Peabody Energy Announces New Appointments in Investor Relations, Planning

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Peabody Energy announced today it has named Allen T. Capdeboscq as Vice President of Financial and Capital Planning and Amy B. Schwetz as Vice President of Investor Relations.

Schwetz will lead communication of Peabody's activities with the investment community, including financial communications, messaging, shareholder analysis and targeting, and investor and sell-side analyst outreach. She will report to Senior Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications Vic Svec. Reporting to Schwetz is Katie D. Cason, who has been promoted to Director of Investor Relations.

Schwetz joined the company in 2005 as Director of Compliance and Accounting Policies, and most recently was Vice President of Financial and Capital Planning. She also served as a Senior Audit Manager with Ernst & Young before joining Peabody. Schwetz holds a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Indiana University.

Allen T. Capdeboscq will replace Schwetz as Vice President of Financial and Capital Planning and will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Mike Crews. Capdeboscq will provide leadership in planning, forecasting and capital management. He previously served as Vice President of Business Development and had a significant lead role in Peabody's recent acquisition of Macarthur Coal. Reporting to Capdeboscq are Director of Financial Planning Eric Baltz and Director of Capital Planning Jeff Timmermann.

Prior to Peabody, Capdeboscq was an Assistant Vice President with A.G. Edwards Investment Banking Energy Group. He also has project engineering experience with Shell Exploration and Production Company. Capdeboscq holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Louisiana State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Peabody Energy is the world's largest private-sector coal company and a global leader in clean coal solutions. With 2010 sales of 246 million tons and nearly $7 billion in revenues, Peabody fuels 10 percent of U.S. power and 2 percent of worldwide electricity.

CONTACT:

Meg Gallagher

(314) 342-7963

Peabody Energy

Web site: http://www.peabodyenergy.com/