Eva Reda, the president of consumer banking at American Express, is renowned for her extraordinary 30-year career, which has been characterized by a relentless pursuit of anticipating and meeting the changing needs of American Express members. In 2021, as she turned 50, Reda embraced a pivotal role, leading American Express' foray into digital banking and consumer financial services.
Tasked with creating a startup within the established American Express framework, Reda spearheaded the development of new digital banking services aimed at empowering customers to buy homes, invest for the future, and manage their daily finances. Despite American Express being primarily associated with credit cards, Reda successfully built the necessary digital infrastructure for these pioneering programs.
Among her notable achievements is the launch of Amex Rewards Checking, which offers consumers a dedicated financial services platform outside the traditional credit card domain. Following this, a strategic alliance with Vanguard gave Amex cardholders access to rewards-integrated investment advice.
Describing the endeavor as "building a startup within Amex," Reda leveraged her adept people skills and emotional intelligence to form a dynamic team swiftly. Her approach emphasizes being human, kind, and genuinely caring, creating an environment conducive to understanding and working effectively with others.
Reda's illustrious career at American Express showcases her versatility, having navigated 16 roles within the company. Recognized for her analytical and strategic acumen, she has successfully managed key businesses, negotiated industry-leading partnerships, and implemented innovative consumer products and services.
Her journey at American Express began in 1992 as a strategic planning analyst, and over the years, she has taken on diverse challenges, ensuring a continuous learning and growth trajectory. Noteworthy roles include overseeing a $1 billion consumer marketing budget for customer acquisition, managing global co-branded card partnerships, and steering operations for over 30 different Amex card portfolios.
Reda's international stint as director of global pricing in London two decades ago stands out as a significant leap forward. This experience not only enriched her professional acumen but also taught her resilience and the ability to manage immense change.
As a leader, Reda emphasizes the importance of success at home for success at work. She acknowledges her family's support throughout her career, highlighting the need for work-life balance. Active involvement with Families at Amex, a colleague-based networking group supporting parents and caregivers, reflects her commitment to advancing equity for women in the workplace.
With 4 in 10 of Amex's senior executives being women and over half of the global workforce comprising women, Reda recognizes progress but emphasizes the journey is far from over. Her advice to aspiring professionals is to focus on customers' problems and let that guide career decisions, always staying on the front foot.
Reda's leadership and innovative contributions continue to shape the future of American Express, defining what membership means for customers in an ever-evolving financial landscape.