2007 Lonnel Coats
President and CEO, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals honored as 2007 HBA Honorable Mentor
The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) honored its 2007 Honorable Mentor, Lonnel Coats, during the association’s 18th annual Woman of the Year event. The event also commemorated the 30th anniversary of the founding of the HBA.
The HBA created the Honorable Mentor award in 2001 to annually recognize an individual who demonstrates long-term advocacy for current and future women leaders. Recipients exhibit personal dedication to developing, mentoring and promoting women in the industry, and are supportive of the HBA’s core purpose to further the advancement and impact of women in the business of healthcare.
“Lonnel was chosen as this year’s HBA Honorable Mentor because of the inspiring and powerful testimonies we received about his mentorship of industry women. Such significant action to support the advancement of women in healthcare deserves to be recognized,” said HBA chair emeritus, Cathy Kerzner.
Lonnel Coats was appointed president and CEO of Lexicon Pharmaceuticals in July 2014. He most recently served as president and CEO of Eisai Inc. – the position he held at the time of receiving HBA’s 2007 Honorable Mentor award.
Coats joined Lexicon after 18 years of senior management experience with Eisai. As president and CEO at Eisai, he oversaw the commercialization of Eisai products in the therapeutic areas of oncology, neurology, GI, epilepsy and metabolic. Coats also oversaw the expansion of Eisai’s business across the Americas, inclusive of gaining market approval in Canada for Halaven, Banzel and Gliadel. Previously, as president and chief operating officer, Coats led the diversification of Eisai’s business through over $5 billion in strategic acquisitions, licensing and partnerships, which included the acquisition of MGI Pharma in 2008 and the licensing of Belviq in 2011.
Upon receiving the award, Coats stated, “I am honored to be recognized with this prestigious award. I’ve experienced firsthand the difference that mentoring can make to a person’s professional and personal development. As a result, I am committed to sharing what I’ve learned over the years and supporting others in their career goals. At Eisai, we place high value on learning and leadership development, because it is only through the contributions of our employees that we will continue to achieve success.”
“Lonnel has devoted significant time and attention to mentoring employees on a regular basis,” said Hajime Shimizu, chairman and chief executive officer, Eisai Inc. “He fully believes that people are our greatest asset at Eisai and he has enhanced our focus on employee development, specifically in the areas of career management and leadership development. Many have benefited from his expertise and insights.”
About the HBA
The Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA) is a global nonprofit organization serving a community women and men in leading life sciences, biotech, pharmaceutical and supporting companies. The HBA has nearly 120 Corporate Partners and nearly 8,000 members served by more than 20 chapters and affiliates across the U.S. and Europe.