Ricks will join the Lilly board on January 1, 2017, and become chairman of the board on June 1, 2017. Lechleiter will serve as non-executive chairman of the board until May 31, 2017.

“As Lilly transitions from our recent challenging period of patent expirations to a new era of growth, it is the logical time for a transition in company leadership,” Lechleiter said.  “Dave Ricks is a capable, decisive and energetic leader who is very well prepared to succeed me as CEO.  He brings to the role broad experience in Lilly's commercial operations along with an appreciation and understanding of research and development.  He previously led Lilly's business operations in Canada, China, and the U.S.  Since 2012, he has successfully guided Lilly's largest business area, Lilly Bio-Medicines, through a period of profound change.  He is well respected inside and outside the company, consistently builds exceptional teams, and sets high standards of performance.  Dave is well suited to help Lilly capitalize on the opportunities before it, as well as to confront the inevitable challenges that lie ahead.  He will provide outstanding leadership for our company in the coming years.”

Since January 2012, Ricks has served as president of Lilly Bio-Medicines, which encompasses the therapeutic areas of Alzheimer's disease, urology, immunology, musculoskeletal disease, and pain, as well as the company's global marketing function.

“The prospect of leading Eli Lilly and Company is at the same time humbling and tremendously exciting,” said Ricks. “Patients, physicians, health-care payers, and society as a whole expect a lot of us. Together with my Lilly colleagues I look forward to meeting these expectations and, whenever we can, exceeding them.”

After joining Lilly in 1996 as a business development associate, Ricks held several management roles in U.S. marketing and sales before moving to Lilly Canada, where he served successively as director of pharmaceutical marketing, national sales director, and general manager. He was subsequently named president and general manager of Lilly China before becoming president of Lilly USA in 2009.

Ricks earned a bachelor's degree in business from Purdue University and joined Lilly following completion of his MBA from Indiana University. He chairs the Board of Governors for the Riley Children's Foundation and in 2015 chaired the United Way of Central Indiana's annual campaign. Ricks also sits on the executive board of the Crossroads of America Council of Boy Scouts of America.