James O'Brien
ALBEMARLEAbout James J. O’Brien
James J. O’Brien, age 70, is Albemarle’s Lead Independent Director (since 2020) and has served on the Board since 2012; he is independent under NYSE standards and the company’s guidelines . He chairs the Nominating & Governance Committee, sits on the Audit & Finance Committee as an SEC-defined audit committee financial expert, and serves on the Board’s Executive Committee (with the CEO) . O’Brien is the former Chairman & CEO of Ashland Inc. (2002–2014), and previously President of Valvoline (1995–2001), bringing deep chemicals, operations, finance, and governance expertise .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashland Inc. | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer | 2002–2014 | Led a diversified energy/chemicals company, extensive P&L and governance experience |
| Ashland Inc. | President & Chief Operating Officer | 2002 | Senior operating leadership within Ashland |
| Ashland Inc. | Senior Vice President & Group Operating Officer | 2001–2002 | Group operations leadership |
| Valvoline | President | 1995–2001 | Led global branded lubricants/services business (Ashland subsidiary) |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastman Chemical Company | Director | 2016–current | Public company board experience in specialty chemicals |
| Humana Inc. | Director | 2006–2023 | Long-tenured public company directorship (prior) |
Board Governance
- Independence and leadership
- Independent director; Lead Independent Director since 2020 .
- LID responsibilities include presiding over executive sessions, setting agendas for independent directors, coordinating board/committee evaluations and CEO evaluation with committee chairs, and liaising among independent directors and management .
- Committee assignments and workload (2024)
- Nominating & Governance (Chair): 10 meetings in 2024; each member attended ≥90% .
- Audit & Finance (Member; Audit Committee Financial Expert): 7 meetings in 2024; each member attended ≥86% .
- Executive Committee (Member): Executive Committee comprises O’Brien and the CEO .
- Attendance and engagement
- Each director attended ≥86% of Board meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting. O’Brien presided over executive sessions as LID .
- Board composition and independence context
- 9 of 10 directors independent; O’Brien listed among audit committee financial experts .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Amount/Terms | O’Brien 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $120,000 per non-employee director | Included in total |
| Lead Independent Director fee | $50,000 additional cash | Included in total |
| Committee chair fees | Nominating & Governance Chair: $15,000; other chairs per policy | Included in total |
| Meeting fees | None; no special meeting fees | N/A |
| Perquisites | Matching Gifts up to $4,000; director medical access ended effective 2025; training/travel reimbursements per policy | $3,000 “All Other” reflects matching gifts |
| 2024 cash actually paid (fees) | — | $185,000 (cash) |
| 2024 total director comp | — | $358,468 (cash, stock, other) |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Equity Vehicle | Grant Policy | 2024 Grant Details | Vesting/Deferral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted common stock (time-based) | Annual equity retainer $170,000, granted first trading day of July; shares = retainer/closing price, rounded to next 25 shares | On July 1, 2024, each non-employee director received 1,750 shares; O’Brien grant-date fair value $170,468 (closing price $97.41) | Vests on July 1 of the following year (if service continues), or upon completion of term if not standing for re-election; directors may defer into phantom stock under the 2023 Directors Plan |
| Stock options / performance metrics | Not part of director program (equity is time-based restricted stock; no performance metrics) | N/A | Deferral elections available; phantom shares receive dividend equivalents |
Note: O’Brien’s 2024 compensation mix: Cash $185,000; Stock Awards $170,468; All Other $3,000 (matching gifts) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards (incl. ALB) | 2 for O’Brien (ALB and Eastman Chemical) |
| Prior public boards | Humana Inc. (2006–2023) |
| Compensation committee interlocks | None disclosed; no member of the Exec Comp & Talent Development Committee had interlocks, and O’Brien is not on that committee |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Chemical industry and corporate leadership: Former Ashland Chairman & CEO; Valvoline President .
- Audit and financial acumen: Audit & Finance Committee member; Audit Committee Financial Expert under SEC rules .
- Governance leadership: Chair, Nominating & Governance; Lead Independent Director with substantive responsibilities .
- Board competencies matrix flags O’Brien for financial literacy, risk management, M&A, compliance/governance, strategy, and as an audit committee financial expert; current public boards count = 2 (incl. ALB) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Shares | Phantom Shares (no voting/investment power) | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| James J. O’Brien | 5,323 | 15,543 | <1% (as indicated) |
- Director stock ownership guidelines: 5× annual cash retainer; directors must hold at least 50% of net shares until compliant; each non-employee director was in compliance (subject to five-year phase-in) as of Mar 12, 2025 .
- Anti-hedging and pledging policies apply to directors; clawback policies cover incentive compensation .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths and confidence signals
- Robust independent leadership: O’Brien as LID chairs executive sessions, coordinates board/committee evaluations, and acts as liaison with management, enhancing oversight while the CEO serves as Board Chair .
- Financial oversight depth: Audit Committee Financial Expert status and Audit & Finance membership support audit, ERM, and cybersecurity oversight .
- Active governance role: Chairs Nominating & Governance (10 meetings; ≥90% attendance by members in 2024), reinforcing board refreshment, evaluations, and governance practices .
- Alignment and ownership: Equity retainer, stringent ownership guidelines (5× retainer) with compliance reported, and anti-hedging/pledging policies reduce misalignment risks .
- Clean conflicts profile: No related-party transactions since the beginning of 2024; no compensation committee interlocks disclosed .
- Attendance and engagement
- Board attendance at least 86% (each director), all directors attended 2024 annual meeting; O’Brien presided over executive sessions in 2024 .
- Shareholder context
- Say-on-Pay support at the 2024 meeting was ~85.9%—a constructive but watchful signal amid lithium-driven volatility; the Board highlights ongoing investor engagement and program adjustments by the Comp Committee .
- Overall view: O’Brien’s long-tenured chemicals leadership, audit expertise, and LID role collectively support board effectiveness and investor confidence, with no disclosed conflicts or attendance red flags in 2024 .