Exhibit 24(a)

AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY

POWER OF ATTORNEY

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Laureen E. Seeger and Carol V. Schwartz, severally, each with full power to act alone and without the other, his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with full power of substitution, and with the authority to execute in the name of each such person, a registration statement covering primary and secondary offerings of debt securities, preferred shares, depositary shares, common shares and warrants of American Express Company and any and all amendments (including without limitation, post-effective amendments) to such registration statement, and to file such registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, together with any exhibits thereto and other documents therewith, necessary or advisable to enable American Express Company to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, and any rules, regulations or requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission in respect thereof, which amendments may make such other changes in the registration statement as the aforesaid attorney-in-fact executing the same deems appropriate.

This Power of Attorney may be executed in counterparts.