IExpress is a Windows component since Windows 2000. It is used to create self-extracting packages from a set of files. That such packages can be used to install software.
IExpress 2.0 in Windows 2000 Professional SP3
Using IExpress to create an EXE file from a BAT file will allow the EXE not to get false-positives by antivirus programs.
This tutorial will show you how to create an Executable file from a batch file using IExpress.