John Kovac named SVP Brand, Marketing and Creative

Cox Enterprises has appointed John Kovac as Senior Vice President, Brand, Marketing and Creative, effective today. In this newly created role, Kovac will build centers of excellence focused on employment brand, recruitment marketing, creative design, video and live event production. His team will also provide marketing strategy and support services to strengthen the connective thread across Cox’s business divisions, products and brands—including new investments in cleantech and esports—to drive awareness, favorability and employment consideration. 

Prior to this role, Kovac served as Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Cox Automotive, leading a global automotive services and software business encompassing 25 brands including Autotrader, Kelley Blue Book and Manheim. Kovac’s 20-year career with Cox began at Autotrader, which he joined in its startup days as one of its first employees, eventually building the digital classifieds pioneer into a household name. Kovac has since helped establish Cox Automotive as a transformational force for automotive retail.

“For more than 120 years, Cox has cultivated a truly unique culture that empowers employees, invests deeply in communities and breaks new ground in cutting-edge industries,” said Jill Campbell, Executive Vice President and Chief People and Operations Officers, Cox Enterprises.  “John’s entrepreneurial spirit and innovative approach to marketing will help us spotlight Cox as a leading employer, so we can continue to engage the talent we need to build a better future.” 

This leadership position is Kovac’s first within the parent company, Cox Enterprises, a privately-held, family-owned corporation with a $21 billion portfolio of high-tech brands and cutting-edge investments. Recognized nationally among the top places to work, Cox offers employees best-in-class health, wellness and financial benefits, in addition to modern perks like unlimited personal time off, flexible work arrangements, paid volunteer time, and options for pet insurance and identity protection.

In 2018, Cox launched a multiyear effort to reimagine its employee experience, ensuring it remains best-in-class for today’s rapidly evolving workforce. Through a series of special projects known as the Cox EXLab—EX being shorthand for “employee experience”—real Cox employees are redesigning every major touchpoint across the employee journey. This initiative ranks among top priorities at Cox, aiming to create an empowered career path of learning, impact and personal growth for every employee across the company’s diverse businesses.

Leading up to his new appointment, Kovac led an EXLab project team that conceived a brand identity to capture the unique essence of Cox as a human powered, innovation obsessed company. As Cox continues to create new products and invest in futuristic industries—like pioneering clean technologies to build a sustainable planet and fight climate change—its talented employees are poised to solve the most pressing problems of the time.