‘What Makes a Leader’ With Brett Mooney, President & CEO of Amex Canada – Canadian Business – How to Do Business Better
Nearly ten years after his departure from American Express, Brett Mooney returned to the corporate to imagine the position of president & CEO in January 2023. Beyond his administration of the corporate’s Consumer, Commercial, and Corporate companies, Mooney guides the Canadian govt workforce, oversees Amex’s operations throughout the nation and holds a place on the Board of Directors. “I’ve learnt that every new experience is a form of development,” he says – reflecting on his two-decade-long profession, which incorporates govt roles at Scotiabank and, most not too long ago, TransUnion.
Brett advocates for taking dangers within the title of management growth and the significance of agility and centring ‘care’ in his work philosophy. “I believe we should constantly challenge the status quo and make time for blue sky thinking,” he says. “Many business problems aren’t looking for ‘faster horses’, but transformative models or approaches to deliver new forms of value.”
Joining us as leader-in-residence for November, Brett Mooney sat down with CB to debate the pillars of his success, his aspirational company philosophy and what Canada’s future leaders must learn about reaching their targets.
What have been the driving forces of your profession?
I consider {that a} profession is made from many small moments and seemingly minor selections that translate into ‘chapters’ over time. Early on in my profession, I spotted the significance of defining clear values, and exhibiting up with the appropriate mindset. The mindset I’ve used is known as the ‘ARC’ strategy—agility, threat and care—which I contemplate guiding rules for how you can succeed, search development, and discover fulfilment whatever the group I’m part of.
Take ‘risk’ for instance – True growth occurs simply previous the purpose of your consolation zone, so it’s essential to take dangers and work at a corporation that helps you in taking these dangers. Operating with this mindset could make it difficult, however I additionally consider it’s one of many quickest methods to develop as a frontrunner.
From an agility perspective, I concentrate on ensuring that I adapt rapidly to altering situations and that I pursue a studying agenda. An group that’s too inflexible and overwhelmed by the method is at a aggressive drawback to a corporation which emphasizes studying and failing quick.
For ‘care’, it’s about caring for individuals, caring about discovering the appropriate leaders and in addition being cautious when deciding on the organizations the place you’re employed. I consider the perfect leaders function with humility and care personally about their groups. I additionally consider that the perfect leaders look all the way down to help their groups, extra usually than they appear as much as handle their leaders. Lastly, it’s essential to align your self with organizations which function with values that are congruent to your personal. I’m extremely grateful to be at American Express, the place the corporate and my values are deeply aligned.
It’s been almost ten years since your final position at Amex, how does it really feel to be again?
Incredible. It’s a thrill to be again embedded on this superb tradition made up of so many extremely proficient leaders. Every day, I’m reminded how spectacular our groups are, comprised of area consultants of their respective areas throughout an enormous vary of matters together with product, advertising, fraud, threat, authorized, and plenty of extra. I used to be extremely lucky to “grow up” at Amex, and capable of be taught and develop below the steering of among the greatest leaders within the nation, lots of whom have transitioned to guide core areas of our international business within the US and throughout our worldwide footprint.
How do you keep forward of the curve on the subject of digital commerce and growth?
It all begins with making studying a precedence. It’s unlucky that in some organizations blocking time within the calendar for studying is seen as ‘less productive’ than attending a mission assembly, for instance. I’d argue towards that. Secondly, search individuals and factors of view that broaden your horizons and problem your mind-set. Develop and nurture relationships with subject-matter consultants and subscribe to business publications and newsletters to find out about key developments and rising applied sciences. Many of essentially the most profitable methods of our time are about remixing current merchandise in new methods.
What do you consider makes the Canadian market distinctive?
There are a whole lot of issues that make Canada a novel marketplace for Amex, however range is definitely on the prime of the checklist. Not solely range in its inhabitants but in addition geographically. We’re a multicultural nation with provinces that differ vastly from each other, and this creates distinctive alternatives for manufacturers to attach with individuals in additional significant methods. It requires range of thought inside your business, your workforce, your merchandise, and your advertising supplies – it elements into every little thing we do in Canada.
How do you prioritize fostering a tradition of innovation whereas additionally sustaining the core values which have outlined Amex for many years?
At Amex, we consider that innovation and our core values go hand in hand. Our “Blue Box” values, as we name them, assist us do business in a approach that makes individuals’s lives higher. Embracing range, standing for inclusion and supporting our communities are on the core of those values, and innovation is among the instruments that may assist us allow change for the higher.
As a frontrunner, how do you make sure that your workforce stays motivated and aligned with the corporate’s imaginative and prescient, particularly in instances of uncertainty?
For me, that is about creating readability, speaking, and deepening connections throughout our enterprise. It’s all the time essential to align and mobilize your workforce to the corporate imaginative and prescient and strategic plan, however much more so throughout turbulent intervals. There’s no substitute for a well-laid plan – however as we’ve all discovered during the last 3 years, you could stay agile and versatile to alter. When the pandemic first hit, my full workforce and I held each day requires over 3 months with each colleague on the cellphone – to supply readability, present help and foster deeper connections as we navigated the unprecedented instances collectively.
What are your prime priorities for creating the following era of leaders at Amex, and the way are you nurturing their development?
Nurturing younger expertise and watching them succeed is among the most fulfilling components of my job. At Amex, profession growth is prioritized throughout the board, which implies there’s a robust tradition targeted on fostering the following era of leaders. Providing growth alternatives is a very powerful element of this and isn’t one thing that each business is fast to supply youthful staff. But at Amex, it’s constructed into our tradition and company mannequin.
American Express can be targeted on supporting the holistic wellness of our staff – together with bodily, psychological and monetary wellbeing in order that they will thrive each personally and professionally. This is essential in any respect profession levels, however it’s particularly essential to really feel this help if you find yourself first beginning out. I didn’t have the appropriate steadiness between private {and professional} life early on in my profession, however fortunately I’ve an extremely supportive spouse and household that have been affected person with me, which enabled me to search out the appropriate steadiness through the years.
What’s your recommendation for Canada’s future company leaders?
I’ve 4 core items of recommendation for Canada’s future leaders. First, decide the place your passions and abilities intersect – it’s a surefire solution to excel in any profession and be extremely engaged alongside the way in which. Second, I’d additionally suggest that you just search leaders and experiences, not jobs and ranges. Third, be intentional along with your time – it’s essentially the most valuable asset in life and it’s essential to spend it correctly. Constantly consider your business routines and allocate your time to high-leverage actions – people who ship an outsized impression and provide essentially the most development to you, your colleagues and your group.
Lastly, practice with the perfect. Throughout my profession, I’ve had the possibility to work with individuals from a various set of backgrounds who’ve distinctive factors of view and experience. I make it a purpose to be taught from every of them to develop my information, and mind-set and discover new and higher methods to do issues. I’m lucky to be ‘training’ with Amex once more – it’s an unbelievable group and I’m grateful for the workforce round me that permits me to be taught and develop as a frontrunner every single day.
Canadian Business hosted a digital hearth chat with Brett Mooney to speak about his profession, and to debate how American Express Canada drives innovation and alter with rising applied sciences like AI.
