Elanco appoints Jamie Preston as chief people officer

GLOBAL – Elanco Animal Health has appointed Jamie Preston as executive vice-president and chief people officer, effective 3 November 2026, as the animal health company prepares for a leadership transition in its global human resources function.

Preston succeeds Dave Kinard, who plans to retire at year-end. Kinard will work with Preston during the transition to ensure continuity across the company’s global workforce operations.

Preston joins Elanco from Eli Lilly and Company, where she spent 23 years in roles spanning commercial operations and human resources leadership. 

Most recently, she served as vice-president of human resources for global compensation and workforce innovation, overseeing compensation and recognition for Lilly’s workforce of more than 50,000 employees and leading initiatives in artificial intelligence and workforce modernisation.

Her previous roles included regional human resources leadership across five Asia-Pacific markets, responsibility for human resources at Lilly Japan and people strategy for the company’s oncology business unit, as well as support for corporate and manufacturing functions.

Elanco president and chief executive officer Jeff Simmons said Preston brings experience in organisational design, talent development, digital transformation and workforce innovation.

Preston said she would focus on supporting employees, advancing workforce innovation and building a culture that enables the company to serve veterinarians, pet owners and farmers.

Kinard has helped develop Elanco’s global human resources infrastructure, corporate culture and employee experience since the company became an independent publicly traded business after separating from Lilly’s animal health division. 

He also oversaw the relocation of Elanco’s headquarters from Greenfield to Indianapolis, including establishing the One Health Innovation District, a life sciences innovation hub anchored by Elanco and Purdue University.

Simmons credited Kinard with contributing to employee engagement and strengthening the company’s culture during his tenure.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.