By Josh Beckerman
American Express Co. said President Edward Gilligan died after
becoming seriously ill on a flight home to New York on Friday
morning.
Mr. Gilligan, who was 55 years old, was widely considered the
heir apparent to Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault.
Mr. Gilligan was named the company's president two years ago and
had joined American Express in 1980. He had served as vice chairman
beginning in 2007.
"His contributions have left an indelible imprint on practically
every area of our business, from commercial card and travel to
international, consumer, small business, merchant services, network
services and, most recently, the group forging our digital
partnerships and driving payment innovations," Mr. Chenault said in
a letter to the staff.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and children Katie, Meaghan,
Kevin and Shane.
Write to Josh Beckerman at josh.beckerman@wsj.com
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