Ed Gilligan, president of American Express and viewed as a possible successor to Chief Executive Officer Kenneth I Chenault, died on Friday after becoming ill on an overseas flight to New York. He was 55. Gilligan was returning from a business trip to Tokyo on a corporate jet, which made an emergency landing after he was stricken, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and the cause of death is undetermined, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing a personal issue.
"This is deeply painful and unimaginable for all of us who had the fortune to work with Ed, and benefit from his insights and enthusiasm," Chenault said in a letter to the company's employees. "His contributions have left an indelible imprint on almost every area of our business."
Gilligan began working as an intern at the firm 35 years ago and later spent time in London as a group president, according to his LinkedIn profile. He was named vice-chairman in 2007 and president in 2013.
