Chris Coburn is Chief Innovation Officer of Mass General Brigham, an integrated health care system that includes Harvard University affiliates Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, and McLean Hospital. Mass General Brigham is the nation’s largest academic research enterprise with over $16 billion in annual revenue, 1.5 million patient visits and more than $2.4 billion in research expenditures. It also has a managed care organization, out-patient facilities and community hospitals. 7,000 of its faculty are appointed at Harvard Medical School.
A member of the senior leadership team, Coburn is responsible for the commercial application of the unique capabilities of MGB’s 85,000 employees. His 140-person business development group’s activities include strategic industry collaborations, company creation, investing, translational development, commercial strategy setting, licensing, and innovation management. His group also manages a nearly $500 million venture fund.
Prior to joining Mass General Brigham, Mr. Coburn was founding director of Cleveland Clinic Innovations and served for 13 years as its executive leader. During his tenure, Cleveland Clinic spun off 57 companies that raised more than $700 million in equity financing. There were none before Coburn’s arrival. His team also managed an innovation alliance network in which Cleveland Clinic directly supported technology commercialization for healthcare systems throughout the United States. Previously he was Vice President at Battelle and served on the staff of Ohio Governor Richard Celeste.
Mr. Coburn serves on multiple boards. He and his wife Nancy have three grown children.