Eli Lilly's Patrik Jonsson to retire; Ilya Yuffa to run new global markets unit
The drugmaker will merge its US and international sales operations into one structure from January 2027, with leaders for India and China staying in place.
Eli Lilly said on Tuesday that Patrik Jonsson, head of its international business, will retire at the end of 2026 after 36 years with the company. Ilya Yuffa will take over on January 1, 2027, as head of a new unit called Lilly Global Markets.
The new unit merges Lilly's US and international commercial operations into one structure. The company says the change should speed up decisions, help it operate at greater scale and widen access to its medicines around the world.
Jonsson started at Lilly in 1990 as a sales representative in Sweden. He went on to lead operations in Europe, Japan and the United States. Yuffa joined in 1996 as a financial analyst and has since held senior roles in finance, business development, sales and general management.
Other leaders are moving too. Laura Steele, now group vice president for US Cardiometabolic Health, will become president of Lilly USA. Elias Khalil, currently head of Lilly's Italy Hub, will lead Lilly Europe and Canada as group vice president and president.
For readers in India and China, the key point is continuity. Winselow Tucker will keep running Lilly's India business, and Huzur Devletsah will stay in charge in China. Karla Alcazar will continue to lead Japan, and Nabil Daoud remains president of Lilly InterContinental.
In plain terms, Lilly is pulling its home market and its overseas markets under one roof instead of running them as separate arms. Lilly has not said how the new setup will change the way patients buy or receive its drugs. The stated aim is faster, wider access.
Source: Reuters via Investing.com
