One of the top executives at Brightpoint Inc. is leaving the Indianapolis-based cell phone distributor to take a similar position at Simon Property Group.

Steven Fivel, Brightpoint’s executive vice president, general counsel and secretary, has been at the company for more than 14 years. Fivel returns to Simon, where he worked from 1998 to 1997, as assistant general counsel and assistant secretary.

Fivel was paid $848,836 in 2009, according to the proxy statement Brightpoint filed last year. His resignation is effective March 1, the company said late Tuesday.

He will be succeeded by colleague Craig M. Carpenter, an attorney in Brightpoint’s legal since 2000.  Before joining the company, Carpenter worked at local software maker ProValent Inc. and practiced law at two local firms.