Alex Taylor is chairman and chief executive officer of Cox Enterprises, a global, privately held company that owns, operates and invests in businesses across a range of industries including automotive, sustainable agriculture, cleantech, public sector software, outdoor recreation, media and broadband. Since taking the helm in 2018, he has guided the company’s continuous evolution while championing a culture that reflects Cox’s longstanding commitment to people and purpose.
Taylor has empowered leaders to strengthen and diversify the business by pursuing new strategic acquisitions. Under his leadership, Cox has invested more than $3 billion in cleantech businesses such as Cox Farms, a controlled environment agriculture business, and Nexus Circular, an advanced recycling company focused on building a circular economy. During his tenure as CEO, Cox has been recognized as one of America’s best employers by Forbes, a best workplace in technology by Fortune, and one of America’s Greenest Companies by Newsweek.
Taylor also serves as the chairman of the board for Charter Communications, an industry leader in mobile and broadband communications services, keeping millions of people connected every day.
The great-grandson of three-term Ohio Governor James M. Cox, who founded the company in 1898, Taylor has held a range of leadership roles since joining Cox in 2000. As chief operating officer of Cox Enterprises, he oversaw its long-term strategic growth and investment plans. Before this, he served as senior vice president of field operations for Cox Communications and executive vice president of Cox Media Group. Taylor began his career as a reporter for the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel in Colorado and is passionate about the free press and First Amendment rights.
Active in organizations that strengthen local communities and protect natural resources, Taylor serves on the Atlanta Committee for Progress, a roundtable of CEOs who work with the mayor on issues that impact the city. He also serves on the boards of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and PATH Foundation, and is a member of the Carter Center Board of Councilors.
Taylor earned his bachelor’s degree in science with a focus on human and organizational development from Vanderbilt University and today lives in Atlanta. An avid outdoorsman and conservationist, he enjoys hiking and camping with his family. He wrote “The Longest Cast: The Fly-Fishing Journey of a Lifetime,” and donated the royalties to organizations that protect fisheries and natural habitats.