American Express - Industry Head - Merchant Relationships - Retail & Entertainment Industry

This position is responsible for managing all aspects of American Express- merchant relationships with a portfolio of our key merchants across Retail & Entertainment Industry.

Key elements of the role include driving the business relationship forwards with each merchant and dealing with complex financial, contractual and operational matters. As a result, the incumbent will need to possess excellent relationship management, business acumen and communication skills. In addition, the person must be able identify key customer goals / challenges and be able to understand / translate financial data and other information into strategies that will benefit both the merchant and American Express. The incumbent will develop joint marketing plans and will focus on leveraging our global capabilities, our digital capabilities and closed loop network to drive spend growth and increase share of wallet through a marketing led business plan.

Key Requirements - 

- Enhance premium value delivery to the accounts to minimize MDR erosion and enable - value recapture.

- Leverage Amex global capabilities to stimulate spending, drive increased share of wallet and enable increase in premium DR

- Ensure the full business opportunity of HQ accounts is maximized within India Business

- Monitoring changes in the market associated to the industry of the accounts and alliances.

- Together with your leader renegotiate commercial agreements, ensuring that they are signed in line with all American Express policies and business goals.

- Deepen existing commercial relationships and develop day to day level and senior level contacts at accounts.

- Drive new business initiatives that will grow our share of spend and increase the value delivered by American Express.

- Develop and implement targeted marketing campaigns that will both deliver additional Card member benefits and drive spend with accounts.

- Work closely with accounts and the American Express back office teams to ensure that all technical and financial issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

- Sell in products and process enhancements that will drive operational efficiency and make American Express the preferred payment method.

- Drive and sell in Fee Based Revenue opportunities.

- Work closely with all American Express business units, supporting existing initiatives and identifying / driving new Blue Box business opportunities.

Required Qualifications - 

- 10 + years of experience with knowledge of Retail Industry and changes taking place

- Excellent relationship management skills and a strong track record in managing complex portfolios.

- Sales experience and a creative mindset to identify innovative solutions.

- Result oriented, good communication and presentations skills.

- Desire to ensure that customer's needs are clearly understood and appropriate solutions are developed and implemented in a timely manner.

- Solid analytical and strategic thinking abilities together with experience of using complex data analysis.

- MBA is a must