Lilly's ex-marketing chief joins Innovex

Richard Pilnik, Lilly's head of marketing is to join contract sales organisation Innovex to serve as its president.

Pilnik has 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector, most recently as group vice president and chief marketing officer at Lilly.

Pilnik left the Indianopolis-based pharma company last year, and has been appointed by Innovex for his experience in pharmaceutical sales and marketing.

Innovex, a division of Quintiles, specialises in contract sales and marketing services to the industry. It has responded to the scaling back of salesforces by diversifying its services, and offers a range of sales and marketing services.

A native of So Paulo in Brazil, Pilnik earned his bachelor of arts from Duke University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Business, Northwestern University.

He joined Lilly as a sales rep in 1983 and his twenty-five year career with the company included posts as president Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Russia, area director in Latin America, and general manager, Mexico.

"With Rich's experience in addressing complex business opportunities and challenges across many countries, together with the experience and expertise we already have, Innovex is poised to expand its visibility and leadership in the commercial arena," said Quintiles' transnational chairman and chief executive Dennis Gillings.

Pilnik said: "Innovex is already recognised for its outstanding customer service and insight in providing flexible, effective solutions to meet commercial challenges.

"As the commercial landscape continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, Innovex is well-positioned to develop further a full range of multi-country solutions to help our customers navigate, and be successful in, the new commercial world."

Innovex employs around 7,500 professionals across 17 markets, selling and supporting brands in various therapeutic areas in both primary and secondary care.