American Express welcomes Lisa W. Wardell to its Board of Directors

By Pavithra R

American Express has announced that Lisa W. Wardell, Chairman and CEO of Adtalem Global Education, has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective March 8, 2021. 

Since 2016, Ms Wardell has served as President and CEO of Adtalem, a leading provider of workforce solutions and educational services, and was elected Chairman of the Board in 2019. She has led the acquisition and integration of companies in Adtalem’s financial services vertical, including ACAMS, a membership organization for Anti-Financial Crime professionals globally, as well as the turnaround and sale of Adtalem’s non-core assets. She has also focused the company on enhancing the diverse representation of its senior leadership and Board.

“Lisa has extensive experience leading large-scale business transformations, and successfully executing portfolio repositionings in the financial services sector through strategic partnerships, business development and mergers and acquisitions. She also brings her strong expertise in implementing and advancing diversity at global companies, along with her prior regulatory and investment experience, all of which will be key assets for our Board,” said Stephen J. Squeri, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Express.

Before Adtalem, Ms Wardell was Executive VP and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of The RLJ Companies, where she was responsible for strategic partnerships, business strategy, mergers and acquisitions, operations and finance. Previously she served in various positions, including as a principal at private-equity firm Katalyst Venture Partners, which invested in technology start-ups; was a senior consultant in Accenture’s communications and technology strategic services practice; and served as an attorney in the commercial wireless division of the Federal Communications Commission.

Ms Wardell currently serves on the boards of Lowe’s Companies and THINK450. She is also an Executive Committee member of The Business Council, The Executive Leadership Council, and CEO Action for Diversity and Inclusion.

Ms Wardell holds a bachelor’s degree from Vassar College and a law degree from Stanford University. She received an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.