Stephen Squeri is the CEO of American Express Company. Those are the people that send out luxury Gold and Platinum cards with excellent rewards structures and low interest rates — at least to people with the credit chops to qualify. But what kind of salary does the CEO of a major financial institution such as AMEX pull?

As of reports from 2019, Squeri was drawing a total annual compensation package worth more than $23 million. His yearly salary, however, was only $1.5 million. The rest of his rewards divvied up into an $8.87 million bonus and stock options, awarded stocks, and other compensation perks — all worth millions.

Educated estimates for Squeri's network put it around $218 million, and he owns more than 70,000 shares of AMEX stock. In 2015, he purchased or was awarded 465,000 shares in one transaction, and he once sold more than 260,000 shares in a single transaction, making Squeri a definite mover and shaker for AMEX stock values. Squeri, who often makes trades in January, has sold a total of around $244 million in AMEX stock over the years.

Squeri has been the Chairman and CEO of AMEX since 2018. Prior to that, he was Vice Chairman, and he has had a lengthy career at American Express Company. He joined the organization in 1985, taking a role as a manager in the Travellers Cheque Group. Other critical roles he has held with the company include Chief Information Officer and Group President of the Global Services Group.