John Pound

John Pound is an Associate Mentor and Strategic Advisor in the McGuire Center.  He is helping the Center develop new programs to support student entrepreneurship more broadly across the University and helping also with the Center’s strategic planning. 

Pound began his career in academia and policy, earning a Ph.D. in Finance at Yale University, serving for two years at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, and then spending ten years on the Harvard University faculty, where his research focus was on corporate governance and value creation at public companies (his work helped lead the development of modern activist investing).  In 1997 Pound formed Integrity Brands, an investment firm, to focus on a program of investments and involvements in creatively-led, consumer-facing companies.   Through Integrity he has originated and overseen investments at over two dozen national brands, such as World Market, Guess, Vans, United Retail Group, Gymboree, Christopher & Banks, New York & Co..  Through Integrity he has also led venture investments in emerging new consumer brands and, while in the UK, invested in heritage brands in that country.  He advises leaders and boards on value creation, both in the consumer sector, and in nonprofits, including a variety of educational institutions.

More info is at www.johnpound.info

Research Interests: 

• Activist investing in public markets: history, impact, policy
• New board paradigms:  how leaders and boards can be better partners in value creation
• Supporting entrepreneurs’ needs in consumer-facing and creative sectors

Teaching/student engagement

• Developing new ways to coach and support student entrepreneurs across disciplines.
• Mentoring student venture founders in McGuire LAB and iVenture programs.