Stephen J. Squeri has been leading American Express as CEO since 2018, having started with the company back in 1985. His journey is quite fascinating—he's climbed through various roles, from managing the Travelers Cheque Group to becoming Vice Chairman, before...

Stephen J. Squeri has been leading American Express as CEO since 2018, having started with the company back in 1985. His journey is quite fascinating—he's climbed through various roles, from managing the Travelers Cheque Group to becoming Vice Chairman, before taking the big chair. Under his leadership, American Express has focused on expanding its global presence and enhancing digital payment systems, tackling challenges like customer satisfaction and earnings growth head-on. His compensation has seen quite a rollercoaster, jumping from about $2.5 million in 2021 to around $35.8 million in 2023, which is mainly tied to performance bonuses based on the company’s success. Squeri is also passionate about environmental and social governance, emphasizing diversity and sustainable practices at American Express. An interesting tidbit: he received a special award in 2019 that significantly boosted his compensation potential, all designed to align his incentives with the future success of the company.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other American Express CEOs

A

Stephen J. Squeri

CEO of American Express

Education

Bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts.

Field of Expertise

Finance & Banking - Finance

Sector of Economy

Financial Services

Born

October 1, 1965 - 59 years ago

CEO of American Express for

7 years 2 months (Feb 2018 - Present)

Previous Experience

Joined American Express in 1985, served as Group President of Global Corporate Services and Vice Chairman.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Stephen J. Squeri

C

James Quincey

CEO of Coca-Cola

2023 Compensation

Stock

$43.34M

Salary

$1.60M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$625.06K

Total Holdings

$90.50M

S

Brian Doubles

CEO of Synchrony Financial

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.15M

Bonus

$3.87M

Other

$613.41K

Total Holdings

$35.06M

O

Vicki Hollub

CEO of Occidental Petroleum

2022 Compensation

Stock

$16.71M

Salary

$1.26M

Bonus

$312.00K

Other

$549.51K

Total Holdings

$40.49M

V

Ryan McInerney

CEO of Visa

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.40M

Bonus

$5.25M

Other

$269.94K

Total Holdings

$94.52M

B

Brian T. Moynihan

CEO of Bank of America

2023 Compensation

Stock

$22.05M

Salary

$1.50M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$387.39K

Total Holdings

$116.40M

P

Alex Chriss

CEO of PayPal Holdings, Inc.

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$302.89K

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$311.84K

Total Holdings

$11.94M

Holdings

See how much did Stephen J. Squeri make over time.

Stephen J. Squeri’s holdings in American Express are quite significant. His wealth peaked when he had substantial performance stock units and stock options tied to company success. In 2023, he held over 102,000 restricted stock units valued at around $17.6...

Stephen J. Squeri’s holdings in American Express are quite significant. His wealth peaked when he had substantial performance stock units and stock options tied to company success. In 2023, he held over 102,000 restricted stock units valued at around $17.6 million, marking a major part of his compensation. The notable rise in value reflects American Express's consistent performance. However, there’s a catch—most of these options only vest if the company hits certain performance targets, so his fortune is linked closely to how well the company does. Compared to earlier years, where he had less than $5 million in holdings, Squeri's now a substantial player in the company, firmly tying his success to that of American Express itself. His holdings have fluctuated over the years, a shift in response to the company's overall market performance and strategies.

Mar 18, 2025

A

shares

AXP @ $262.72

Total Stock Sold

$355.97M

AXP

$355.97M

2,750,028 AXP shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Stephen J. Squeri didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra AXP2,750,028 shares worth $253.22M.
This is -28.86% and $102.75M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Charitable Transactions

AXP

63,477 shares

AXP

Recent Charitable Transactions

AXP

6,975 shares

AXP

Mar 8, 2024

Charity

AXP

9,092 shares

AXP

Jan 29, 2022

Charity

AXP

30,000 shares

AXP

Feb 26, 2021

Charity

AXP

5,000 shares

AXP

Nov 30, 2018

Charity

AXP

5,000 shares

AXP

Jan 26, 2018

Charity

AXP

4,000 shares

AXP

Jan 26, 2015

Charity

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Stephen J. Squeri.

AXP

$32.47M

AXP at $319.37/share

Feb 6, 2025

Sale

AXP

$32.60M

AXP at $316.42/share

Jan 28, 2025

Received

AXP

$48.92M

AXP at $286.71/share

Nov 7, 2024

Sale

AXP

$9.29M

AXP at $238.86/share

Apr 23, 2024

Sale

AXP

6,975 shares

AXP

Mar 8, 2024

Charity

AXP

$14.78M

AXP at $213.11/share

Feb 12, 2024

Sale

AXP

$23.31M

AXP at $201.43/share

Jan 29, 2024

Received

AXP

$17.61M

AXP at $172.31/share

Jan 29, 2023

Received

AXP

$8.59M

AXP at $178.38/share

Apr 28, 2022

Sale

AXP

$48.15M

AXP at $179.89/share

Jan 31, 2022

Sale

Compensation History

See how much did Stephen J. Squeri make over time.

In 2023, Stephen J. Squeri's total compensation was about $35.8 million. His pay structure includes a base salary of $1.5 million and a nice bonus of around $9.75 million, along with vested stocks worth around $17.6 million. This is a significant jump from 2022, when he earned $11.8 million, primarily due to performance incentives that align with shareholder interests. His compensation is heavily performance-based, meaning he gets rewarded more for hitting tough targets on earnings per share and customer satisfaction. Squeri's compensation plan also includes stock options, creating a direct link between his wealth and the company's success. The structure aims to ensure that when American Express does well, he does too, promoting a shared interest in the company's growth and stability.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$29.48M

Salary

$1.50M

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to align executive pay with performance, emphasizing variable and at-risk compensation linked to Company performance and shareholder value.

Bonus

$9.75M

Board Justification

The Annual Incentive Award (AIA) is based on performance metrics across Shareholder, Customer, Colleague, and Strategic categories, with a Company Performance Multiplier of 130% and an Individual Performance Multiplier of 125%.

Other

$625.13K

Board Justification

Includes perquisites and other personal benefits, contributions to defined contribution plans, and executive life insurance.

Restricted Stock

$17.61M(102.19K PRSUs)

Board Justification

Performance Restricted Stock Units (PRSUs) vested based on performance metrics achieved during the year.

Performance Metrics

Key performance metrics include revenue growth, earnings per share, return on equity, customer satisfaction, and employee engagement.

Other American Express CEOs

Here are other CEOs of American Express

Kenneth I. Chenault

Ex-CEO of American Express

January 2001 - February 2018