Cash News
Anna Marrs is group president of global commercial services and credit and fraud risk at American Express. She heads a team of 6,500 people and is responsible for the company’s B2B payments, working capital, AP automation and spend management businesses, which serve millions of commercial clients around the world. In sum, this is the company’s second-largest business by revenue and accounts for about 25% of American Express’ total revenue.
Marrs also heads the group that oversees risk management capabilities and strategies, helping to drive company growth by creating anti-fraud algorithms and controls for the firm’s entire portfolio of more than 141 million business and consumer credit cards. Because of that team’s work, American Express has posted the lowest U.S. fraud rates among major card networks over the past 17 years, according to a February 2024 Nilson report.
Marrs’ team is also behind American Express’ credit decisions. The company says its delinquency and write-off rates are among the lowest in the industry.
In 2023, Marrs and her team brought in $14.8 billion, an increase of 9% over 2022. During the same period, U.S. commercial card spending grew 3% and accounted for 35% of the firm’s total billed business.
As befits the group president for global commercial services and credit & fraud risk, Marrs has had an international career. She has held her current role for three years. Prior to that, she spent an additional three years in other jobs at American Express; nearly a decade in McKinsey’s London office; and worked for Standard Charter Bank, where she ran the bank’s business in Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Malaysia from offices in London and Singapore.
Working internationally has been a highlight of her career, Marrs said. “It’s fascinating to get to know the teams in a company that operate in different parts of the world. There’s a strong, cohesive, client-facing culture, but also the ability to adapt to local market nuances.”
It’s not simple to push growth in an organization that’s 170 years old, and Marrs is proud of helping increase the “metabolic rate” at American Express. Since 2021, the company’s revenue is up 50% overall, she said. Card member spending is up 40% and the firm boasts 23 million new cardholders and 30 million new merchants that accept Amex.
Marrs is also proud of how American Express supports small businesses. This fall sees the 15th anniversary of Shop Small, an event the company designed to encourage consumers to patronize small retailers. “We’ve seen small businesses navigate a lot of challenges: supply chain problems, a tight labor market, higher interest rates,” she said. “Amex is navigating that with them.”
Marrs has also helped her team refresh its Business Gold, Delta Sky Miles and Hilton-branded card offerings. They’ve built an online hub where small-business owners can manage working capital, credit and cash flow. “We want to stay relevant and exciting for their customers,” she said.