Dave Ricks is the Chairman and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalization. Ricks has led Eli Lilly since January 2017, presiding over a historic transformation fueled by the company’s blockbuster GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs Mounjaro (tirzepatide for diabetes) and Zepbound (tirzepatide for obesity). Under his leadership, Lilly’s annual revenue soared from $22.9 billion in 2017 to $65.2 billion in 2025, and its market cap surpassed $900 billion. He was named Chief Executive Magazine’s 2025 CEO of the Year.
Read on to discover Eli Lilly CEO email address, Dave Ricks net worth in 2026, salary and compensation, career history, family, and more.
Quick Facts
| Dave Ricks — Key Information | |
|---|---|
| Full Name | David A. Ricks |
| Age | 58 years old (born May 4, 1967, Bloomington, Indiana) |
| Position | Chairman, President & CEO |
| Company | Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) |
| CEO Since | January 1, 2017 |
| Education | B.S. Industrial Management, Purdue University; MBA, Indiana University Kelley School |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$700 million (based on LLY share holdings) |
| 2024 Total Compensation | $29.2 million |
| Shares Owned | ~677,000 LLY shares (~$703M value) |
| Headquarters | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| [email protected] (corporate) | |
Career Highlights
- Longest-tenured Lilly CEO in decades — Has served as Chairman and CEO since 2017, overseeing one of the most successful periods in the company’s 148-year history.
- GLP-1 revolution leader — Under Ricks, Mounjaro and Zepbound generated over $36.5 billion in combined 2025 sales, making tirzepatide the world’s best-selling drug.
- Revenue tripled — Grew Lilly’s annual revenue from $22.9B (2017) to $65.2B (2025), a 185% increase.
- Market cap growth — Eli Lilly’s market capitalization grew from ~$90 billion when he became CEO to over $900 billion by early 2026.
- CEO of the Year — Named Chief Executive Magazine’s 2025 CEO of the Year for his transformational leadership.
- Pipeline expansion — Oversaw major R&D investments including orforglipron (oral GLP-1), retatrutide (triple agonist), and donanemab (Alzheimer’s).
Dave Ricks Net Worth & CEO Compensation
As of 2026, Dave Ricks’s net worth is estimated at approximately $700 million, primarily driven by his holdings of roughly 677,000 shares of Eli Lilly stock, valued at about $703 million based on recent market prices. This makes him one of the wealthiest pharmaceutical executives in the world by paper wealth.
For fiscal year 2024, Ricks received total compensation of $29.2 million, a 10% increase over his 2023 pay of $26.6 million. Including realized stock gains and other long-term incentives, one analysis valued his total 2024 earnings at approximately $114 million.
CEO Compensation Breakdown (FY2024)
| Component | Amount (USD) | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $1,690,385 | 5.8% |
| Annual Cash Bonus | $5,705,049 | 19.5% |
| Stock Awards | $19,749,324 | 67.6% |
| Other Compensation | $351,685 | 1.2% |
| TOTAL | $29,196,443 | 100% |
Key Insight: Over 94% of Dave Ricks’s compensation is performance-based (bonus + equity), aligning his interests closely with shareholders. His stock holdings alone are worth more than 24 times his annual compensation.
Eli Lilly Financial Summary
Eli Lilly posted record-breaking financial results under Dave Ricks’s leadership, with FY2025 revenue surging 45% to $65.2 billion, driven by explosive demand for Mounjaro and Zepbound. The company expects 2026 revenue of $80–$83 billion.
| Metric | FY2025 | FY2024 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $65.2B | $45.0B | ▲ +44.7% |
| Net Income | $20.6B | $10.6B | ▲ +94.7% |
| EPS (Diluted) | $22.95 | $11.71 | ▲ +96.0% |
| Gross Margin | 83.0% | 82.1% | ▲ +90 bps |
| Mounjaro Revenue | $23.0B | $11.5B | ▲ +99.1% |
| Zepbound Revenue | $13.5B | $4.9B | ▲ +175% |
| Market Cap | ~$902B | ~$780B | ▲ +15.6% |
| 2026 Revenue Guidance | $80B – $83B | ▲ ~25% | |
Eli Lilly Competitors
Eli Lilly operates in the global pharmaceutical industry and competes with major drugmakers across therapeutic areas including diabetes, obesity, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience:
- Novo Nordisk — Primary GLP-1 rival (Ozempic, Wegovy); Danish pharma giant
- Johnson & Johnson — Diversified healthcare conglomerate ($489B market cap)
- AbbVie — Immunology and oncology leader (Humira, Skyrizi, Rinvoq)
- Merck & Co. — Oncology leader (Keytruda); faces patent cliff in 2028
- AstraZeneca — Oncology and respiratory focus; growing GLP-1 pipeline
- Pfizer — Diversified pharma with emerging GLP-1 candidate (danuglipron)
- Roche — Diagnostics and oncology leader (Swiss)
- Amgen — Biotech leader with MariTide (obesity pipeline candidate)
How to Contact Dave Ricks – Eli Lilly CEO Email
Below are the official contact details for reaching Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks:
| Dave Ricks — Contact Information | |
|---|---|
| Corporate Email | [email protected] |
| Investor Relations | [email protected] |
| Media Inquiries | [email protected] |
| Corporate HQ | Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN 46285 |
| Phone | (317) 276-2000 |
| Website | lilly.com |
| @davearicks | |
Career & Education – Company, University & College
Dave Ricks has spent virtually his entire career at Eli Lilly, joining the company in 1996 after completing his MBA. He rose through international and domestic leadership roles before becoming CEO in 2017.
Career Timeline
| Period | Role | Organization |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | B.S. Industrial Management | Purdue University |
| 1996 | MBA, Kelley School of Business | Indiana University |
| 1996 | Business Development Associate | Eli Lilly |
| 2004–2008 | General Manager, Eli Lilly Canada | Eli Lilly |
| 2008–2009 | President & GM, Eli Lilly China | Eli Lilly |
| 2009–2012 | President, Lilly USA | Eli Lilly |
| 2012–2016 | SVP, Lilly Bio-Medicines | Eli Lilly |
| Jan 2017 | President & CEO | Eli Lilly |
| 2017–Present | Chairman, President & CEO | Eli Lilly |
Education
| University | Degree / Program | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Purdue University (Krannert School) | B.S. Industrial Management | 1990 |
| Indiana University (Kelley School) | MBA | 1996 |
Dave Ricks Wiki – Age, Family & Personal Life
Dave Ricks was born on May 4, 1967, in Bloomington, Indiana, making him 58 years old as of early 2026. He grew up in California after his family relocated, but returned to Indiana for his education and career.
Ricks is married; he followed his then-girlfriend (now wife) to Indiana in 1994 when she began medical school at Indiana University. While she pursued her medical degree, he enrolled in the MBA program at the Kelley School of Business. Together they are based in Indianapolis. He describes himself on social media as a “husband, father, backpacker, and health care advocate,” though he keeps details about his wife and children private.
He has served as a trustee of Purdue University and is a member of the Business Roundtable. Ricks is known for his strategic patience — the GLP-1 investment that made Lilly the world’s most valuable pharma company was a multi-year bet that required conviction through extended periods of investor and analyst skepticism.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Founded in 1876 by Colonel Eli Lilly, it is the world’s largest pharmaceutical company by market capitalization (~$902 billion as of March 2026). Lilly discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets drugs across multiple therapeutic areas.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1876 by Colonel Eli Lilly |
| Headquarters | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| NYSE Ticker | LLY |
| Employees | ~47,000+ |
| Key Products | Mounjaro, Zepbound, Verzenio, Jardiance, Taltz, Kisunla |
| 2025 Revenue | $65.2 billion |
| Market Cap | ~$902 billion |
| Therapeutic Areas | Diabetes, Obesity, Oncology, Immunology, Neuroscience |
Eli Lilly has been a pioneer in pharmaceutical innovation for nearly 150 years. The company was the first to mass-produce the polio vaccine, commercialize insulin, and develop breakthrough drugs for depression (Prozac). Today, its GLP-1 receptor agonist platform (tirzepatide) has positioned Lilly at the center of the global obesity and diabetes treatment revolution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the CEO of Eli Lilly?
Dave Ricks (David A. Ricks) has served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company since January 2017. Under his leadership, Lilly became the world’s most valuable pharmaceutical company, driven by its blockbuster GLP-1 drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound.
What is Dave Ricks’s net worth in 2026?
Dave Ricks’s net worth is estimated at approximately $700 million in 2026, based primarily on his holdings of roughly 677,000 shares of Eli Lilly stock. His 2024 total compensation was $29.2 million, with realized gains pushing total earnings to about $114 million.
What is Eli Lilly CEO’s salary?
Dave Ricks earned $29.2 million in total compensation for FY2024, including a $1.69 million base salary, $5.7 million annual bonus, and $19.7 million in stock awards. Over 94% of his pay is performance-based.
What is Dave Ricks’s email address?
Dave Ricks can be contacted through Eli Lilly’s corporate email format at [email protected]. The company’s investor relations email is [email protected] and the corporate phone number is (317) 276-2000.
What are Mounjaro and Zepbound?
Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 receptor agonist approved for type 2 diabetes, while Zepbound is the same drug approved for chronic weight management (obesity). Together they generated $36.5 billion in FY2025 sales, making tirzepatide the world’s best-selling drug.
How old is Dave Ricks?
Dave Ricks is 58 years old, born on May 4, 1967, in Bloomington, Indiana. He has spent nearly 30 years at Eli Lilly, joining in 1996 after earning his MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.
Article last updated: March 5, 2026
Disclaimer: All information presented in this article has been compiled from publicly available sources, including SEC filings, official company press releases, and reputable news outlets. Net worth figures are estimates based on disclosed stock holdings and may vary by source. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice.