Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that she has appointed Richard Cox as Chief Operating Officer of the City of Atlanta, a position that encompasses oversight and executive management for the city’s operating departments including Aviation, Fire, Police, Corrections, Parks and Recreation, Planning, Public Works, and Watershed Management.  

Cox is a loaned executive from Cox Automotive and will serve the City for one year before he returns to his company. He brings more than 15 years of management experience to the position and currently serves as Vice President of Client Advising and Performance for Dealer.com, a Cox Automotive brand.
“I am pleased to have Richard Cox join the Administration as Chief Operating Officer,” said Mayor Bottoms. “He brings to us a wealth of senior leadership and operating experience, and I am confident he will enhance our Administration’s focus on strengthening public safety, operational efficiency, and improving customer service.”

“I’m excited to serve the City of Atlanta and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms,” said Cox. “It’s an honor to work for the betterment of my hometown that I love. I’m grateful to Cox Enterprises for allowing me to realize this opportunity, and I’m proud of my company’s commitment to the community.”

Cox currently leads a team at Dealer.com that’s focused on evolving the client experience. Previously, Cox was responsible for business, customer and consumer operations; analytics; and overall customer experience for Autotrader, Dealer.com and Kelley Blue Book. All three brands are part of Cox Automotive, a company that’s working to transform the way the world buys, sells and owns cars. Cox Automotive is a division of Cox Enterprises, Inc.  

Prior to joining Cox Automotive, Cox held operational leadership positions with several organizations including Worldspan, Jones International University and Orbitz.  He began his career at Worldspan, an Atlanta-based travel technology and content provider, where he held several positions during his 11-year tenure including Director of Worldwide Operations.  He also served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Jones International University (JIU), a Denver online-based university. Prior to joining JIU, Cox served as Vice President of Customer Experience at Orbitz Worldwide, a leading online travel company, where he provided organizational strategy and was responsible for customer care, quality assurance, vendor and workforce management.  

Cox also served on the Atlanta Board of Directors for Year Up and serves on the Cox Automotive Diversity Council.

Cox holds a M.B.A. in Management Information Systems from Kennesaw State University.

The Atlanta City Council must confirm Cox before his appointment is final.