‘People Want to Belong’: Ken Chenault on Amex GBT and the Future of Travel Membership

Photo Credit: Kenneth Chenault, left, on stage at the 2026 Skift Global Forum. Skift Kenneth Chenault’s decision to leave his long-time role leading American Express for a venture capital firm in 2018 was, by his own admission, a bit of a head-scratcher. Chenault, one of the first Black CEOs at a Fortune 500 company, had spent 17 years leading Amex and building out one of the world’s largest customer loyalty programs. In early 2018, he stepped down and joined General Catalyst as chairman and a managing director. The firm checked all of the boxes on Chenault’s list: It was technology-focused, allowed him to work in a range of sectors, and would give him the opportunity to mentor the next generation of leaders. “I wanted to be at the core of things. … I didn't just want to be an advisor,” he said on stage at the Skift Global Forum. Nearly a decade later, the company has been investing more in the travel space. General Catalyst backs private equity firm Long Lake Management, which earlier