Meet the Executive Eli Lilly and Company Leadership Team: Melissa Stapleton Barnes

Melissa Stapleton Barnes became chief ethics and compliance officer and senior vice president, enterprise risk management, for Eli Lilly and Company in January 2013 and is a member of the company’s executive committee.

Prior to taking this position, Ms. Barnes held a variety of business and legal roles. She served as general counsel for Lilly Diabetes and Lilly Oncology, both global business units responsible for development and commercialization of Lilly products worldwide. She also counseled on all antitrust matters, as well as global marketing and sales, managed market/business-to-business, and pricing matters. Notably, she spent two years as a dedicated Six Sigma Black Belt responsible for leading quality/productivity enhancing projects in Lilly Legal. She also serves on the executive team of the Lilly Women’s Network and chairs the External Connectivity Committee.

Prior to joining Lilly, Ms. Barnes handled complex antitrust litigation at Baker & Daniels and was a Research Assistant to Phillip E. Areeda in his drafting of Antitrust Law, Volume IX.

Born in Noblesville, Indiana, she received a Bachelor of Science degree with highest distinction from Purdue University and received a Juris Doctorate from Harvard Law School.

Other professional and community activities include Board of Directors for The Center for the Performing Arts; advisory board member and frequent speaker for the American Conference Institute; advisory board member for Integrating Women Leaders, Inc.; and formerly on the Board of Directors for Indiana Medical Device Manufacturers Council, Inc. (2009-2010). Ms. Barnes is also an active member of the Carmel Young Life Leadership Committee, as well as Pleasant View Baptist Church

Source: Eli Lilly and Co. Press Releases – Executive Bios