Lilly CEO becomes PhRMA chair

John Lechleiter, the Chairman, President and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, has been elected as Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

He succeeds Sanofi CEO Christopher Viehbacher and is joined by Celgene’s Robert Hugin, elected as Chairman-elect of the Board of Directors, and Pfizer’s Ian Read, elected as treasurer.

John Castellani, PhRMA President and CEO, said it will be an honour to “work closely with these visionary, passionate leaders of our sector”.

Mr Lechleiter initially joined Lilly in 1979. He has served as Chairman, President and CEO of the company for the past four years after becoming President and Chief Operating Officer in 2005, when he joined the company’s board of directors.

“I’m honoured to lead PhRMA during this very important time in the history of our industry,” Mr Lechleiter said. “PhRMA member companies play an incredibly important role in the delivery of high-quality, cost-effective health care for our citizens. Continued progress against diseases like Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and diabetes requires policies that enable medical innovation to thrive. I look forward to the opportunity to advance these important conversations at an industry level.”