Peabody Energy Names Michael J. Flannigan as Vice President of International Government Relations

ST. LOUIS, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Peabody Energy today named veteran mining executive Michael J. Flannigan to advance international regulatory and public policy efforts as Vice President of International Government Relations. Flannigan will be responsible for strengthening Peabody's relationships with key international policymakers and stakeholders, influencing global policy issues affecting Peabody and supporting the company's strategic interests on the global stage. He will report to Fredrick D. Palmer, Senior Vice President of Government Relations, and will be based at Peabody's world headquarters in St. Louis.

"Michael brings with him two decades of extensive experience across international mining, corporate and government relations," said Palmer. "We look forward to his support of Peabody's efforts working alongside foreign governments as we build our global mining platform, particularly in Asia."

L. Cartan Sumner has been named Vice President of Asian Government Relations, reporting to Flannigan. Sumner will be responsible for advancing Peabody's governmental outreach in the fast-growth economies of Asia and will seek to create a policy-friendly framework for the greater use of coal throughout the continent.

Flannigan has 20 years of experience in global government and corporate relations. Most recently, he served as Global Practice Leader of Government and Corporate Relations at Rio Tinto, where he led government relations initiatives in South Africa, the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. Flannigan has significant experience in Australia, Mongolia and Asia. Prior to that, he was based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and served as Vice President of Communications and External Relations, managing Rio Tinto's communications, media, government affairs, community relations and sustainable development efforts in the United States and South America. Flannigan earlier developed and strengthened relationships with policymakers, non-governmental organizations and regulators as head of Rio Tinto's Washington, D.C., office and Vice President of Federal Government Affairs.

Prior to Rio Tinto, Flannigan served as Senior Policy Advisor for the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Legislative Assistant to U.S. Sen. Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Special Assistant to U.S. Sen. J. Bennett Johnston (D-La.). Flannigan holds a Master of Policy Management degree from Georgetown University and earned a Bachelor of Science in Political Science at the University of Oregon.

With nine years experience with Peabody Energy, Sumner previously served as Peabody's Vice President of International Government Relations and was based in St. Louis. Sumner has also held a series of increasingly responsible corporate development positions and participated in multiple domestic and international transactions as a member of the company's mergers and acquisitions team.

Prior to joining Peabody, Sumner was Director of Corporate Development with RPM Inc., a specialty chemicals holding company based near Cleveland, Ohio, where he managed acquisitions, divestitures and new market development assignments in the United States, Europe and Latin America. Sumner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University and Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Washington University in St. Louis.

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions. With 2009 sales of 244 million tons and $6 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

SOURCE Peabody Energy

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