President, Merchant Services - U.S. Global Merchant and Network Services
American Express
As the President of Merchant Services – U.S. at American Express, Colleen Taylor leads the organization that acquires and manages relationships with the millions of merchants that accept American Express across the U.S. Key accountabilities include fostering merchant satisfaction, negotiating price and managing related risks in the portfolio.
Colleen has gained extensive experience in the banking, merchant and B2B industries over her 30-year career. She is a thinker, leveraging her in-depth knowledge of the payments industry to capitalize on growth opportunities and deliver results. She is also a passionate people leader who believes in empowering and inspiring her teams.
Colleen joined American Express in 2020 from Wells Fargo where she served on the bank’s management committee and was EVP, Merchant Services, providing the strategic direction, financial management, and leadership of Wells Fargo Merchant Services. Prior to this, from 2017 to 2019, Colleen worked at Mastercard as EVP, New Payments with responsibilities for product development and driving growth across North America in key industries such as B2B, Government, and emerging payments. From 2009 to 2017, Colleen held leadership roles at Capital One, including serving as head of Treasury Management, Merchant Services and Enterprise Payments. During her early career, she held various senior-level positions at Wachovia Bank and JPMorgan Chase in product management, operations and strategy and lived as an expatriate in London.
Colleen is a graduate of Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia and received her MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a corporate board director of Lowe’s serving on the Technology, Audit and Sustainability committees. She also represents American Express on two industry boards: the National Retail Federation (NRF) and the Electronic Transaction Association (ETA). Colleen is active in the community, chairing the Samaritan Village Daytop Foundation board, and serving on the boards of Spelman College and GLAAD.
Monday Jan 12
9:15am - 9:45am
Javits North, Level 5, Vusion Theatre
Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co. and NRF’s 2026 Visionary Award recipient, has led one of retail’s most notable reinventions. Guided by a philosophy rooted in listening to the customer, empowering teams, and staying agile in a shifting marketplace, Horowitz has transformed A&F Co. into a modern, relevant business with globally iconic brands, including Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister. Under her leadership, the company has embraced digital innovation, elevated its brand storytelling, and expanded its reach to new generations of customers, leading A&F Co. to 11 consecutive quarters of growth as of August 2025. She has also championed a culture of inclusivity and belonging, positioning A&F Co. as both a financial and cultural success story. In this fireside chat, hear how Horowitz’s leadership approach, grounded in authenticity, accountability and balance, continues to shape retail’s future and inspire leaders across the industry.
