David West
About David J. West
David J. West (age 62) is an independent Class III director of Advantage Solutions (ADV), serving since May 2019 with a current term expiring in 2026; he is a seasoned consumer industry executive with ~30 years across CEO, CFO/COO, and strategy roles, and holds a B.S., cum laude, in Business Administration from Bucknell University . West is a partner at Centerview Capital Consumer (since May 2016) and previously led Hershey as CEO (2007–May 2011) and Big Heart Pet Brands as CEO (Aug 2011–Mar 2015), overseeing its sale to J.M. Smucker (Mar 2015); he later served as President, Big Heart Pet Food & Snacks at Smucker until Mar 2016 and as Senior Advisor until Apr 2016 . He served as CEO/Director of Conyers Park (May 2019–Oct 2020) and Co‑CEO/Chairman of Conyers Park III until Aug 2023; he also serves on Bucknell’s President’s Advisory Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Hershey Company | Chief Executive Officer, President, Director | 2007–May 2011 | Led operations and strategy across multiple prior roles (COO, CFO, Chief Customer Officer, Strategy & BD) |
| Big Heart Pet Brands (formerly Del Monte Foods) | Chief Executive Officer & President | Aug 2011–Mar 2015 | Led portfolio (Meow Mix, Kibbles ’n Bits, Milk-Bone); oversaw sale to J.M. Smucker in Mar 2015 |
| The J.M. Smucker Company | President, Big Heart Pet Food & Snacks; Senior Advisor | Mar 2015–Mar 2016; Mar 2016–Apr 2016 | Transition leadership post‑acquisition and advisory support |
| Centerview Capital Consumer | Partner | May 2016–present | Consumer investing; prior close collaboration with James Kilts at Nabisco |
| Nabisco Biscuit & Snacks | Senior VP Finance; VP Corporate Strategy & Business Planning | ~1986–2000 (14 years) | Strategy culminating in Nabisco acquisition by Philip Morris in 2000 |
| Conyers Park | Chief Executive Officer & Director | May 2019–Oct 2020 | SPAC leadership prior to ADV business combination |
| Conyers Park III | Co‑Chief Executive Officer & Chairman | Until Aug 2023 | SPAC leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Simply Good Foods Company (NASDAQ: SMPL) | Director | Public company board | Current directorship |
| Freshpet Inc. (NASDAQ: FRPT) | Director | Public company board | Current directorship (proxy text “FresphPet”) |
| Scholar Leaders International | Director | Non‑profit | Board service |
| Bucknell University | President’s Advisory Board | Academic advisory | Ongoing advisory role |
| Hershey; Del Monte Foods; Big Heart Pet Brands | Director (prior) | Public company boards | Prior board service (2007–2011; 2011–2014; 2014–2015) |
Board Governance
- Classification/Term: Class III director; term expiring in 2026 .
- Independence: Board determined West is independent under NASDAQ rules .
- Committee Memberships: Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee member; chair is Cameron Breitner; all members deemed independent .
- Attendance: Board met five times in 2024; all directors attended ≥75% of Board meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting . Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee met three times in 2024; each member attended during periods of membership .
- Executive Sessions: Non‑management directors meet in executive session at least twice per year .
- Governance Context: ADV is a NASDAQ “controlled company” (Topco holds majority voting power) and relies on certain governance exemptions; audit committee independence requirements still apply . Board classes and Stockholders Agreement govern composition and designated seats across sponsor groups .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $100,000 | Non‑employee director retainer; West received $100,000 in 2024 |
| Committee chair fees | N/A | Only for chairs: Audit $20,000; Human Capital $17,500; N&G $17,500; West is not a chair |
| Stock awards (RSUs) – grant date fair value | $174,997 | RSUs; vest on earlier of 1‑year anniversary or day before first annual meeting after grant |
| Total (cash + equity) | $274,997 | 2024 non‑employee director compensation total for West |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024 | 49,715 units | As disclosed for West |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Vesting | Change‑in‑Control | Deferral |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (non‑employee director annual grant) | Vest on earlier of 1‑year anniversary or day immediately preceding first annual meeting following grant | Full vesting immediately prior to a change in control | Beginning in 2025, directors may elect to defer distribution of RSUs |
No performance metrics (e.g., revenue, EBITDA, TSR) are tied to director compensation; director equity is time‑based RSUs under the policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship | Potential Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Conyers Park II Sponsor LLC | Sponsor is a ≥5% holder (5.6%) of ADV; West is one of five managers on the sponsor’s board of managers; under “rule of three,” no single manager is deemed a beneficial owner | Governance interlock; shared sponsor oversight may influence governance dynamics; business address for West listed c/o Sponsor |
| Controlled Company Status (Topco) | Topco holds 55.6% of ADV; board composition and certain actions subject to Stockholders Agreement and Topco approvals | Concentrated control can reduce minority shareholder influence; committee independence maintained per audit requirements |
| Centerview Capital Consumer | West is a partner; CP Sponsor is an affiliate of Centerview Capital Management | Industry network interlock with sponsor affiliations; board composition influenced by Stockholders Agreement parties |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep consumer industry leadership with prior CEO roles at Hershey and Big Heart; broad operational, finance, and strategy background (COO, CFO, Chief Customer Officer, Strategy & BD) .
- Transactional/M&A experience, including leading Big Heart’s sale to J.M. Smucker .
- Ongoing public board experience (SMPL, FRPT) and private/non‑profit governance roles .
- Academic and advisory engagement (Bucknell President’s Advisory Board) .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A common) | 200,298 shares | As of April 4, 2025; less than 1% of outstanding shares |
| Ownership % of Class A | <1% | Based on 323,370,226 shares outstanding |
| Unvested RSUs at FY 2024 year‑end | 49,715 units | As disclosed |
| Vesting detail (footnote) | Includes RSAs scheduled to vest May 28, 2025 | Footnote indicates scheduled vest date for restricted stock awards |
| Anti‑hedging/pledging | Hedging and pledging prohibited for directors | Insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging of company securities |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with strong sector expertise and transactional background; member of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; Board and committee attendance thresholds met; executive sessions held; anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging policy supports alignment; director equity grants create modest ownership alignment .
- Concerns/RED FLAGS: Controlled company status (Topco majority) reduces certain governance requirements; sponsor interlock via Conyers Park II Sponsor (≥5% holder) where West is a manager may present perceived conflicts; board action approvals and composition subject to Stockholders Agreement/Topco consents for specified actions .
- Outside commitments: Concurrent public boards (SMPL, FRPT) could create time demands but broaden governance perspective; monitor attendance/engagement (2024 thresholds met; N&G Committee attendance met) .