Monique Herena Recognized with Top Honor by the National Academy of Human Resources

The National Academy of Human Resources (NAHR) recently inducted Monique Herena, American Express Chief Colleague Experience Officer, as a 2024 Fellow. This is considered the most prestigious award in the HR profession and recognizes exceptional leaders for significant and sustained contributions to their organizations, the HR profession, and society at large.

Since joining Amex in 2019, Herena has prioritized a colleague-centered culture, fostering engagement and growth among over 70,000 colleagues to deliver strong business results for the company’s customers.

Herena sat down with HR Executive, to discuss keys to success in leading large-scale change and transformation, and why staying agile will be crucial in 2025.

“You really want to respect the past and have the right context and history of the business you’re in—without getting caught up in the past,” Herena said. “You have to build on the best of the best but know where you sit today relative to other companies and push where you can be better, where you can innovate, where you can be more competitive.”

Herena also shared insights how building a culture of trust has helped boost the company’s growth and success, American Express’s journey with Gen AI, and why the technology is one of the most impactful challenges facing HR leaders in 2025.

Read the full interview here.