Angela Ahrendts
AirbnbAbout Angela Ahrendts
Angela Ahrendts (age 64) is an independent Class I director of Airbnb, Inc., having joined the board in May 2019. She previously served as Apple’s SVP, Retail (2014–2019) and as CEO of Burberry plc (2006–2014), and holds a B.A. in Marketing and Merchandising from Ball State University . She brings multi-decade operating and brand leadership experience across technology and global consumer sectors .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | Senior Vice President, Retail | May 2014 – May 2019 | Led global retail operations |
| Burberry plc | Chief Executive Officer; Director | July 2006 – April 2014 | Transformed luxury brand, global expansion |
| Liz Claiborne Inc. | Executive Vice President | — | Public-company fashion leadership |
| Donna Karan International | President | — | Public-company fashion leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ralph Lauren Corporation (public) | Director | Aug 2018 | Public company board service |
| WPP plc (public) | Director | June 2020 | Public company board service |
| Save the Children International (non-profit) | Chairman | — | Non-profit governance |
| charity: water (non-profit) | Board member | — | Non-profit governance |
| Saïd Business School, Univ. of Oxford (advisory) | Advisory board | — | Academic advisory |
| The HOW Institute for Society (advisory) | Advisory board | — | Advisory role |
| Imagine (advisory) | Advisory board | — | Advisory role |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board-determined independent director under Nasdaq rules .
- Board structure: Classified board; Ahrendts is Class I with term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting .
- Committee assignments: Chair, People and Compensation Committee; Member, Stakeholder Committee .
- Meeting activity and attendance: Board met 4 times in 2024; all directors attended ≥75% of board and committee meetings of which they were members (implies Ahrendts met the threshold) .
- Committee meeting cadence (2024): Audit, Risk & Compliance (8); People & Compensation (5); Nominating & Corporate Governance (3); Stakeholder (2) .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $50,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| People & Compensation Committee Chair fee | $37,500 | Chair premium |
| Stakeholder Committee member fee | $12,500 | Non-chair member fee |
| Total Fees Earned (reflected) | $100,000 | Reported as “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash”; director elected RSUs in lieu of cash (see below) |
- Equity in lieu of cash: Ahrendts elected to receive 692 RSUs in lieu of cash fees in May 2024 .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Award | Grant date | Quantity/Value | Vesting | Change in Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Director RSU | May 25, 2024 | 2,076 RSUs ($299,920) | Vests in full on 1st anniversary, subject to service | |
| RSUs in lieu of cash fees | May 2024 | 692 RSUs (cash-equivalent of fees) | Same vest schedule as annual RSU (per policy) |
- Policy highlights: Non-employee directors receive annual RSUs valued at $300,000; all director RSUs vest in full upon change in control .
- No performance-based metrics are applied to director equity; awards are time-based .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Public Company | Role | Potential Interlocks/Related Party Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Ralph Lauren Corporation | Director | No Airbnb-related transactions disclosed |
| WPP plc | Director | No Airbnb-related transactions disclosed |
- Related-party review: Airbnb’s related party transaction disclosure for 2024–2025 lists no transactions involving Ms. Ahrendts; oversight and approval/ratification procedures sit with the Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee chair and committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- C-level operating experience in global consumer brands and technology retail (Burberry CEO; Apple SVP Retail) .
- Public company board experience (Ralph Lauren; WPP) .
- Governance and compensation oversight: Chairs Airbnb’s People & Compensation Committee; committee retains independent consultant Semler Brossy; met five times in 2024 .
- Education: B.A., Ball State University .
- Independence affirmed by the board under Nasdaq rules .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares | Options (exercisable ≤60 days) | RSUs vesting ≤60 days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Angela Ahrendts | 21,939 | 15,798 | 2,768 | 40,505 | <1% |
- Director stock ownership guideline: 5x annual board cash retainer (i.e., 5 × $50,000) .
- Hedging and pledging: Hedging prohibited; pledging restricted (board approval required; ≤5% of individual’s outstanding Company securities; loan cap $50 million). No pledging by Ahrendts disclosed .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths for investor confidence:
- Independent director with deep operating and brand expertise; chairs Compensation Committee with five meetings in 2024 and uses an independent consultant (Semler Brossy) .
- Solid board engagement: all directors, including Ahrendts, attended ≥75% of meetings; board met 4x in 2024; her committees (Comp, Stakeholder) were active (5x and 2x) .
- Pay alignment signals: Director fees modest relative to peers; majority of director pay is equity, plus option/RSU holdings; director ownership policy at 5× retainer encourages alignment .
- Clean conflicts profile: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Ahrendts; company enforces related-party review and strict hedging/pledging restrictions .
-
Watch items:
- Multiple outside roles (Ralph Lauren, WPP) require ongoing monitoring for time commitments and any evolving commercial relationships; none disclosed to date with Airbnb .
- Broader governance context is supportive: 2024 Say-on-Pay approval at 98.8%, indicating strong shareholder support for compensation oversight (relevant to her committee leadership) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Ms. Ahrendts (no related-party transactions; no hedging/pledging reported; attendance threshold met) .
Director Compensation — Detail (2024)
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $100,000 |
| Stock Awards (annual grant) | $299,920 |
| RSUs in lieu of cash (units) | 692 RSUs |
| Annual RSU grant (units) | 2,076 RSUs |
| Options Outstanding (12/31/24) | 15,798 |
| RSUs Outstanding (12/31/24) | 2,768 |
Board Governance — Structure & Attendance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent (Nasdaq) |
| Class/Term | Class I; term ends 2027 AGM |
| Committees | Chair: People & Compensation; Member: Stakeholder |
| Board meetings (2024) | 4 |
| Attendance | All directors ≥75% (includes Ahrendts) |
| Committee meetings (2024) | Audit 8; Comp 5; Nominating 3; Stakeholder 2 |
Policies Relevant to Alignment & Risk
- Director Stock Ownership: 5× annual board retainer; encourages skin-in-the-game .
- Hedging/Pledging: Hedging prohibited; pledging restricted with strict limits and approval .
- Related-Party Oversight: Chair of Audit, Risk & Compliance reviews/approves; committee ratifies quarterly .
- Say-on-Pay Context: 98.8% approval at 2024 meeting (supports confidence in compensation oversight under her committee) .