Doug Petkus is senior vice president in the corporate practice with broad experience in issues management, litigation communications, healthcare and consumer products communications, global corporate public relations and investor relations.  His 20+ years’ experience as a senior healthcare communicator makes him particularly suited to counsel clients in this business sector.

Doug brings to Ketchum an expertise in providing executive strategic counsel and developing effective, comprehensive integrated marketing communications/product publicity programs. He has demonstrated an ability to manage communications support efforts on a 24/7 global basis for complex issues with a career emphasis in healthcare (Rx and OTC), food and beverage products, special events (sports & entertainment), and product liability litigation.

Immediately before joining Ketchum, Doug operated an independent PR consultancy specializing in senior-level strategic communications counsel in several areas, including healthcare, consumer products and product liability litigation.  Prior to that, he had a 15 year career at Wyeth, prior to its acquisition by Pfizer in 2009.  In the initial phase of his tenure at Wyeth, Doug had primary responsibility for development and implementation of all communications programs supporting Rx commercial and pipeline products within the Company’s pharmaceutical division including media relations, issues management and internal communications.  Products supported include pharmaceuticals, biotech drugs and vaccines.  He acted as primary division media spokesperson and led teams handling major issues such as diet drug litigation and negative clinical studies, product recalls/withdrawals, regulatory milestones and government meetings.  In the latter stage of his Wyeth career, Doug moved to corporate headquarters where he was responsible for the financial/business communications function, focusing on development of the company’s global communications strategy to reach top tier business media.  He led development of communications materials pertaining to all required financial disclosures including quarterly earnings announcements, coordination of executive communications and issues management.  He also acted as primary company spokesperson and coordinated all aspects of corporate media relations, issues management, and litigation communications.  His responsibilities spanned all Wyeth divisions – pharmaceuticals, consumer healthcare and animal health, including R&D for each division.

Before joining Wyeth, Doug spent several years as a communications executive at Schering-Plough and Abbott Laboratories.  He also had an extensive career at Hill and Knowlton’s New York office serving as a business practice leader specializing in healthcare and well-known consumer brands such as Wendy’s, Procter & Gamble’s Sure antiperspirant and Coast soap, and the National Hockey League.  He started his professional career as a television news reporter at ABC affiliates in Wisconsin.  He is a graduate of Marquette University with a B.A. in journalism and earned a law degree at the Seton Hall School of Law in New Jersey.