Former Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson has been hired by Eli Lilly and Co. as senior vice president of corporate affairs and communications, the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant announced this morning.
Peterson will report directly to Lilly CEO John C. Lechleiter, the company said in a press release.
Lilly said Peterson’s top task will be “leading the company’s interactions with the public health sector and other payers worldwide. This includes leading Lilly’s effort to support reform of the U.S. health care system.”
“Bart is a proven leader with a strong list of achievements,” Lechleiter said in a prepared statement. “His strategic approach, intellect, and political acumen will make him a valuable addition to Lilly’s leadership team…. He joins Lilly’s top leadership at an important moment in time when Lilly and the pharmaceutical industry face significant challenges both in the U.S. and abroad.”
Peterson, a Democrat, served two terms as Indianapolis mayor, from 1999 to 2007, before losing to Mayor Greg Ballard in the last election. His previous political experience included serving as chief of staff for former Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh.
Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels a Republican, held a similar position, among others, during his stint as an executive at Lilly in the 1990s, Lilly spokesman Ed Sagebiel told the Associated Press.
Peterson replaces Alex Azar, who moved to Lilly’s “business-to-business group” and serves as general manager for Puerto Rico business, Sagebiel said.
Prior to his stint as mayor, Peterson was president of The Precedent Cos., an Indianapolis-based commercial real estate company founded by his father.
His recent work includes a semester as resident fellow in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and teaching graduate classes on city government and community planning at Ball State University.
