Elanco Animal Health Appoints Jamie Preston as Chief People Officer

Preston brings more than two decades of global HR leadership and workforce innovation experience; Dave Kinard to retire at year-end

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) today announced the appointment of Jamie Preston as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer, effective November 3^rd. Preston's appointment follows an extensive and competitive search as part of the company's commitment to attract, develop and retain an engaged global workforce while embedding inclusion, well-being and purpose into daily operations. Preston succeeds Dave Kinard, who intends to retire at the end of the year. Kinard will work closely with Preston in the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership transition.

Preston joins Elanco from Eli Lilly and Company, bringing 23 years of enterprise experience, including nearly two decades of human resources leadership. Most recently serving as Vice President of HR, Global Compensation and Workforce Innovation, where Preston led the compensation and recognition team for Lilly's global 50,000+ employee organization and spearheaded enterprise-wide AI and workforce modernization strategies.

"Jamie is a visionary, dynamic leader with the speed and agility that defines Elanco. She has deep global experience across every facet of human resources, from organizational design and talent development to workforce innovation and digital transformation," said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco. "As Elanco continues to drive growth and deliver on our purpose of enriching the lives of animals and people, Jamie's proven track record of building high-performing, inclusive cultures and shaping forward-looking workforce strategies makes her an ideal fit for our executive team. Her shared heritage with our roots at Lilly brings a deep understanding of values-based, science-driven organizations."

During her tenure at Lilly - which started in the sales organization - Preston held executive HR leadership roles spanning global markets, including serving as Associate Vice President of HR across five countries in the Asia-Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, Korea, and Hong Kong), where she supported the region's growth into a billion-dollar business hub. She also previously served as HR Director for Lilly Japan, supporting the research and development organization, led global people strategy for the Oncology Business Unit and supported key corporate and manufacturing functions.

"Elanco's purpose - food and companionship enriching lives - deeply resonates with me," said Jamie Preston. I am excited to partner with our global teams to champion our people, advance workforce innovation and cultivate a culture where our talent thrives as we deliver for veterinarians, pet owners, farmers and the animals in their care."

Beyond her corporate leadership, Preston is an active contributor to community and industry organizations. She serves on the board of directors for Teach for America, Indianapolis and previously served on the board of Cancer Support Community Central Indiana.

Preston completed the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) Program at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and holds both a master's and a bachelor's degree in health service administration from the University of Evansville.

Honoring Dave Kinard's Leadership

Kinard's upcoming retirement marks the culmination of a distinguished career dedicated to organizational excellence and talent development. Since Elanco's transition from Lilly's animal health division to a publicly traded, independent company, Kinard has played a foundational role in shaping Elanco's global HR infrastructure, culture and employee experience.

Kinard oversaw all aspects of the company's headquarters move from Greenfield to Indianapolis, including the establishment of the "One Health Innovation District," a purpose-built life sciences innovation hub anchored by Elanco and Purdue University. 

"Today our employee engagement is the highest since our IPO, backed by a culture and brand in a position of strength because of Dave's dedicated leadership and enduring contributions," added Simmons. "Dave has been a trusted partner, and we appreciate his commitment to supporting Jamie through the end of the year to ensure continuity for our teams around the world, and we wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement."

ABOUT ELANCO
Elanco Animal Health Incorporated (NYSE: ELAN) is a global leader in animal health dedicated to innovating and delivering products and services to prevent and treat disease in farm animals and pets, creating value for farmers, pet owners, veterinarians, stakeholders and society as a whole. With more than 70 years of animal health heritage, we are committed to breaking boundaries and going beyond to help our customers improve the health of animals in their care, while also making a meaningful impact on our local and global communities. At Elanco, we are driven by our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life and our purpose – all to Go Beyond for Animals, Customers, Society and Our People. Learn more at www.elanco.com.

Investor Contact: Tiffany Kanaga (765) 740-0314 or [email protected]
Media Contact: Keri McGrath (317) 370-8394 or [email protected]

SOURCE Elanco Animal Health