National health insurer Aetna said Thursday it will move its headquarters to New York from Hartford, Conn., in late 2018.
"New York City is a knowledge economy hub, and a driver of the innovations that will play a significant part in our ongoing transformation," Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini said in a statement. "Many of the roles in our new office will be filled by innovators from the area's deep talent pool, which will be an invaluable resource as we consider additional investments in the city going forward."
The move with bring 250 new jobs to New York, where Aetna already has a presence and about 1,500 employees. Aetna employs a total 47,400 people.
Aetna announced in May that it was negotiating with several states to relocate its headquarters from Hartford, where it has been since it was founded in 1853. Bertolini blamed the decision to move on Connecticut's "significant economic challenges." Connecticut faces a worsening budget deficit of $2.3 billion in the next fiscal year and has experienced slow economic growth.
Gov. Dannel Malloy's pleas weren't enough to keep Aetna in the state.
Aetna said the relocation will have "minimal impact" on its employees in Connecticut. It employs about 6,000 people in the state with the majority located in Hartford, a company spokesman said.
The insurer said its future commitment to Connecticut will hinge on the state's fiscal health.
