Ken Chenault, the low-key CEO of American Express, is now one of the highest paid bankers in the US, the Wall Street Journal’s Deal Journal blog reported yesterday.

Actually, Chenault’s $17.4 million in compensation makes him the second highest paid CEO in 2009, according to Deal Journal. The credit card king was only bested by the $21.3 million that went to John Stumpf, CEO of Wells Fargo, another bank that took bailout money.