Bas Burger
AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIESAbout Bas Burger
Bas Burger is an independent director of Akamai, appointed on July 7, 2025; he serves on the Talent, Leadership & Compensation (TL&C) Committee and the Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Committee. He is CEO of BT International and previously led BT Business and BT Global Services; prior roles include President, BT Americas; CEO, BT Benelux; Executive Vice President at Getronics NV; and CEO of KPN EnterCom Solutions. He holds a degree from University of Applied Sciences Utrecht and an MBA from the University of Bradford, UK; he was born in 1970 (approx. age 55) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BT Group – International | CEO | Apr 2025–present | Leads global data/voice/security/cloud connectivity; transformation, AI-ready networking focus |
| BT Group – Business (Enterprise+Global) | CEO | Jan 2023–Apr 2025 | Oversaw merged B2B unit, go-to-market and growth programs |
| BT Global Services | CEO | Jun 2017–Dec 2022 | Led global services business transformation |
| BT in the Americas | President | 2013–2017 | Ran multinational customer operations in North America |
| BT Benelux | CEO | 2008–2013 | Led Benelux unit; network-based ICT services |
| Getronics NV | EVP, Management Committee | Pre-2008 | Ran global sales, channels, partnerships |
| KPN EnterCom Solutions | CEO & Managing Director | Pre-Getronics | Early career; telecom solutions leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Economic Forum | Contributor | Ongoing | Contributes to global business/technology agenda |
| Committee for Economic Development | Serves on Committee | Ongoing | Policy/economic development engagement |
Board Governance
- Appointment and Committees: Elected July 7, 2025; appointed to TL&C and ESG Committees .
- Independence and Related Parties: No direct or indirect material interest in transactions requiring Item 404(a) disclosure; compensation per Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan, subject to proration .
- Board Attendance Policy and Practice: In 2024 the Board held seven meetings; all incumbent directors attended >75% of meetings of the Board and their committees; all directors then in office attended the 2024 Annual Meeting . Independent directors meet separately as part of each Board meeting, with feedback provided by the Chair (Dan Hesse) to management .
- Committee mandates (context): ESG Committee oversees director nominations/independence, board evaluations, governance practices, and ESG risk oversight; held five meetings in 2024 . Audit Committee oversight includes financial reporting, auditor independence, IT controls and cybersecurity; held nine meetings in 2024 . TL&C scope covers compensation and talent leadership (role not detailed in retrieved chunks).
| Committee | Role | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Talent, Leadership & Compensation (TL&C) | Member | Jul 7, 2025 |
| Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) | Member | Jul 7, 2025 |
Fixed Compensation
Akamai’s Non-Employee Director Compensation Plan (May 2024) provides an equity-heavy mix with standardized annual retainer and no meeting fees; new appointees’ pay is prorated from the commencement date.
| Category | Total Annual | Cash | Equity (DSUs) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman of the Board | $450,000 | $100,000 | $350,000 | DSUs vest 100% on first anniversary of grant; granted near annual meeting |
| Committee Chair (Audit, TL&C, Finance, ESG) | $385,000 | $80,000 | $305,000 | Equity in DSUs; vesting as above |
| Standard Outside Director | $350,000 | $75,000 | $275,000 | Bas Burger eligible; subject to proration given July 2025 start |
Key plan features:
- Equity instrument: Deferred Stock Units (DSUs); grant approved at or around annual meeting; vests 100% on first anniversary of grant .
- No additional compensation for employee directors; no meeting fees disclosed .
- Proration: New directors’ compensation prorated to reflect commencement date .
Performance Compensation
- Performance-based elements for directors: None disclosed; annual director equity grants are time-based DSUs vesting after one year (no TSR/operational metrics) .
- Acceleration on departure: If ≥1 year of Board service, 100% of unvested DSUs/RSUs accelerate at departure; if ≥2 years, 100% of initial RSUs granted upon joining also accelerate at departure .
| Metric Feature | Applies to Directors? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Performance metrics (revenue, EPS, TSR) | No | Director DSUs vest time-based after one year |
| Change-of-control (directors) | Not specified | No director-specific CIC terms disclosed in plan excerpt |
| Clawback (directors) | Not specified | No director clawback provision disclosed in plan excerpt |
| Departure acceleration | Yes | 100% acceleration if ≥1 year service; additional acceleration of initial RSUs if ≥2 years |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akamai Technologies, Inc. | Director | Jul 2025–present | TL&C; ESG |
| Other public company boards | None disclosed | N/A | N/A |
Note: Bas holds senior executive roles at BT Group; the 8-K states no arrangements/understandings for election and no 404(a) related-party interests at appointment .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global telecom and enterprise networking leadership; transformation of cloud-based, software-defined networking, and AI-ready platforms .
- Go-to-market, channels, and partnerships leadership across Europe and the Americas .
- Education: University of Applied Sciences Utrecht; MBA, University of Bradford .
- External policy fora engagement: World Economic Forum contributor; Committee for Economic Development .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (direct/indirect) | Not disclosed | Joined post-2025 proxy; no Form 4 holdings available via retrieved filings; DSU grants follow annual meeting timing |
| Vested vs unvested breakdown | Not disclosed | Initial director grant and vesting schedule per plan; 100% vesting after one year from grant date |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed | Director pay plan specifies DSUs; no options indicated |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Not disclosed | No pledging disclosures for Bas retrieved |
Governance Assessment
- Committee fit and board effectiveness: Placement on TL&C and ESG aligns with his strengths in global go-to-market and transformation, and adds an international business lens to governance and strategy oversight .
- Independence and conflicts: Appointed as a non-employee director with no Item 404(a) related-party transactions at election; independence determinations are made under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) and overseen by the ESG Committee (context from proxy) . Potential conflict sensitivity arises from his executive role at BT International (a large telecom provider and potential partner/customer), but no related transactions were disclosed at appointment—monitor future commercial engagements for interlocks/reciprocity risks .
- Compensation alignment: Equity-heavy director pay (DSUs $275k vs cash $75k standard retainer) supports shareholder alignment; however, time-based vesting without performance conditions and departure acceleration (single-trigger on departure after one year) reduce at-risk features—watch for retention/tenure effects and any discretionary grants .
- Attendance and engagement: 2024 attendance was strong for incumbent directors and independent sessions occur each Board meeting; Bas joined mid-2025, so his attendance record is not yet disclosed .
RED FLAGS to monitor:
- Departure acceleration of unvested director equity (single-trigger) can dilute pay-for-performance alignment if turnover increases .
- Potential ecosystem interlocks due to BT executive role—track any disclosed commercial relationships between Akamai and BT for related-party thresholds and independence reassessment .