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Eli Lilly and Co. on Thursday announced three executive leadership transitions that the Indianapolis drugmaker said better position the company for growth, particularly for growth in U.S. investment and treatments of cardiometabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
Ilya Yuffa, executive vice president and president of Lilly International, will shift to hold the same title for Lilly USA and Global Customer Capabilities. Lilly said Yuffa will lead the U.S. business including sales, marketing and commercial capabilities for marketed products and will be responsible for the commercialization of upcoming U.S. product launches.
Lilly Canada General Manager Kenneth Custer will be promoted to executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and will join Lilly’s executive committee. With Lilly for 16 years, Custer began his career at Lilly in sales and marketing before transitioning to Lilly Research Laboratories, where Lilly said he led the early development of immunology and diabetes programs including tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound).
Also, Patrik Jonsson—now executive vice president and president of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health and president of Lilly USA—will lead markets outside the United States in his new role of executive vice president and president of Lilly International.
Lilly said the moves are part of an effort to increase leadership focus on the U.S. business and global therapeutic areas. Yuffa and Custer will be based in Indianapolis.
“With these changes, we will create the additional focus we need to reach the next level,” Lilly CEO David Ricks said in a written statement. “I am confident that Patrik, Ilya and Ken will continue to advance our long-term strategy to discover, develop and deliver medicines that can help people live longer, healthier lives.”
In Lilly’s first quarter earnings call with Wall Street analysts, Ricks noted that the company has announced more than $50 billion in new U.S. manufacturing investments since 2020, including plans unveiled in February to build four new facilities in yet-to-be named locations.
Lilly this week also broke ground on its $4.5 billion Lilly Medicine Foundry in Boone County’s LEAP Research and Innovation District, a project expected to be finished in 2027.
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