Eli Lilly international business chief Jonsson to retire; Yuffa to head global markets unit

Oct 27 (Reuters) - Eli Lilly said on Tuesday that Patrik Jonsson, executive vice president and president of its international business, will retire at the end of 2026 after a 36-year career at the US drugmaker.

The company said Ilya Yuffa will become executive vice president and president of the newly created Lilly Global Markets organization from January 1, 2027, as Lilly combines its US and international commercial operations into a single structure.

Here are few details:

• The move is intended to speed decision-making, improve scale and support broader access to its medicines worldwide, Lilly said

• Jonsson joined Lilly in 1990 as a sales representative in Sweden and went on to hold leadership positions across Europe, Japan and the United States

• Yuffa, who joined Lilly in 1996 as a financial analyst, has held senior roles in finance, business development, sales and general management

• Laura Steele, currently group vice president for US Cardiometabolic Health, will be promoted to president of Lilly USA effective January 1, 2027

• Elias Khalil, currently president and general manager of Lilly's Italy Hub, will become group vice president and president of Lilly Europe and Canada

• Nabil Daoud will remain group vice president and president of Lilly InterContinental, while Karla Alcazar, Huzur Devletsah and Winselow Tucker will continue to lead the company's businesses in Japan, China and India, respectively

• The leaders of Lilly's six geographic hubs will report to Yuffa under the new global markets structure

(Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)