The Product Manager How American Express 4x Its Experimentation Velocity in 1 Year (with Jean Castanon, VP of Digital Product at American Express)
Sep 2, 2025
Jean Castanon, Vice President of Digital Product at American Express, shares his insights from over a decade at the company. He reveals how his team quadrupled testing velocity, emphasizing an always-on approach to experimentation. Jean discusses redefining success metrics, building a dedicated experimentation team, and the importance of aligning teams towards a common goal. He also dives into Amex's innovative referral program and the role of AI in personalizing customer experiences and enhancing productivity, offering invaluable lessons for product leaders.
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Experimentation As A Forward-Thinking Engine
- Constant experimentation lets teams learn customer preferences from behavior instead of bias.
- American Express treats its digital storefront as an always-on system that self-optimizes.
Create A Dedicated Experimentation Squad
- Reorganize around a dedicated experimentation team with a single North Star metric.
- Secure leadership sponsorship and investment to scale velocity and impact.
Align Teams Around One Metric
- Choose one metric that resonates across product, design, tech, and marketing to align effort.
- Share tracking and run regular ceremonies to keep transparency and coordination.