Pros
Top reasons to work at American Express is to get training in Direct Marketing, work with nice people and work in an overall decent environment. Also, it's nice to be at a company that puts their Cardmembers first and is committed to doing right for them. Overall, it's an ok place for women to work - the maternity benefits are fine, the work-life balance depends on the group. However considering how many women work at the company, there is only 1 woman (Louise Parent) who is on the leadership team.
Kontras
As much as the company wants to instill a "will to win" and "innovation" among employees - the culture just doesn't have it. There is an overall arrogance at the company. The culture breeds "We're the best because we are Amex" which really holds the company back when it comes to innovation and trying new things. Ultimately - this could really be what takes American Express down at a time when the future of financial services is uncertain. The company is also very political - a lot of "roadshows" and networking is required if you want to get promoted. It's not enough if you are smart, go a good job and are nice to people, you really need to network too.