Lilly's Lechleiter back in the driving seat following aorta surgery

John Lechleiter has returned to his duties as chairman, president, and chief executive of US drug major Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY). Dr Lechleiter has been on medical leave since his scheduled surgery for a dilated aorta on May 13, 2013.

Commenting on his return to full time leadership of the company, Dr Lechleiter, whose surgery and recovery were successful and he has been cleared by his personal physician and the company's employee health services physician to return to full-time work, said: "I return to Lilly with renewed energy and enthusiasm, along with a new perspective on health and wellness and the critical importance of new medicines in advancing patient care.”

During Dr Lechleiter's medical leave, chief financial officer Derica Rice served as acting CEO, while Ellen Marram, the lead independent director of Eli Lilly's board of directors, assumed the position of acting chairperson of the board.