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Chair & CEO, Eli Lilly and Company
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David A. Ricks (born 1967) is an American business executive currently serving as the Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Eli Lilly and Company. A long-time veteran of the pharmaceutical industry, Ricks has been credited with transforming Eli Lilly into one of the most valuable healthcare companies in the world through a strategic focus on research and development, innovative drug launches, and aggressive market expansion. Born in Bloomington, Indiana, Ricks spent much of his childhood in California before returning to his home state for higher education. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial management from Purdue University in 1990 and later obtained a Master of Business Administration from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business in 1996. Prior to his tenure at Eli Lilly, Ricks worked as an account representative at IBM. Ricks joined Eli Lilly in 1996 as a business development associate, a role that provided early exposure to the company's international operations and mergers and acquisitions. Over the next two decades, he ascended through various leadership positions across multiple functions and geographies. He held management roles in U.S. marketing and sales before transitioning to international assignments, serving as general manager of the company’s Canadian business and later as president and general manager of Lilly China. In 2009, he returned to the United States to lead Lilly USA, the company's largest affiliate, serving in that capacity until 2012. He subsequently served as president of Lilly Bio-Medicines from 2012 to 2016, where he oversaw drug development and commercial operations in neuroscience, immunology, and pain management. In January 2017, Ricks was appointed CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, and he assumed the additional role of Chairman of the Board later that same year. Under his leadership, the company has undergone a significant strategic shift, prioritizing high-impact therapeutic areas such as metabolic health, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Ricks has been instrumental in the company’s entry into the GLP-1 market, overseeing the successful development and launch of tirzepatide, marketed as Mounjaro for type 2 diabetes and Zepbound for weight management. These products have been pivotal in the company's growth, positioning it as a primary competitor in the rapidly expanding obesity and diabetes treatment landscape. Additionally, his tenure has been marked by the FDA approval of donanemab (Kisunla), a breakthrough monoclonal antibody therapy for early symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease. Beyond his executive duties at Eli Lilly, Ricks maintains a prominent role in the broader business and healthcare community. He has served as the chair of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and is a member of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations’ CEO Steering Committee. His governance experience includes serving on the boards of directors for Adobe and the Business Roundtable, as well as holding a position on the Purdue University Board of Trustees. He is also actively involved in regional economic development as a member of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. In recognition of his leadership, Ricks was named Chief Executive magazine’s 2025 CEO of the Year. He remains focused on navigating the company through the complexities of the global pharmaceutical market, including manufacturing capacity expansions and evolving regulatory environments.
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Propelled Eli Lilly to become the most valuable pharmaceutical company in the world, achieving a market capitalization that dwarfs legacy titans like Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson
Successfully launched Mounjaro and Zepbound, arguably the most successful and rapidly adopted pharmaceutical product launches in the history of the industry
Faces intense political pressure from the US Congress and the White House to drastically lower the list prices of insulin and new GLP-1 drugs, prompting the company to significantly cut the out-of-pocket costs of its legacy insulin products in 2023 to preempt legislative action
Routinely criticized by patent reform advocates for allegedly building 'patent thickets'—a vast, overlapping web of minor patents designed to artificially extend exclusivity periods and delay the introduction of cheaper generic alternatives
In November 2022, Eli Lilly faced a significant public relations crisis when a fake, verified Twitter account impersonated the company and tweeted that insulin was free, causing a temporary, sharp drop in the company's stock price. David Ricks addressed the incident by emphasizing the challenges of social media verification policies and reiterating the need to continue work on insulin affordability.
Secured highly anticipated FDA approval for donanemab, a breakthrough monoclonal antibody therapy designed to slow the cognitive decline associated with early symptomatic Alzheimer's disease
Initiated the largest capital investment in Eli Lilly's history, committing over $9 billion to expand advanced manufacturing sites in the US and Europe
Earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management from Purdue University in 1990
Earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Indiana University in 1996
Joined Eli Lilly and Company as a business development associate in 1996
Promoted to marketing manager at Eli Lilly in 1998
Advanced to marketing director for Eli Lilly's Canadian subsidiary by 2002
Promoted to general manager of Eli Lilly Canada in 2005
Appointed president and general manager of Eli Lilly China in 2008
Appointed president of Lilly USA in 2009
Appointed president of Lilly Bio-Medicines in 2012
Chaired the United Way of Central Indiana's annual campaign in 2015
Received the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America in 2016
Became president and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company on January 1, 2017
Elected chairman of the board of directors of Eli Lilly and Company, effective June 1, 2017
Assumed the role of chairman of the PhRMA (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) board of directors in December 2020
Named 2025 Chief Executive of the Year by Chief Executive magazine in 2025
Recognized as one of the 100 Most Influential CEOs in Oncology in 2025 by OncoDaily in 2026
In December 2019, David Ricks drew criticism from lawmakers, including Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal, after he described their report on the difficulty of accessing Eli Lilly's lower-cost, authorized generic insulin as 'nonsense,' leading to a public dispute over the company's pricing transparency and market accessibility.
In 2021, Eli Lilly was named in a class-action lawsuit filed by former job applicants who alleged the company engaged in systemic age discrimination. The plaintiffs claimed the company prioritized hiring younger workers over more experienced candidates, specifically citing statements by David Ricks regarding his goal to increase the percentage of millennial sales representatives in the company's workforce.