Race to Innovation – John P Bamforth

In this episode of SpreadLove in Organizations, I am joined once again by my longtime friend and colleague, John Bamforth, to celebrate the launch of his new book Race to Innovation. John’s remarkable journey has taken him from his roots in Wigan, England, to building global brands at Eli Lilly, and most recently, leading the Eshelman Institute for Innovation at UNC-Chapel Hill. He was my very first guest when I started this podcast four years ago, and it’s a joy to welcome him back as we reflect on his career, his growth, and the bold ideas he is now championing.

John shares the story behind Race to Innovation, which highlights the often-overlooked history of innovation and entrepreneurship in marginalized communities, particularly African American communities. The book blends untold stories of past trailblazers with interviews of today’s innovators, all grounded in the belief that unlocking potential in underrepresented groups creates value for all of us. This is not a zero-sum game; rather, encouraging diversity of thought and entrepreneurship helps societies thrive together.

Our conversation goes beyond the book, touching on the meaning of innovation, the intentionality required to build diverse, trusting teams, and the essential role of purpose in uniting people around bold goals. John’s insights remind us of the power of assuming potential in every individual and of leading with genuine care for one another. His vision is a hopeful call to see difference not as division but as a force for solving the world’s most pressing challenges - together.

"Innovation starts with assuming potential in every individual - and unlocking it benefits us all."

MEET OUR GUESTS John P Bamforth, independent Director for Humacyte and a member of the commercialization committee.

Dr John Bamforth PhD is an independent director for Humacyte Inc (NASDAQ: HUMA) and a member of the commercialization committee. In addition, he has served on the Boards of the Structural Genomics Consortium (https://www.thesgc.org) and READDI (https://readdi.org). On the READDI Board, John recruited 4 independent Board members including Sen Richard Burr and Lydia Ogden PhD (JNJ) and he chairs the compensation committee. He is an advisor to several privately owned biotech and healthcare companies and is an active investor. John is co-founder of the B and M Impact Foundation (BMimpact.org) which is focused on creating wealth and health in disadvantaged communities.

John had a 30-year career at Eli Lilly and Company culminating in the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) role from 2016 to his retirement in 2018. He was also CMO of Lilly's $10B US operation from 2012-2016. Over his career at Lilly John was known for building highly engaged teams and launching multiple brands across the globe. Probably, his best-known success was the building of Cialis globally, the $2B a year blockbuster brand. On his retirement from Lilly, John was hired to lead Eshelman Innovation at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, an institute that was founded by a $100M gift, the largest gift in UNC's history. The institute leverages industry practices and the University's $1.5B research enterprise to develop novel therapeutics alongside digital health technologies. He stepped down from the role in 2025 after 6 years to focus on his board work and philanthropic endeavors.

John has a pharmacy degree and PhD from his education in the United Kingdom. Pharmavoice named John one of Pharma's top 100 'Inspirational Leaders' in 2007 and his alma mater, Aston University, awarded him an Honorary Doctorate for service to the Pharma Industry in 2012. John lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with his wife Sue, and has two adult children, Thomas and Rebecca.

More about the Book on this link!