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.