Lilly ensures business support provision with new appointment

Lilly has taken steps to ensure that its global business units receive the support they require via the promotion of Derica Rice.

Mr Rice was formerly vice-president and chief financial officer of the pharmaceutical company and has now taken on additional responsibilities and been promoted to executive vice-president of global services and chief financial officer.

His promotion took effect from January 1st.

In his new role, Mr Rice will retain his existing duties as chief financial officer and also take on responsibility for Six Sigma and the company’s ongoing global services design project.

John Lechleiter, Lilly president, chief executive officer and chairman, said that Mr Rice has demonstrated “strong leadership” during his tenure with the firm.

“Derica, in his new role, will help ensure that these important functions, aligned with our global services design effort, continue to provide needed support to our business units and our key functions,” he added.

In recent days, Lilly’s board of directors declared a dividend of $0.49 (30 pence) per share on the company’s common stock for the first quarter of 2010.