Crawley Steps In as Amex GBT CEO After Long Lake Acquisition

American Express Global Business Travel (Amex GBT) has announced a leadership transition with Drew Crawley taking over as CEO from Paul Abbott. The change, effective immediately, follows the completion of Long Lake Management's acquisition of Amex GBT, which took the company private. Abbott, who led Amex GBT for seven years, will now serve as an operating partner with Long Lake Management, focusing on supporting the investment firm's growing portfolio.

Crawley, who joined Amex GBT in 2020 as chief commercial officer and was promoted to president in 2023, brings extensive experience from his previous roles at British Airways and IAG. In a LinkedIn post, Abbott expressed confidence in Crawley's ability to lead the company, highlighting his deep industry knowledge and strong relationships with customers and partners.

Abbott noted that the transition has been in the works for several months and aligns with the completion of the Long Lake acquisition. He praised Crawley's leadership and industry expertise, stating that he is the right person to guide Amex GBT into its next chapter. Abbott also mentioned his excitement about exploring new ideas and opportunities in his new role.

Long Lake Management CEO Alex Taubman expressed gratitude for Abbott's contributions to Amex GBT and welcomed Crawley's leadership. The acquisition by Long Lake includes plans to deploy the firm's Nexus AI platform across Amex GBT, marking a significant step in the company's evolution.