Shaping the Future of Healthcare through the Responsible Adoption of AI, Precision Medicine and Healthy Longevity Innovation
Richard Barker
Prof, MA, DPhil (Oxon), FRSM, HonFBPS, MFPM(Hon), OBE
Professor Richard Barker is a health futurist who helps leaders understand what today’s decisions make possible for the future of healthcare. His work explores how advances in AI, longevity science, precision medicine and health policy are reshaping healthcare systems—and what organisations must do to respond.
Over a 40-year career spanning industry, policy and consulting, Richard has held senior leadership roles at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), IBM and McKinsey. His experience across these sectors gives him a unique perspective on how scientific, technological and regulatory change translate into real-world impact.
Today, Richard advises governments, health systems and global organisations on the opportunities and challenges created by AI-enabled healthcare, precision population health and the transition towards more predictive and preventative models of care. His work focuses on helping organisations navigate the clinical, regulatory and organisational consequences of emerging technologies.
Richard is Visiting Professor in Precision Population Health at King’s College London and Co-Founder and Chairman of Metadvice, an AI-powered clinical decision support platform. He also supports several international not-for-profit initiatives, including programmes focused on ethical AI development and digital mental health for displaced communities.
Outside his professional work, Richard is a keen mountain hiker and traveller, with a long-standing interest in how different cultures, systems and environments shape both health and our understanding of its future.
Present Affiliations
Historical Engagements
Books
2030 The Future of Medicine: Avoiding a Medical Meltdown
Healthcare stands at a crossroads. '2030 - The Future of Medicine' explores the current era, where technology reshapes healthcare and raises tough questions about affordability and access. It offers ten strategies to bridge supply and demand, urging a fresh perspective from leaders. Through fictional healthcare journeys, the book provides a glimpse into the healthcare challenges of 2030.
“This book is an absolutely essential read for anyone who is seriously concerned about the future of medicine and agrees that ignoring the warning signs is simply not an option.”
- Suzan C, Amazon Review
Bioscience - Lost in Translation? - How Precision Medicine Closes The Innovation Gap
In medical innovation, a gap exists between research and patient impact. 'Bioscience - Lost in Translation?' explores this issue, using real-world cases to highlight challenges and breakthroughs. The book emphasizes precision medicine's promise and the role of genomics and digital health tools in advancing innovation and shaping the future of healthcare.
“Incredibly insightful commentary on challenges and opportunities in Bioscience translation - well worth a read.”
- CM, Amazon Review
“The future of healthcare isn't about predicting tomorrow. It's about understanding what today's decisions make possible.”
- PROF RICHARD BARKER
Services
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Richard Barker is a Healthcare Futurist who brings to the stage a rare combination: academic rigour from Oxford and King's College London, strategic depth from McKinsey, and decades of hands-on leadership across biopharma, precision medicine and AI. He speaks not only to what is happening in healthy longevity and healthcare, but to what it means for the organisations and leaders navigating it.
Whether addressing a global conference or a senior leadership team, Richard tailors each engagement to the audience's context and priorities, drawing on a body of original frameworks and real-world experience.
See the Bookings page for a full overview of conference and corporate formats.
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Richard advises organisations at the intersection of longevity science, precision medicine and artificial intelligence, from academic institutions and healthcare systems to life sciences companies and investors.
His advisory work spans strategy development, technology appraisal, business planning and stakeholder engagement. Where projects benefit from multidisciplinary expertise, Richard brings in complementary specialists through New Medicine Partners, his consulting practice.
Areas of focus: Healthy longevity strategy and implementation / AI-driven clinical decision-making and health system optimisation / Precision medicine and personalised health programmes / Longevity technology appraisal and commercialisation / Regulatory strategy and policy engagement
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As an experienced board member and chair, Richard brings scientific credibility and strategic perspective to boards operating in biotech, digital health and the broader life sciences ecosystem. He helps boards navigate the opportunities and challenges created by AI, longevity science and precision medicine, not as an outside commentator, but as a practitioner with deep sector knowledge.
Richard currently holds and has previously held board and advisory positions across leading companies in the field.
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Substantive consulting and advisory projects are delivered through New Medicine Partners, Richard's consulting practice, which brings together specialists with complementary expertise across science, strategy and policy.
Richard is also co-founder of Metadvice, a clinical decision intelligence company applying AI to improve outcomes in patients with multiple chronic conditions, one of the most complex and costly challenges in modern healthcare.
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Speaking Calendar
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![Lithuanian_University_Logo]()
Keynote | "The Predictive Power of Artificial Intelligence. How to Best Use It To Improve Healthy Longevity"
Jun 2026 | Kaunas, Lithuania 🇱🇹
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![Humanitas University Logo]()
Keynote | "From Algorithm to Bedside: Clinical Impact and Open Challenges of AI”
Mar 2026 | Milan, Italy 🇮🇹
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![Biomarkers and Precision Medicine Conference 2025 logo featuring a stylized hand holding a circular icon with a DNA strand]()
Speaker & Hub Leader | “Bridging the Gap Between Research and Clinical Implementation in Precision Medicine”
Sep 2025 | London, UK 🇬🇧
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![Logo and text for the International Baltic Conference on Healthy Longevity on a teal background.]()
"Regulatory Pathways for Emerging Longevity Therapies"
Sep 2025 | Riga, Latvia 🇱🇻
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![Logo for the Longevity Summit Dublin on a teal background with geometric and digital graphics.]()
Keynote | “Applying AI to Achieving Precision Healthy Longevity”
Jul 2025 | Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪
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![Logo for the 31st Health Forum featuring a circle of stylized people in shades of green and blue, with the text 'MÁS PAIS,' 'ANDI,' and '31° FORO DE LA SALUD' on a blue background.]()
Keynote | “Innovating in a Turbulent Health World”
Jun 2025 | Cartagena, Colombia 🇨🇴
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![Logo for the Longevity Med Summit featuring a stylized tree with interconnected branches and the text 'Longevity Med Summit' and 'Committed to Global Wellness'.]()
“The Role of AI in Personalized Preventive Care – Scaling Prevention for Healthy Longevity”
May 2025 | Lisbon, Portugal 🇵🇹
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![Logo with the text INNO COS and the slogan "Shape the Future of Beauty and Wellness" on a digital blue background.]()
“Science Meets Beauty: Precision Strategies for Healthspan and Skincare Optimization”
Feb 2025 | Miami, USA 🇺🇸
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![Logo of Universidad del Rosario with a white emblem and text on a blue background.]()
“Artificial Intelligence and the Dawn of Real Predictive Medicine”
Nov 2024 | Bogota, Colombia 🇨🇴
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![Logos of Universidad del Rosario with academic emblem on a blue digital background.]()
Keynote: “Innovating at the Intersection Of Longevity Science, Precision Medicine and AI”
Mar 2024 | Bogota, Colombia 🇨🇴
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![Logo of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences with a digital blue background.]()
“The Healthy Longevity Revolution - Current Status and Future Developments”
Dec 2023 | Kaunas, Lithuania 🇱🇹
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![Logo for Founders Forum Group with interconnected lines in a digital background]()
“Innovations and Insights in Longevity Science”
Nov 2023 | New York, USA 🇺🇸
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![Logo for Radical Health Festival Helsinki with stylized icon and event name on a digital blue background.]()
“Precision Medicine in the Era of Artificial Intelligence”
Jun 2023 | Helsinki, Finland 🇫🇮
