USA—Eli Lilly and Company has appointed Lucas Montarce as the new executive vice president, chief financial officer (CFO), and member of the company’s Executive Committee, effective immediately.
This leadership transition follows the departure of former CFO Anat Ashkenazi, who stepped down months ago to join Google parent Alphabet.
Montarce’s promotion comes at a pivotal time for Eli Lilly, which has been investing heavily to boost its manufacturing capacity in response to growing demand for its diabetes and weight loss drugs, Mounjaro and Zepbound.
Montarce has been with Eli Lilly since 2001, during which time he has held several leadership positions in the company’s finance department.
His experience includes serving as group vice president, corporate controller, and CFO of Lilly Research Laboratories; vice president of finance and CFO for Lilly International; and vice president of finance and global CFO at Elanco Health.
Before this recent appointment, Montarce was president and general manager of Lilly’s operations in Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
Montarce holds a bachelor’s degree in business accounting from the Catholic University in Argentina and a master’s degree in business administration from the Center for Macroeconomic Studies of Argentina (CEMA).
Commenting on the appointment, David A. Ricks, Lilly’s chair and CEO, expressed excitement about welcoming Lucas as the new CFO following a competitive search across multiple sectors, including healthcare, technology, and other industries.
Ricks emphasized that developing leadership talent has always been a strength for Lilly, and Montarce’s diverse experiences have uniquely prepared him for this role.
Ricks also expressed confidence in Montarce’s ability to excel as CFO, highlighting his drive, curiosity, and integrity during their decade-long collaboration.
In response to his appointment, Montarce expressed his commitment to building upon Lilly’s solid financial foundation. He also expressed his enthusiasm for helping the company expand its global reach and deliver long-term value to stakeholders.
Montarce acknowledged the honour of stepping into this role during such a pivotal time in the company’s history. He said he looks forward to working alongside the executive team and his colleagues in Lilly’s finance division.
Eli Lilly partners with EVA Pharma to Expand Access to Baricitinib in Africa
In related news, Eli Lilly and Company, in partnership with EVA Pharma, has announced an agreement to expand access to baricitinib for an estimated 20,000 people in 49 low—to middle-income countries across Africa by 2030.
Baricitinib, originally discovered by Incyte and licensed to Lilly, is used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, and COVID-19.
This collaboration forms part of Lilly’s broader 30×30 initiative, which seeks to provide quality healthcare access to 30 million people in resource-limited settings by 2030.
EVA Pharma’s high-containment facility, dedicated to manufacturing baricitinib, is expected to begin sales to African countries by 2026.
The collaboration will leverage EVA’s extensive reach across Africa and its robust local manufacturing capabilities, which adhere to global standards.
This partnership will significantly enhance Lilly’s ability to reach more patients in low- and middle-income countries.
Furthermore, since 2021, EVA Pharma has been working with Lilly to ensure the sustainable supply of essential medicines across several African nations.
In 2022, the two companies also joined forces to expand access to affordable insulin in 56 countries, the majority of which are low- to middle-income regions.
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