Leaders in Finance: Attila Janosdeak, Associate Vice President Finance Italy Hub at Eli Lilly

On March 4, 2025, the MCF class met Attila Janosdeak, Eli LIlly’s Associate Vice President Finance Italy Hub. He provided an overview of his educational background, professional experience, and personal interests, highlighting how his past experience as a tennis teacher helped him to develop coaching skills that he then has applied in his professional career.

Eli Lilly’s reported $45 billion in revenue in 2024, and it expects to reach $60 billion in 2025. With 46,000 employees globally and headquarters in Indianapolis, the company operates through five key business units: Oncology, Diabetes/Obesity, International, Immunology, and Neuroscience. It is currently in the spotlight due to its advancements in Alzheimer and weight-loss drugs, with the market having high expectations. A notable point is the location of its offices, particularly in remote areas. While many professionals prefer big cities, the presence of family in these areas can be an advantage in employee retention. However, attracting new talent willing to relocate remains an issue.
Lilly Italia plays a critical role in the company’s global operations, with a campus near Florence that supplies products to round 50 countries. Drug manufacturing is planned years in advance, so recent U.S. government tariff decisions will not lead to immediate or abrupt changes. Even if the company now seems to be fairly valued by the market, there are downside risks due to possible minor shifts in the customer environment.

At Lilly, the finance function is way more than just about traditional number-crunching. As the company differentiates itself from other drug-makers through innovation and strategic thinking. the finance team in Italy is commercially focused, emphasizing teamwork and collaboration over purely analytical tasks. The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys working in dynamic environments rather than being confined to a desk.

A significant portion of the Q&A revolved around the growing market for obesity drugs. Despite high demand, manufacturing injectable weight-loss treatments remains a major challenge due to the time required to scale production. Only a few companies are expected to compete in the obesity drug market by 2030. Pricing strategies in the U.S. and Europe are currently aligned, and a staggering $50 billion has been invested in capital expenditures from 2020 to 2025 to support capacity expansion.

The meeting ended with an overview of Eli Lilly’s internship program, which provided insights into potential roles, expectations, and opportunities for students and young professionals interested in joining the company.