Bill Burkoth

Bill Burkoth is a Senior Managing Director at First Citizens Innovation Banking, leading coverage for Life Science and Healthcare clients on the East Coast. Bill and his relationship management team deliver comprehensive financial products and flexible lending solutions tailored to innovative companies at every stage of development. In this role, Bill leverages a more than 25-year venture capital career, bringing deep expertise in leading and managing equity investments across the life sciences innovation ecosystem, including therapeutics, diagnostics, research tools, medical devices and healthtech.

Prior to joining First Citizens Innovation Banking, Bill served as Managing Partner and portfolio manager for life sciences strategy at Forest Road, a Los Angeles-based asset manager. Before that, he founded and led Pfizer Ventures as Senior Partner, where he spent nearly 20 years directing life sciences venture investments on behalf of Pfizer Inc. Earlier in his career, Bill held various business development roles at several biotechnology companies and worked as an analyst at Bay City Capital. 

Bill earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Whitman College and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He lives in the New York metropolitan area with his wife and two sons.