Walter Frye is the Vice President of Global Brand Engagement at American Express. In this role, he oversees the brand’s long-running Small Business Saturday and Shop Small programs, celebrity talent partnerships, the design of our cards and lounges, and a newly formed multicultural marketing team.

In the last year, Frye helped American Express achieve its most successful Small Business Saturday on record, driving almost $20B in spend on the day in celebration of its tenth anniversary. He also forged new brand partnerships with Lizzo, Issa Rae, and Lupita Nyong’o, and celebrated the opening of The Centurion Lounge at LAX Airport, which his team designed.

Prior to his current position, Frye was Vice President of Global Entertainment and Sports Experiences, where he negotiated and managed global deals with Live Nation, U.S. Open, Coachella, Austin City Limits, and Wimbledon. He’s also led the brand’s partnerships with wide range of music artists including Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Jay Z, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. He’s also held roles on the Global Consumer Marketing Team and Global Operations in his 13-year tenure at the company.

Walter’s awards include a prime-time Emmy for Outstanding Interactive Video (with Taylor Swift), Billboard 100 Most Powerful Players in Music, AdAge 40 Under 40 and the Out100. Walter holds an MBA from Harvard Business School received a bachelor’s in Economics from Yale University.