Lilly announces senior leadership changes

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) today announced that Sue Mahony, currently senior vice president of human resources and diversity, has been named senior vice president and president of Lilly Oncology.

In this new role she continues to report to John Lechleiter, Ph.D., Lilly chairman, president, and CEO, and she remains a member of the company’s executive committee. Mahony succeeds John H. Johnson, who resigned last month.

Being promoted into Mahony’s former role is Steve Fry, currently vice president of human resources for two of Lilly’s business areas, bio-medicines and emerging markets. Fry now joins Lilly’s executive leadership team and reports to Lechleiter. Both moves are effective immediately.

Mahony

“Sue brings a deep understanding of both the scientific and commercial aspects of our business gained through a broad range of leadership roles here at Lilly and with other major pharmaceutical companies,” said Lechleiter. “Lilly has one of the largest clinical-stage pipelines of potential cancer medicines in the industry. Sue is a proven leader who will help Lilly make the most of these incredible opportunities.”

Mahony joined Lilly more than 10 years ago after a decade in sales and marketing roles in the United Kingdom and Europe in oncology/hematology and cardiovascular medicine for Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Schering-Plough. She was named general manager of Lilly Canada in 2008 after roles in global marketing and new product development, including a leadership role in the development of Cymbalta®. Mahony was also the Six Sigma leader for Lilly’s sales and marketing component. She was promoted to the top human resources role in 2009.

Mahony received her bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in pharmacy, in the Cancer Research Campaign Experimental Chemotherapy Group, from Aston University in Great Britain, and holds an MBA from the London Business School.

Fry

“Steve is a human resources professional who has also played a critical role in shaping our organizational approach, including the new business areas we formed last year. His varied experiences give him a firm grasp of how our business operates in all parts of the world,” said Lechleiter. “Steve will build on the momentum that Sue initiated with our diversity efforts and help ensure the development of Lilly people remains a top priority for the company.”

Fry, who was the managing director of Lilly’s Australian affiliate from 2004 — 2007, then served in human resources capacities as executive director for the intercontinental region and Japan until becoming vice president for bio-medicines and emerging markets. He joined Lilly in 1987 as a scientific systems analyst in the company’s former Greenfield, Ind. laboratories, moving into human resources in 1992. Fry assumed a leadership role when he was selected as the director of human resources for Lilly’s United Kingdom affiliate in 1998, followed by executive director positions for both Lilly’s U.S. affiliate and the pharmaceutical operations area.

Fry has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Indianapolis.