Ken Chenault
Ken Chenault is the chairman and a managing director of the venture capital firm General Catalyst. From 2001 to 2018, Ken was chairman and CEO of American Express. Upon his 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.”
He is recognized as one of the business world’s experts on brands and brand management, and has been honored by multiple publications, including the TIME100 Most Influential People list in 2021, and Fortune Magazine’s World’s 50 Greatest Leaders in 2014 and 2021. Ken serves on the boards of Airbnb, Berkshire Hathaway, Bilt Rewards, Campus, Chief, and Guild Education. He also serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Eqaul to the task
By Ken Chenault
Releasing November 3, 2026
For the first time ever, one of the world’s most iconic business leaders shares the story of his remarkable life and career.
Ken Chenault has lived his life at the confluence of the historical forces that have shaped modern America, keenly aware of both the burdens of its past and the dynamic potential of its future. Born in 1951, when segregation was still inscribed in the laws of the land, he ascended to the peak of corporate America over the course of the next fifty years. In his thoughtful and wide-ranging memoir, Chenault reflects on his personal journey, the mentors who shaped him, and his lifelong quest to realize his own potential and make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. Equal to the Task is a classic American story for our times.
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