Cox Automotive Adds Renato Razon to People Strategies Leadership Team

Renato Razon is joining the People Strategies leadership team at Cox Automotive as senior vice president, human resource business partners and employment practices, effective April 2. Razon will lead people strategy and execution for Cox Automotive, reporting to Chief People Officer Janet Barnard.

In his new role, Razon will lead a broad team of corporate, field and business-based HR business partners. He will also serve as a business liaison for People Strategies, actively collaborating with the executive team and other key business leaders to define and execute domestic people strategies.

“People are the real power of Cox Automotive – and together – with the passion we share for transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars – we’re leading the industry into a new frontier,” said Barnard. “I am excited to have Renato fill this critical leadership role as we create leading-edge team member experiences in a living, breathing, evolving culture and attract team members empowered to build a better future for the next generation of the automotive industry, enabling us to innovate in ways other companies only dream of.”

With more than 34,000 team members in 100-plus countries, Cox Automotive is a family of brands, each bringing unique history, experience, expertise, and more importantly – people.

“I am looking forward to joining Cox Automotive with its dynamic family of brands focused on people and business innovation,” said Razon. “Positively impacting People Strategies by leveraging my 20 years of OEM HR experience excites me for this journey ahead.”

Most recently, Razon was chief human resources officer at Mercedes-Benz USA. Since 2012, he led all HR functions including HR operations, talent acquisition, organizational effectiveness and development, employee engagement, compensation, benefits, pension and retiree programs, diversity and inclusion and corporate training.

Razon launched his career with the Daimler AG family in 1998, working in multiple HR management and subject matter expert roles within compensation, recruiting and HR operations for DaimlerChrysler. In 2007 he was promoted to manufacturing HR manager and then promoted to director of labor relations and HR operations for Daimler Trucks North America in Fort Mill, South Carolina, planning, directing and managing all labor relations across the enterprise.

Razon received a bachelor of science degree in human resources development from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

After his recent move to Atlanta, Razon immersed himself in the business community by sharing lessons learned from the Mercedes-Benz headquarters relocation with both the HR community and metro Atlanta business leaders. Additionally, as a member of the corporate board of directors at Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta (BGCMA), Razon plays a key role in providing strategic direction to BGCMA and supporting its mission to help at-risk kids reach their full potential. He has also spent time volunteering with Hands on Atlanta, Atlanta Trees, Camp Southern Ground and Hollis Innovation Academy, a PK-8 EL Education expeditionary science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) school.