James Allen

James Allen is a senior partner and advisory figure at Bain & Company, where he has spent more than 35 years influencing the way global organizations approach growth, strategy, and leadership. Allen leads Bain's Global CEO Forum, a network of over 3,000 global leaders focused on sustainable growth, talent, and frontline leadership. He founded the firm's Sales & Marketing practice, served as the former leader of its global Strategy practice, and has served two terms on Bain's board of directors. Based in London, Allen is recognized as an adviser to CEOs and an expert in developing global corporate and business unit strategy.

During his tenure at Bain, Allen has advised hundreds of founder-led and incumbent companies across more than 20 industries and geographies. He has worked extensively with global companies in consumer products, oil and gas, technology and telecommunications, and healthcare, advising clients on global growth strategies, emerging market entry strategies, and turnaround strategies. Allen joined Bain in Boston before transferring to Moscow to lead the firm's emerging Russian practice, later relocating to London to lead the office's Consumer Products and Strategy Practices. He sits on the Botswana Economic Advisory Council and has significant experience working with governments and NGOs, including the World Bank, IFC, and EBRD, in developing markets.

Allen is known as a prolific author whose books are widely read by business leaders. He co-authored several books, including "Profit from the Core" and "The Founder's Mentality," which explore profitable growth, scale insurgency, and leadership. "The Founder's Mentality: How to Overcome the Predictable Crises of Growth" became a Washington Post bestseller and was listed as a top read for CEOs according to Fortune's CEO survey. He is also the co-author of "Repeatability: Build Enduring Businesses for a World of Constant Change," published by Harvard Business Review Press. His articles and blogs appear regularly in Harvard Business Review and The Wall Street Journal.

Allen hosts "Founder's Mentality: The CEO Sessions," a leadership development podcast featuring conversations with prominent CEOs from companies such as Audible, Walmart, and AWS, who discuss lessons that have reshaped their businesses and personal growth. The podcast received the Platinum AVA Digital Award for Outstanding Host. Allen is also a regular speaker at global business events, including the World Economic Forum. He earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, graduating as a Baker Scholar.