Randall L. Tobias (born March 20, 1942) is an American governmental figure and former chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company. A Republican, he was appointed the first United States Director of Foreign Assistance, and served concurrently as the administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the rank of ambassador. Tobias resigned on April 27, 2007, after being linked to the D.C. Madam scandal of Deborah Jeane Palfrey.
President George W. Bush nominated Tobias to be the first United States Global AIDS Coordinator on July 2, 2003. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 3, 2003, and sworn in on October 6, 2003.
As AIDS Coordinator, Tobias was charged with distributing the $15 billion allocated to the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). In 2006, he became the first United States Director of Foreign Assistance, and served concurrently as the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Tobias was confirmed to the position as Administrator of USAID by the U.S. Senate on March 29, 2006, and was sworn in on March 31, 2006.
In these positions, Tobias was responsible for overseeing all foreign assistance activities of the U.S. Government. In addition to his direct responsibilities for USAID, Tobias was charged with directing the transformation of the U.S. government's approach to foreign assistance. As Director of Foreign Assistance, Tobias was responsible for providing strategic direction and guidance to all other foreign assistance programs delivered through the various agencies and entities of the U.S. Government, including the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. He reported directly to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and held the rank of Deputy Secretary of State.