NEW YORK - American Express Co.’s president, Alfred F. Kelly Jr., is resigning to seek a top job at another company because chief executive Kenneth Chenault intends to remain for the foreseeable future.
“In the context of discussions we have had about longer-term plans for the organization, Al made clear that he wanted the opportunity to run a company as chief executive,’’ Chenault, 58, said yesterday in a prepared statement. “Given my own plans for the coming years, we both agreed that was not likely to happen at American Express in the short term.’’
Kelly, 51, who served as president of the consumer business and intends to leave in early 2010, worked for 22 years at American Express, the biggest US credit-card issuer by purchases.
The lender also said vice chairman Edward P. Gilligan, 50, who led the global business-to-business group, will oversee consumer, small-business, and network operations.
Chenault, chairman and CEO since 2001, said he is “very sorry’’ Kelly is leaving. “Al has been an exceptional colleague and friend for many years, and I will miss his day-to-day counsel and insights,’’ Chenault said in a memo.
Kelly was not immediately available for comment.
