American Express Thailand’s Prom Sirisant on the Power of Change

From the comfort of his home, Prom Sirisant gives Prestige a glimpse into his future plans for American Express Thailand, his family life and personal pursuits

Dynamic and passionate, with a finger on the pulse of the premium bracket, Prom Sirisant, at 40, is what happens when an over-a-century-old multinational financial services corporation wakes up and smells the complex, nuanced aroma of perfectly brewed single-origin craft coffee. As the youngest Country Manager across the American Express footprint, this newly appointed executive is leading American Express Thailand on a journey of reinvention. It’s a new world, and he knows a plain brew will no longer do. The market has evolved into a more dynamic space with technology (apps, social media, chat programs) erasing the distance between expectations and brand promise.

We meet at his home, a modern detached house down a quiet lane in midtown Bangkok. The tall entry door is a lighter shade of apricot. Inside the foyer, a sailor’s coil of rope in a perfect circle sits on the floor, attached to a chandelier that can be lowered (his toy, Prom, tells me later). The rope, and a model of a luxury speedboat, reflect his passion for sailing on the open seas.

Married to Chollada (née Mekratri), former model and founder of The Voice Foundation (for stray animals), the two recently moved into their forever home. “We got married just as the pandemic started,” shares Prom. “The world went into lockdown, and we moved to my house in Pattaya. We haven’t even had a honeymoon yet!”

The house’s Scandinavian-inspired interior is filled with light and warmth, and three (or is it four?) dogs underfoot. One of them, a rescue, demands entry into the second-floor study where we sit to chat. Here, amongst Prom’s eclectic collection of books, I notice a much-flagged Jamie Oliver cookbook. “I am the cook in the house,” he remarks. “Nothing fancy, but I love cooking for our friends and for us.” He also brews a mean cup of coffee as it turns out.

It’s a regular working day, but Prom is at home. “We’ve adopted the hybrid style –two days in office and the rest work from home. As a company, we need to be a self-driven organisation where everyone is engaged, passionate, and has a vision. Getting that talent is crucial because we need to push the boundaries to grow. This flexibility is essential to attract a certain type of people, to build a strong, active, agile team. At the office, we have a large collaborative space and get to brainstorm as a team.”

The intention, he adds, is to remove barriers “between people, between departments, between generations. We want to discourage silence and encourage the sound of people collaborating, sharing ideas.”

In driving the change, Prom is mindful of not losing out on the institutional knowledge of the more experienced members of his team, “We are in that transitional phase and transferring that knowledge to the newer members is crucial. I’m very fortunate to have someone like Marlin as a mentor,” he says of his predecessor, Marlin Brown, who is now Vice President and Country Manager of Singapore. “Working with him was very empowering.”

Corporate leaders – and Platinum card members – are increasingly younger, and Prom is a reflection of that demographic. “We need to be more relevant to the lifestyle of the consumers. A CEO in his 30s or 40s expects different things. I can relate to that, and I have a very clear view of what American Express should be, going forward. It all starts with the lifestyle of our customers. I have a strong marketing and lifestyle ethos and am passionate about ‘consumerism’.” Meanwhile, his finance and asset management background ensure he always has the ‘numbers’ in focus.

Prom’s international education –schooling in England, university in Sydney, and a Harvard Business School programme– has given him a global mindset in tune with the market and the consumer. “I’m very brand and product driven. I always put myself in the shoes of the consumer. Our product needs to serve the consumer, be the absolute best in its class, the premium segment, and be very relevant to those we are trying to attract as card members.

“The team is now closing those gaps,” he continues. “I believe in setting clear goals, and have a five-year plan. We have new blood coming in, and there’s a shift in how we do things. It’s a whole new vibe.” Also in Thailand’s near future is The Black Card, the Centurion.

The big challenge, he says, is to “bring the best out of the old and new talent, not disrupt one for the other, and give the young blood space. We have big dreams, but we always have to be mindful of our global policies.”

Speaking of challenges, Prom focuses on card coverage. “Greater acceptability of the card is what we need. As of last year, we have given the merchant acquiring task to Bangkok Bank (BBL) to increase coverage. Our card members focus on bigger ticket items, so we are driving the coverage there.”

As for personal challenges, he cites his age. “People stereotype me because I am young,” he sighs, although his performance review by colleagues – the highest in the region – is really all the validation he needs.

Outside of work, Prom contributes to UN Women as a HeForShe Thailand Ambassador, working on closing the gender equality gap. As for his ‘me time’, it’s all about enjoying his home life, with his wife, and sailing his Hobie Cat off the coast of Pattaya, and watching Rick Stein cooking shows.“I don’t really shut off from work,” he admits. “My work is my life. I enjoy it, even on weekends.”

Taking care of himself is also high on the importance agenda, and seven hours of sleep nightly is a must. “If I don’t take care of myself, I’m not performing my best, and I’m responsible for a lot of people.” His morning routine includes a daily workout, and the well-equipped home gym ensures he has no excuse.

As a couple, Prom and Chollada also love travelling. “When we go to new cities, we read up, and watch YouTube videos beforehand… to get the most out of it.” So, what about that missed honeymoon? “We’re keeping that for our 30th anniversary,” Prom says, with a laugh.