With a PhD in neuropharmacology, John joined Eli Lilly in 1989, where he spent decades building global brands and leading diverse, high-impact teams. After relocating to the U.S. in 2001 and retiring from industry, he now focuses on translating breakthrough ideas into real-world patient and entrepreneurial solutions. As co-author of Race to Innovation, Dr. Bamforth advocates for inclusive innovation as both a social and economic imperative.