Full Name
Ken Chenault
Job Title
Chairman and Managing Director
Company
General Catalyst
Bio
Ken Chenault is the Chairman and a Managing Director of the venture capital firm, General Catalyst. Prior to joining General Catalyst, Ken was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express, a position he held from 2001 - 2018. Ken is recognized as one of the business world’s experts on brands and brand management. Upon Ken’s retirement from American Express, Warren Buffett, the company’s largest shareholder stated, “Ken's been the gold standard for corporate leadership and the benchmark that I measure others against.”

At General Catalyst, Ken focuses on investing in fast-growing companies that have the potential to become large, fundamental institutions. He also provides invaluable guidance to portfolio companies, particularly to those with an eye towards global markets and responsible innovation, as they scale their teams and products.

Ken serves on the boards of Airbnb, Berkshire Hathaway, Chief, Guild Education, and the Harvard Corporation. He is a co-founder of OneTen, a coalition of leading executives coming together to upskill, hire and advance one million Black Americans over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement.

He also serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Smithsonian
Ken Chenault