Ms. Kotak, a Former Deputy Chief of Staff for Neighborhood Economic Development in Chicago Mayor’s Office, Will Work Closely With Senior Leadership, Focusing Efforts on Driving Effective Business and Workplace Improvements
PEAK6, an investing and technology company, announced today that Aarti Kotak has been named Chief Strategy and Operations Advisor. Ms. Kotak will provide strategic and operational leadership to PEAK6 with an emphasis on supporting the firm’s core business units and driving effective change in the workplace.
Ms. Kotak is an attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in economic development, public policy and public-private finance. Most recently, she served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Neighborhood Economic Development in the Office of Mayor Rahm Emanuel. In this role, she led the mayor’s neighborhood efforts, with a focus on the city’s neighborhoods most in need.
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“PEAK6 is committed to solving today’s biggest problems through investment and forward-thinking technology and strategies,” said Judi Hart, Chief Operating Officer, PEAK6. “Aarti’s deep background in working on hard problems and focusing on real, measurable action will enable us to optimize our approach to transformation across industries and building the world as it ought to be.”
In her new position, Ms. Kotak will report to Ms. Hart and drive alignment with the executive leadership team to achieve key goals, while facilitating project delivery and measuring business impact. During her time in the Chicago mayor’s office, she demonstrated expertise in strategizing and implementing policies and projects, helping to lead the City’s Amazon bid team. She also created the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund and served as its founding director, distributing $50 million in new resources, predominantly to entrepreneurs of color in neighborhoods in need. She also led numerous efforts from idea to execution, including the Whole Foods store in Englewood and the Method factory in Pullman.
Previously, she led the Economic Development Bureau in the City’s planning department. Prior to that, she served as general counsel for the NATO Summit Host Committee, and as an attorney in the Real Estate practice at DLA Piper LLP.
“I am energized by the culture at PEAK6, a company based on the concept of creating, spreading and embracing needed change,” said Ms. Kotak. “I look forward to being a part of our business units’ growth and using my background in getting things done to create real change.”
Ms. Kotak earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her J.D. with distinction from Stanford University School of Law.
