Kenneth Custer

Executive Vice President, Cardiometabolic Health
Eli Lilly

Kenneth Custer is Executive Vice President of Eli Lilly and Company and President of Lilly Cardiometabolic Health. In this role he is accountable for late-stage clinical development, global marketing, medical affairs, and corporate affairs for Lilly’s largest therapeutic area.

Since joining Lilly in 2009, he has held roles of increasing responsibility across sales, marketing, and R&D. Most recently, he served as President and General Manager of Lilly Canada, where he led the commercialization and launch of key new medicines across cardiometabolic health and immunology. Prior to that he was head of corporate business development, overseeing dozens of licensing and partnership deals including the acquisitions of Akouos, Prevail, and Protomer Technologies. He has also led molecule teams, including the early development of tirzepatide, and served as a principal architect for Lilly’s R&D transformation efforts that drove industry-leading speed and productivity.

In addition to his work at Lilly, Ken is a board member of Jaguar Gene Therapy and the United Way of Central Indiana. He is passionate about working at the intersection of science, technology and business and enjoys recruiting and mentoring early-in-career professionals who wish to apply their scientific and medical training to broader careers in biopharma.

Ken earned his bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Reed College, and his doctoral degree in Neuroscience from the University of Washington. He also holds an MBA in Healthcare Management from the Wharton School.