Christie Simons
AutodeskAbout Christie Simons
A. Christine (Christie) Simons, 62, is an independent director appointed to Autodesk’s Board effective immediately after the June 18, 2025 Annual Meeting, following a cooperation agreement with Starboard Value; she served as a non‑voting observer until that appointment . She brings 30+ years advising global technology companies as a Senior Partner at Deloitte, leading the Global Semiconductor Center of Excellence and the U.S. TMT Audit & Assurance practice, among other roles . Simons currently serves on the Board of Micron Technology and previously held leadership roles at professional organizations including the California Society of CPAs (Chair 2021–2022) and the American Leadership Forum in Silicon Valley . She holds a B.S. in international business and finance from the University of Colorado Boulder Leeds School of Business .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deloitte & Touche LLP | Senior Partner; led Global Semiconductor Center of Excellence; led U.S. TMT Audit & Assurance; built Emerging Growth Company practice (SF); led Global Offerings Services group (Taiwan) | 1994 – May 2025 | Deep audit, internal controls, reporting, technology sector expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micron Technology, Inc. | Director | 2025 – Present | Public company board oversight; memory/storage industry exposure |
| California Society of CPAs | Director; Chair | 2018 – 2022; Chair 2021–2022 | Profession standards leadership |
| American Leadership Forum (Silicon Valley) | Audit Committee Member | 2013 – 2019 | Audit committee experience |
| Association for Corporate Growth; Watermark | Board positions | Not specified | Network and executive leadership engagement |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Simons meets Nasdaq independence standards and has no material relationships interfering with independent judgment .
- Appointment context: Added as part of a cooperation agreement with Starboard; Board size set at 12 post‑meeting with both new independent directors (Simons, Epstein) .
- Committees: Not appointed to committees at time of 8‑K; Board to appoint each new director to at least one standing committee immediately after appointment .
- Attendance and engagement: In FY2025, Autodesk’s Board held 9 meetings and committees held 39; all sitting directors had 100% attendance. Simons joined after FY2025, so prior attendance metrics do not apply .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at each quarterly Board meeting; Chair Stacy J. Smith presides .
- Outside board limits: Autodesk limits directors to no more than four public company boards (including ADSK) absent CGNC consent; affirmed compliance in the annual review .
- Director ownership policy: Directors must hold Autodesk shares equal to at least five times the annual cash retainer; all directors complied in FY2025; Simons will be subject to the policy going forward .
- Anti‑hedging/pledging: Policy prohibits hedging, pledging, short sales, and derivatives trading by directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Structure | Vesting/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $75,000 | Cash paid quarterly in arrears unless converted to RSUs |
| Equity – annual RSUs | $250,000 grant date value | Subsequent Annual RSUs vest over one year; directors may elect deferral into share settlement |
| Initial RSU for new directors | $250,000 grant date value (prorated to service until next annual meeting) | Vests at the next annual meeting following grant |
| Chair adders (cash) | Non‑Executive Chair: +$75,000; Audit Chair: +$25,000; Comp & HR Chair: +$20,000; CGNC Chair: +$10,000 | Standard annual cycle |
| RSU in lieu of cash (election) | Up to 100% of cash fees convert to RSUs at a 1.20x premium ($1.20 stock per $1.00 cash foregone) | Elected RSUs issued at annual meeting; vest at next annual meeting |
| Annual director limit | Aggregate cash + equity capped at $750,000 per fiscal year | Governance safeguard |
Performance Compensation
- Non‑employee director pay at Autodesk is fixed retainer plus time‑based RSUs; no performance‑based metrics (e.g., revenue/TSR) apply to director compensation .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Exposure | Detail |
|---|---|
| Public company boards | Micron Technology (Director) |
| Auditor independence | Autodesk’s auditor is Ernst & Young LLP (ratification on ballot); Simons’ prior affiliation was Deloitte, mitigating same‑firm audit conflicts |
| Related‑party transactions | Company reported no FY2025 related‑party transactions requiring Audit Committee approval; 8‑K states Simons is not party to any Item 404(a) transaction |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial/audit expert: Extensive audit and assurance leadership; internal controls, reporting, treasury, and compliance expertise in technology sectors .
- Industry acumen: Deep semiconductor and broader TMT domain knowledge; global offerings experience (Taiwan) .
- Governance experience: Non‑profit audit committee work; chair roles at professional bodies; current public company directorship .
- Education: B.S. in international business and finance, University of Colorado Boulder (Leeds) .
Equity Ownership
- Ownership guideline: Directors must hold Autodesk stock equal to 5x the annual cash retainer; policy monitored annually .
- Initial grant: New non‑employee directors receive an Initial RSU grant with $250,000 grant date value, prorated; vests at the following annual meeting .
- Annual grant: Subsequent annual RSUs of $250,000 grant date value; directors may elect deferrals .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited for directors under insider trading policy .
Governance Assessment
- Board refresh and investor confidence: Appointment via a cooperation agreement with Starboard adds audit/finance depth and signals responsiveness to shareholder input; Board remains majority independent with separate Chair/CEO .
- Committee placement: Not yet specified; Board commits to assign Simons to at least one standing committee, aligning expertise (likely Audit) while avoiding speculation on specific roles .
- Alignment mechanisms: Mandatory stock ownership (5x retainer), anti‑hedging/pledging, and annual director award limits promote alignment and mitigate risk .
- Conflicts and related‑party: No Item 404(a) transactions disclosed for Simons; FY2025 had no related‑party transactions requiring approval—low conflict risk .
- Engagement and oversight: Strong governance practices (executive sessions, outside board limits, annual evaluations, orientation/education) support Board effectiveness .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Simons (no related‑party transactions; independence affirmed; anti‑hedging/pledging in place) . The activist cooperation agreement implies elevated performance oversight, but adds experienced independent directors rather than indicating governance weakness .