Who is the highest paid CEO in all of pharma? To be honest, the 2025 list of top paid chief executives looks a lot like the 2024 list. And that’s no surprise, given the year this CEO oversaw.

Eli Lilly’s David Ricks took home $36.7 million for the year, representing a 26% pay bump over the year prior. He helped the storied pharma along to a 45% revenue increase to $65 billion. Lilly broke the pharma mold in 2025, with its market cap rising 25%, briefly hitting a $1 trillion valuation.

So Ricks has commanded a compensation package to match, with Lilly’s board eager to keep him happy. READ MORE