Naji Gehchan: Welcome to SpreadLove in Organizations, the healthcare leadership podcast where we explore leadership with purpose.
Naji Gehchan: Welcome to Spread Love in Organizations, the healthcare leadership podcast where we explore leadership with purpose. I’m Naji, your host, joined today by Lina Polimeni, Chief Marketing Officer, Consumer at Eli Lilly. Lina leads Eli Lilly and Company’s global consumer marketing strategy across its corporate brand and medicine portfolio. Since joining Lilly in 2004, she has held a range of leadership roles across business and marketing, including leading US direct-to-consumer advertising, serving as Cialis regional brand leader for Australia, Canada, and Europe, and launching talks with consumers while leading marketing for diabetes. She has spearheaded transformative initiatives that have reshaped the company’s approach to media, multicultural marketing, sports partnerships, and celebrity engagement. Lina’s campaigns have earned multiple FEA awards and positioned Lilly at the forefront of purpose-driven, emotionally resonant storytelling that builds trust and drives better patient outcomes. An influential voice in marketing, she has been recognized as one of Campaign US Top 50 CMOs, an Ad Age Woman to Watch, and a 2025 Campaign Inspiring Woman honoree. She continues to push boundaries with work that fuses creativity, impact, and purpose. Lina, I’m so, so, so excited to see you again and have you with me today.
Lina Polimeni: Thank you, Naji. It’s very nice to see you and to be on this podcast. I’m very honored to be here.
Naji Gehchan: Well, every leadership story has a deeper why. What’s the story behind yours? How did it bring you to where you are today? I’m eager to learn more about you.
Lina Polimeni: The why for me is always the work. When it comes to leadership, so many influences have brought me to where I am today. But I tend to be driven by a desire to do really good work—whether creative or in healthcare. It’s easy to have that drive when you work in an industry that makes people’s lives better. That creates a natural propeller for me.
Naji Gehchan: Tell me how you ended up in healthcare. Why healthcare, Lilly?
Lina Polimeni: I never really set out to end up in healthcare. I graduated in Italy as a political science major, then moved to Los Angeles and started my MBA. I wanted to go into marketing, especially in music and film. But I quickly realized that industry required connections, which I didn’t have and didn’t want to rely on. I even cold-called an internship at the Motion Picture Association and got it. After my MBA, I knew I wanted marketing with impact. Since I didn’t have connections, I realized I needed to go through sales. I didn’t want to sell products, but pharmaceutical sales felt consultative. I followed a book on how to land a pharma sales job—it took me five months, not three days—but I got two offers, including one from Lilly. I started in sales, kept pushing for marketing, and eventually moved to Indianapolis. And here we are 22 years later.
Naji Gehchan: What do you think leaders still underestimate about healthcare marketing, especially for patients?
Lina Polimeni: The power of a real, honest conversation. We tend to only talk about health when we’re sick. But health should be part of everyday life conversations. The biggest missed opportunity is bringing health—not illness—to the forefront of culture.
Naji Gehchan: How do you know your work truly impacts patients beyond metrics?
Lina Polimeni: First, I feel it. If I don’t feel something, it won’t move society—even if it performs well in metrics. Real impact shows when people talk about it in everyday life. That emotional resonance matters more than data alone.
Naji Gehchan: How do you build a culture where your team feels safe to be bold and creative?
Lina Polimeni: I lead from the front. I create protection for my team. If they bring bold ideas, I take accountability. I put my name behind the work. That gives them confidence. I also believe strong brands come from one clear creative direction—a North Star—where everyone contributes toward it.
Naji Gehchan: What inspires your leadership and creativity?
Lina Polimeni: Inspiration comes from life outside work. I always tell my team: creativity doesn’t happen at work—it comes from what fills your cup outside of it. A great example is Lauryn Hill’s album. It was powerful because it came from lived experience. Without life experiences, creativity becomes shallow.
Naji Gehchan: How do you encourage your team to create that space?
Lina Polimeni: I don’t force it—it would feel like homework. Instead, I create permission and lead by example. When people feel safe, they start exploring passions and bringing new perspectives into their work.
Naji Gehchan: What does impact mean to you today versus earlier in your career?
Lina Polimeni: Today, impact is cultural. Lilly is a company of “before and after” moments—changing how people understand health conditions. For me now, impact means bringing health into everyday conversations and influencing culture, not just marketing products.
Naji Gehchan: What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of leadership?
Lina Polimeni: My dad. He was a commander in the Italian army. He shaped my understanding of leadership—clarity, confidence, and trusting your uniqueness.
Naji Gehchan: And marketing?
Lina Polimeni: Art. It’s a blend of craft, skill, and creativity—like being an artisan.
Naji Gehchan: What about “spread love in organizations”?
Lina Polimeni: It means growing others and facilitating alignment. Leadership isn’t about being the loudest—it’s about diffusing tension and bringing people together to make things happen.
Naji Gehchan: Any final advice for healthcare leaders?
Lina Polimeni: Don’t think of yourself as a healthcare leader. Think of yourself as a leader in health. Your role is to keep health front and center in people’s lives—not just when they lose it.
Naji Gehchan: I love that. Thank you so much, Lina.
Lina Polimeni: Thank you for having me. It was great to see you.
Naji Gehchan: Thanks for listening to the show! For more episodes, make sure to subscribe to Spreadloveio.com or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Let’s inspire change together and make a positive impact in healthcare, one story at a time.
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