Facebook has appointed Kenneth I. Chenault, the CEO of American Express, to the company’s board of directors, effective February 5, 2018.

“I’m delighted to join the board and look forward to working with Mark and the other directors as Facebook continues to build communities that help bring people closer to friends, family and the world around them,” said Chenault.

Mark Zuckerberg, founder and chairman/CEO of Facebook said: “I’ve been trying to recruit Ken for years. He has unique expertise in areas I believe Facebook needs to learn and improve — customer service, direct commerce and building a trusted brand. Ken also has a strong sense of social mission and the perspective that comes from running an important public company for decades.”

Last fall, American Express Company announced that Chenault will retire as chairman and CEO on Feb. 1, 2018.  after a distinguished 37-year career with the company. He has served as chairman and CEO since 2001.

Chenault also serves on the Boards of IBM, Procter & Gamble, the Harvard Corporation, and nonprofits, including the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, the Smithsonian Institution’s Advisory Council for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the World Trade Center Memorial Foundation, and the Bloomberg Family Foundation. He is also a member of the Business Council.

Facebook’s current board members include Mark Zuckerberg; Erskine B. Bowles, president emeritus, University of North Carolina; Reed Hastings, chairman, and CEO, Netflix; Jan Koum, founder, and CEO, WhatsApp; and Sheryl K. Sandberg, chief operating officer, Facebook.