Richard W. Barker

Dr. Barker is a global thought leader in healthcare systems and government policy. He served as Director General of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), and as a board member for the European and International pharmaceutical industry federations, addressing critical issues and working closely with government health agencies. During his career, Dr. Barker was Chief Executive of Chiron Diagnostics, General Manager of IBM’s Worldwide Healthcare Solutions division and leader of McKinsey & Company’s European healthcare practice. He chairs the South London Academic Health Science Network, which aims to improve the quality and consistency of care in that part of the National Health Service (NHS), and to facilitate innovations emerging from academic and industrial research into NHS application. He chairs the charity International Health Partners that brings donated medicines to developing countries, crisis situations and refugee camps. He has also founded and directs New Medicine Partners focused on accelerating the development and application of precision medicine on a worldwide basis.

Dr. Barker holds a D.Phil. in biophysics and a B.A. in Chemistry, both from Oxford University. Following completion of his degree, he researched biological applications of magnetic resonance techniques in pursuit of an Oxford DPhil and in post-doctoral studies in Munich, Germany and Leeds, England.