American Express, a global leader in payments and financial services, has been in business for over 175 years. The organization clocked revenues of $66 billion in 2024, adding over 13 million new cards and continuing high retention.

With a reputation for innovation, the company consistently ranks among the top brands in customer satisfaction and trust. At the core of that trust is data — and how it’s managed, scaled, and secured.

In part 1 of this two-part series with Acceldata CEO Rohit Choudhary, Purvi Shah, SVP and Chief Data Officer at American Express, walked us through how the company is building a future-ready data architecture. From intentional AI readiness to harmonized data services, Shah emphasized why foundational design choices must support global scalability and compliance.

In this second and final segment, Shah speaks about the business and regulatory imperatives shaping Amex’s technology modernization journey, her advice to emerging professionals, and her leadership guidance to peers navigating rapid industry change.

Edited Excerpts

Q: In our last conversation, you spoke about two key priorities — improving data quality to support business objectives and ensuring readiness for regulatory compliance. With the explosion of transactional data, how are you thinking about scaling technology, architecture, people, and processes?

We are always evolving to stay ahead with a modernized toolset. That means leveraging a mix of third-party solutions and proprietary builds. We maintain deep partnerships across the board to adopt vendor products where they make sense, while also developing in-house capabilities when it’s strategically necessary.

This constant “buy versus build” approach helps us meet two goals: delivering exceptional customer experiences and ensuring we meet regulatory obligations globally. In certain regions, compliance includes localization mandates, which means we either partner with local vendors or deploy infrastructure in those specific markets.

Importantly, technology and data are inseparable. Our competitive edge relies on both. So we’ve made continuous modernization a deliberate strategy. About 25% of our overall tech budget is committed to this effort, which allows us to proactively anticipate change and remain agile in how we respond.

It’s also about people. We invest heavily in upskilling our teams, through training, conferences, and learning programs. We want our colleagues to be empowered and effective in leveraging new technologies. And our processes continue to evolve too, particularly as we onboard GenAI use cases. We’re constantly balancing risk and reward in how we execute across the organization.

Q: If you could go back 20 or 25 years to the start of your career, what advice would you give your younger self?

To my younger self and early-career professionals: stay curious. Learning and relearning are essential, especially in an era where the world can change overnight. It’s easy to believe you’ve mastered something but true growth lies in remaining open to new knowledge and perspectives.

Second, see the bigger picture. It’s not just about writing a piece of code — it’s about understanding the value it creates. That mindset is crucial as technologies continue to evolve rapidly.

I recently spoke with someone in education who said students no longer write essays, AI does that. So now we have to rethink how we evaluate knowledge. It’s the same for our workforce. AI can help us work smarter, save time on routine tasks — focus more on value creation. Embracing change is critical.

And finally, don’t lose sight of the problem you’re solving. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of what GenAI can do, but if you forget the customer need you’re addressing, you’ve missed the point entirely.

Q: Any final thoughts or leadership advice for your peers?

Three things. First, invest in your people. You can’t accomplish anything meaningful without the right team. Help them grow their careers.

Second, stay connected to the community. That’s why we’re having this conversation. We’re all solving similar problems, and learning from each other helps us avoid pitfalls and accelerate success.

And third, stay curious. Whether it’s through podcasts, books, or conversations — keep learning. The world is evolving fast. Embrace it with intention.

CDO Magazine appreciates Purvi Shah for sharing her insights with our global community.