Matt Sueoka was most recently head of global strategy, partnerships and enablement for the Amex Digital Labs innovation team at American Express – working with thought leaders, customers and partners to drive digital innovation at Amex by originating, incubating and managing emerging products and platforms.
He joined American Express in 2012 and has held various roles, including head of mobile payments and partner strategy, digital partnerships and development, as well as head of digital payments and partnerships.
“We have built an incredible portfolio, including some of the best companies across fintech, consumer, B2B and enterprise capabilities,” says Sueoka. These include Instacart, Stripe, FalconX, Boom Supersonic and others.
I see that energy and spirit across our portfolio companies and across all stages and it is infectious to watch and see.
The portfolio is worth more than $1bn. So far this year, the CVC has invested in startups such as payment specialist for the construction sector Handle, food delivery startup Wonder and blockchain and AI-powered loyalty rewards system Superlogic. Other strategic partnerships he has helped strike while at Amex Ventures include those with Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Google and PayPal.
Commenting on what excites him about working with entrepreneurs, he says: “They are building for the future. The ideas they have, the problems they are trying to solve, and the ways they are applying technologies or concepts in ways that have not been done before is exciting. Also, for any of our entrepreneurs to be successful, they really have to hustle and be willing to execute and get things done. I see that energy and spirit across our portfolio companies and across all stages and it is infectious to watch and see.”
Sueoka was a strategy consultant at Bain & Company, where he focused on advising financial services and private equity clients.
He has a degree in mechanical engineering from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
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