Steve Squeri

Steve Squeri has served as Chairman and CEO of American Express since 2018, leading one of the most iconic brands in financial services through a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Amex is the world's largest payments network by average transaction size and card spending per member, operating a unique closed-loop network that combines card issuing, merchant acquiring, and payment processing — a vertically integrated model that provides rich data and pricing power. Squeri's most significant achievement has been attracting younger consumers (Millennials and Gen Z) to Amex's premium card products without diluting the brand's aspirational positioning. Through enhanced dining, entertainment, and travel benefits, strategic partnerships (including those with airlines, hotels, and experiences platforms), and savvy social media marketing, Amex acquired record numbers of new cardmembers, with the majority being under 35. Revenue grew from $36 billion in 2018 to over $65 billion by 2024. His key decisions involve premium card product innovation and fee pricing, marketing spend levels (Amex spends heavily on cardmember acquisition and engagement), credit risk management as the portfolio skews younger, merchant network expansion, and competitive positioning against Visa/Mastercard in the premium segment and against fintechs in digital payments. Amex's stock trades at a premium P/E reflecting its brand strength and growth profile.