Kim Salem-Jackson
AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIESAbout Kim Salem-Jackson
Kim Salem-Jackson, age 48, is Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Akamai, a role she has held since March 2021, after joining in 2017 and progressing through senior marketing leadership roles. Prior to Akamai, she served as SVP of Worldwide Marketing and Business Development at Informatica (2008–2017) and began her career in marketing and public relations roles . Under Akamai’s broader performance context, 2024 revenue was $3.99B (+5% YoY), security revenue exceeded $2B (+16% YoY), compute revenue was >$630M (+25% YoY), operating cash flow was $1.52B (38% of revenue), and buybacks were $557M; the 2022–2024 relative TSR measured for long-term incentives was -10.7% (26th percentile vs S&P 500), yielding a 28% payout for that cohort’s TSR-based awards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akamai Technologies | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer | Mar 2021–present | Leads global marketing for security, compute and delivery platform |
| Akamai Technologies | SVP, Marketing & Corporate Communications | Nov 2019–Mar 2021 | Elevated brand and corporate communications |
| Akamai Technologies | VP, Global Marketing | Aug 2017–Nov 2019 | Drove go-to-market programs across segments |
| Informatica | SVP, Worldwide Marketing & Business Development | Aug 2015–Aug 2017 | Built WW marketing and BD engine in enterprise cloud data management |
| Informatica | Various management roles | 2008–2015 | Progressively senior marketing leadership |
| Early career | Marketing and PR roles | — | Foundation in demand gen, communications |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Akamai Foundation | Board member | Current |
| Fast Company | Member | Current |
| Forbes Communications Council | Member | Current |
| Chief (women’s leadership network) | Founding member | Current |
Fixed Compensation
- Akamai discloses detailed cash compensation only for Named Executive Officers (NEOs). Ms. Salem-Jackson was not an NEO in 2024; accordingly, her base salary and target bonus % are not individually disclosed. Akamai’s program for executive officers emphasizes modest fixed pay and higher at-risk components, with NEO base salaries representing a relatively small share of total compensation .
Performance Compensation
Akamai’s executive officers (including EVPs) participate in an at-risk program comprising stock-settled annual incentives and long-term equity (time-based RSUs, PRSUs tied to financial metrics, and relative TSR-based RSUs). 2024 annual incentives were paid in shares; PRSUs measure annual financial goals over a three-year performance cycle with a cliff vest after certification; TSR-RSUs vest on three-year relative TSR vs S&P 500 .
- 2024 Annual Incentive Program – Corporate Metrics and Outcome
| Metric | % Weight | Threshold (0% payout) | Target (100%) | Max (200%) | Actual | Payout % vs Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (FX-adjusted) | 50% | $3,706.6M | $4,118.4M | $4,530.2M | $4,032.7M | 79.2% |
| Non-GAAP Operating Income | 50% | $1,094.7M | $1,216.3M | $1,337.9M | $1,187.5M | 76.3% |
| Overall payout (pre-ESG modifier) | — | — | — | — | — | 77.75% |
| ESG modifier | — | — | — | — | — | -6.66 pts → Final 72.57% |
- 2024 PRSU Earn-out – Financial Metrics and Results
| Metric | % Weight | Threshold (0%) | Target (100%) | Max (200%) | Actual | Achievement % vs Target | % of PRSUs Earned |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (FX-adjusted) | 50% | $3,706.6M | $4,118.4M | $4,530.2M | $4,032.7M | 97.9% | 79.2% |
| Non-GAAP EPS | 50% | $6.04 | $6.71 | $7.38 | $6.59 | 98.2% | 81.8% |
| Overall PRSU earn-out | — | — | — | — | — | — | 80.5% |
- Long-term Equity Vesting (structure)
| Award type | Why used | Vesting |
|---|---|---|
| Time-vesting RSUs | Retention and alignment | 1/3 annually over 3 years |
| PRSUs (revenue, non-GAAP EPS) | Multi-year financial performance | Earned on annual goals for 2024–2026; all earned shares vest after 2026 certification (3-year cliff) |
| Relative TSR-Based RSUs | Align pay with relative shareholder returns | 3-year performance vs S&P 500; vests after 2026 certification; 0–200% payout curve |
Notes
- 2022–2024 TSR cohort (granted 2022) paid at 28% of target due to 26th percentile relative TSR (-10.7% TSR) .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Beneficial ownership: Following a May 27, 2025 sale, Ms. Salem-Jackson reported 43,575 shares owned directly and 103 shares through a 401(k) plan, per Form 4 (filed May 28, 2025) .
- Ownership as % of outstanding: ~0.03% using 43,678 shares vs 146,114,769 shares outstanding as of March 19, 2025 .
- Ownership guidelines: Senior executives in Akamai’s program must hold shares equal to 1x base salary; NEOs must hold 3x (raised from 2x in 2024). Executives have five years to reach compliance; hedging and pledging are prohibited .
- Bonus/equity alignment: Annual bonuses for executive officers are paid in Akamai stock; long-term equity is 50% service-based and 50% performance-based; minimum 1-year vesting; double-trigger change-in-control features .
Employment Terms
- Severance (Executive Severance Pay Plan): On involuntary termination without cause, eligible executives receive lump-sum 1x base salary, 1x target annual bonus, and up to 12 months COBRA reimbursement (subject to a separation agreement) .
- Change-in-control (2022 CiC Agreement): If terminated without cause or for good reason within one year post-CiC, executives receive a pro-rated target bonus, plus 1x base salary and 1x target bonus, and up to 12 months COBRA reimbursement .
- Equity on CiC/death/disability/retirement: Double-trigger for assumed awards; if not assumed, vesting accelerates at transaction close; death/disability accelerates time-based RSUs and pro-rates performance awards; a retirement provision allows pro-rata vesting under defined age/service conditions .
- Clawbacks: A 2014 policy (detrimental conduct/restatement) and a 2023 policy compliant with SEC/Nasdaq (mandatory recoupment of erroneously awarded incentive comp after a restatement) .
- No excise tax gross-ups; no option repricing without shareholder approval .
Insider Transactions and Vesting-Related Selling Pressure
| Date | Type | Shares | Price | Proceeds | 10b5-1 plan? | Post-transaction holdings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-27 | Sale | 13,157 | $76.328 | $1,004,247 | Yes (adopted 2025-02-25) | 43,575 direct; 103 in 401(k) |
| 2024-02-01 | Sale | 2,600 | $123.30 | $320,580 | Noted as planned sale | — |
Notes
- A contemporaneous Form 144 for the May 27, 2025 sale indicates source shares from RSU/PSU vesting on Feb 19, 2025, consistent with typical post-vesting liquidity events .
- Akamai prohibits pledging and hedging by executive officers, reducing alignment risk from collateralization/derivatives .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Pay-for-performance tilt: Executive compensation (including EVPs) is primarily variable and stock-based, with annual incentives tied to revenue (FX-adjusted) and non-GAAP operating income, and PRSUs tied to revenue and non-GAAP EPS. Relative TSR-based RSUs add an external market alignment component .
- 2024 results: Annual incentive paid at 72.57% of target (including a negative ESG modifier); PRSUs earned at 80.5% of target for the 2024 tranche; 2022–2024 TSR cohort paid at 28% due to 26th percentile relative TSR .
- Governance enhancements: Expanded clawbacks, minimum vesting, double-trigger CoC, and independent compensation consultants (Meridian then Compensia) underscore governance rigor .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- Say-on-pay approval was ~92% at the 2024 annual meeting; the company conducts regular outreach, including 100% outreach to top 25 holders (59% of outstanding) in 2024 .
Performance & Track Record (Context to her tenure)
| Metric | 2022–2024 or 2024 Result |
|---|---|
| Revenue (2024) | $3.99B; +5% YoY |
| Security revenue (2024) | >$2B; +16% YoY |
| Compute revenue (2024) | >$630M; +25% YoY |
| Operating cash flow (2024) | $1.52B; 38% of revenue |
| Share repurchases (2024) | $557M |
| TSR (2022–2024, cohort measure) | -10.7%; 26th percentile; 28% TSR-RSU payout |
Compensation Committee & Peer Practices (Oversight of EVP Pay)
- TL&C (Compensation) Committee members were independent; it used Meridian (through Aug 2024) and then Compensia, and employs market-based peer groups for design/benchmarking .
- 2024 program design: 50% time-vesting RSUs, 20% PRSUs (financial), 30% relative TSR-based RSUs for NEOs (structure typically informs EVP grants), with stock-settled annual bonuses .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: High equity mix, stock-settled bonuses, performance-weighted PRSUs, and relative TSR RSUs align Ms. Salem-Jackson’s incentives with revenue growth, profitability and shareholder returns, while anti-pledging/hedging policies and ownership guidelines reinforce alignment .
- Retention risk: Standard severance (1x salary and 1x target bonus) and double-trigger CiC protection with clear equity treatment mitigate turnover risk; minimum-vesting and broad clawbacks constrain windfalls and misconduct risk .
- Trading signals: 2025 sale (≈$1.0M) executed under a pre-adopted 10b5-1 plan and linked to Q1’25 vesting suggests programmatic liquidity rather than opportunistic selling; residual direct/401(k) holdings and policy framework support continued alignment .
- Performance context: Strong growth in security and compute alongside solid cash generation and buybacks underscores fundamental progress; however, the 2022–2024 relative TSR outcome (below median) tempered TSR-based vesting—an incentive design that self-corrects payouts if share performance lags .