In Conversation with Cork Company of the Year 2021

with Todd Winge, Vice President & General Manager Eli Lilly Kinsale and Mike Smith, General Manager at Eli Lilly and Company GBS Centres in Cork, Kuala Lumpur & Mexico City

Describe Eli Lilly and Company

Todd: Lilly is a global healthcare leader, and our purpose is to unite caring with discovery to create medicines that make life better for people around the globe. Around the world, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to the communities where we live and work. Worldwide, Lilly employs over 34,000 people, with 2,000 employees based between our sites in Kinsale and Little Island in Cork.

What does it mean to you to have won the overall Cork Company of the Year award for 2021?

Mike: Winning the Cork Chamber Company of the Year is a tremendous honour. It means so much to us because it recognises the efforts of so many people over the years, who have made Lilly Kinsale and Cork what they are today. The team of people who work in Cork and Kinsale are the foundation of all our success, and have been the driving force behind our inclusive, innovative culture where people can be themselves and perform at their best.

What makes your company stand out?

Mike: Without a doubt, it is our people and their passion to deliver on our purpose. We do this every day by living our company values of integrity, excellence and respect for people. We adopt a “Team Lilly” approach across all sites and functions in the company, which aims to keep each one of us focused on that common goal and to keep the patient at the centre of everything we do. Team Lilly also defines the culture of our organisation, the experiences we create for customers and employees, and the way we work together to deliver results.

What do you think have been the key attributes to Lilly’s success and growth?

Todd: At the forefront of our success has been the ability to attract, develop and retain diverse talent. This has allowed us to expand existing operations, break new ground, and champion a mindset of continuous improvement. Like all biopharma companies, the need to continuously innovate is also a requirement. The process of inventing and developing new medicines is not a straightforward business – and for every one successful molecule… there are thousands of failures! The talented teams in Kinsale and Cork play a key role in supporting that innovation and turning successful research molecules into medicines for patients around the world.

Pictured at the announcement of the Cork Company of the Year 2021 are Todd Winge, Vice President & GM Eli Lilly Kinsale and Mike Smith, GM at Eli Lilly and Company GBS Centres in Cork, Kuala Lumpur & Mexico City. Picture: Darragh Kane Photography

Outline the impact that your company has on the local economy.

Todd: Lilly’s Cork operations have delivered a significant economic benefit to the county since we arrived in Kinsale in 1978. The past decade has seen enormous growth and expansion across both Cork sites, with capital investment of over €1bn in that period alone. We’ve spent over €500m with Cork-based suppliers and we have also created strong links with the local educational institutions at all levels from primary schools to university level. Overall, Cork has proven to be a great place to do business for Lilly.

What has been your greatest business achievement and challenge?

Mike: 2020 has been a year like no other, it has tested everyone in new ways, yet the response from our people has been uplifting and highly motivating. We are learning new skills, adopting new behaviours, and taking up new habits that I believe make us better people and better leaders. I feel incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by so many amazing people who push each other to be better. There is no negativity, simply positive energy, high motivation and stretch goals that help advance our common purpose.

What is your company doing to promote sustainable initiatives and practices?

Todd: In May of this year, Lilly announced ambitious environmental goals for 2030. For climate, we plan to make our own operations carbon neutral. Despite several pandemic-related construction shutdowns over the past 16 months, Kinsale partnered with Waterford company, Enerpower, to construct the largest private, non-grid, solar development in Ireland. The 6.5 hectare installation involves 12,600 solar panels generating 4.5 MW of electrical power at peak output – which will replace up to 65% of the site’s currently purchased electricity and reduce the carbon footprint of the site by 2,000 tonnes per annum.

What’s next for Lilly?

Mike: Lilly has a robust research pipeline of potential new medicines, focused on five key therapeutic areas: diabetes, cancer, immunology, neurodegeneration, and pain. There are some very innovate prospects in development, and I’m excited about the opportunities our Cork sites will have in bringing many of those new therapies to patients. In summary, Lilly has a very bright future in Kinsale and Cork, and we will continue to focus on innovation, investment, and people as we strive to deliver best in class outcomes for the millions of patients who depend on us every day.