Eli Lilly Korea has appointed John Bickel, the former chief operating officer of Eli Lilly Japan, as its new general manager, effective last Thursday.

According to the company, Bickel graduated with a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Butler University in the U.S. in 1998 and joined Eli Lilly the same year.

Bickel served as COO of Eli Lilly Japan from 2023, responsible for the entire marketing and sales organization within the Japanese market. Bickel has also overseen the launch of various pharmaceutical products in the U.S. and global markets within the oncology and neuroscience divisions.

“During his service in Japan, COO Bickel significantly bolstered the business capabilities of the subsidiary by implementing innovative marketing strategies, integrating digital and omnichannel approaches, and utilizing data analytics tools for key marketing decisions,” Eli Lilly Korea said. “He also played a pivotal role in talent acquisition and development, ensuring the successful realization of these strategies.”

Expressing his enthusiasm for his new appointment, Bickel said, "I feel honored to lead Eli Lilly Korea when our innovative medicines for diabetes, obesity, cancer, and immune disorders are gaining significant attention in Korea.”

Bickel stressed that as the CEO of Eli Lilly Korea, he is committed to rapidly bringing the company’s new medicines to Korean patients, helping them overcome life-threatening and quality-of-life diminishing diseases.