American Express has appointed Chris Gifford as its new Chief Data Officer. Gifford announced the appointment in a recent LinkedIn post. 

“As CDO, I’ll have the opportunity to continue the incredible work that’s been set in motion within the American Express Data Management and Products teams and will build on the significant progress achieved so far. There’s so much momentum, talent, and purpose here — and I’m committed to helping drive that forward with intention, clarity, and collaboration,” Gifford wrote.

Prior to stepping into this role, Gifford served as Deputy Chief Data Officer at American Express. Before joining the company, he spent a decade at USAA Bank, where he held the role of Chief Data and Analytics Officer. There, he led the bank’s efforts to foster a data-driven culture, with a focus on building compliant, insight-ready data infrastructure and leveraging emerging AI/ML and Big Data-Cloud technologies.

Gifford’s extensive background in financial services also includes an 18-year tenure at JPMorgan Chase, where he held several senior leadership positions, including SVP, Head of Customer Data and Analytics, and SVP, General Manager – Customer Insights and Analytics.