Zipcar Inc. announced June 1 the election of Ed Gilligan, vice chairman of American Express Co., as a member of its board of directors. Gilligan, along with Zipcar Chairman and CEO Scott Griffith and long-time board member Bob Kagle, were elected as Class 1 directors at Zipcar's annual meeting of stockholders on May 31.

"Having worked for many years for a global brand like American Express, Ed's expertise in global expansion, member-based product and service offerings, and digital commerce will benefit us greatly as we look to continue to expand our international footprint and further innovate Zipcar service offerings for our members," said Zipcar Chairman and CEO Scott Griffith.

In his role as vice chairman of American Express, Gilligan is responsible for the company's global consumer, small business services, merchant services and network services groups, and has led numerous merging and acquisition efforts for American Express. He has also been active in the digital transformation of the company, focusing on a growth strategy to position American Express as a leader in digital commerce.

"I'm very pleased to be joining Zipcar's board and look forward to helping the company with its expansion goals," Gilligan said. "Zipcar is a brand and a concept that I believe in, and I'm excited to be joining at this exciting stage in the company's history."

Gilligan has replaced Jill Preotle, who has served as a member of the Zipcar board since December 2002 and decided not to stand for re-election at this year's meeting.

"On behalf of the entire board, I would like to thank Jill for her 10 years of service as Zipcar's longest standing board member," continued Griffith. "Her foundational support for Zipcar and broad experience as an investor in many innovative companies over the years has been integral to Zipcar's success."