The new head of American Express in New Zealand wants to make the company the country's leading card issuer.
Indian-born Atul Mathur, former country manager in Indonesia, promises: "In 2002 we are going to be very, very visible."
American Express has more than 200,000 cardholders in New Zealand, although MrMathur declines to reveal the exact number. He will say only that the company has a "double-digit" share of the card market.
He says American Express will expand its marketing unit, study more distribution channels, launch new products and strengthen and promote its card rewards programme.
The company has been facing tough times. Thirty-one jobs were lost in New Zealand in October 2000 when the call centre and corporate credit operations shifted to Sydney.
Fifteen staff have now been told they will lose their jobs by the end of the month as American Express closes its five foreign exchange dealerships, three of them in Auckland.
