Lynn Swann
Director at APO
Board
About Lynn Swann
Lynn Swann (age 73) is an independent director of Apollo Global Management, Inc. and serves on the Compensation Committee. He joined the AGM board in January 2022; he holds a B.A. from the University of Southern California and previously served as USC’s Athletic Director (2016–2019) and president of Swann, Inc., a marketing and consulting firm he founded in 1976 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California | Athletic Director | 2016–2019 | Led oversight of 21 Division I programs |
| Swann, Inc. | President | 1976–present | Founded and leads marketing/consulting firm |
| ABC-TV | Host/Reporter/Analyst | ~30 years | National sports broadcasting |
| President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition | Chairman | 2002–2005 | Appointed by U.S. President; national fitness initiatives |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of America | National Board Chairman | n/a | National nonprofit leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athene Holding Ltd. (AHL) | Independent Director | Since Sept 2020 | Member, Legal & Regulatory Committee |
| American Homes 4 Rent | Director | Current | Public company board service |
| Xylem Inc.; Evoqua Water Technologies; Fluor Corporation; PGA of America | Director/Board roles | Prior | Public and nonprofit board experience |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined Swann is independent under NYSE rules and AGM guidelines .
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member (3 independent directors; 5 meetings in 2024; Semler Brossy consultant) .
- Attendance: Board held 4 meetings in 2024; all directors attended at least 75% of board/committee meetings; 14 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Lead independent director: Gary Cohn presides over executive sessions of independent directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AGM cash retainer + committee member fee (2024) | $175,000 | Base annual cash retainer is $150,000; committee member fee $25,000 |
| AHL board fees (2024) | $280,500 | $270,000 AHL retainer + $10,500 committee fees |
Performance Compensation
| Element | 2024 Grant | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| AGM Director RSUs | $0 (no grant shown) | Independent directors generally receive welcome/annual RSUs; Swann had no AGM stock award in 2024 |
| Performance-based metrics tied to director pay | None disclosed | AGM director compensation consists of cash retainers and time-based RSUs; no performance metrics apply |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to Apollo | Interlock/Transaction Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AHL (Apollo affiliate) | AGM subsidiary | Swann receives fees for AHL board/committee service, reviewed under related person policies |
| American Homes 4 Rent | External | No Apollo-related transactions disclosed involving Swann |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Governance and compensation: Service on AGM Compensation Committee (oversight of executive pay, equity plans) .
- Legal/regulatory oversight: AHL Legal & Regulatory Committee membership .
- Senior leadership and public board experience across regulated industries, sports administration, and media .
Equity Ownership
| Snapshot Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Shares Outstanding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 | 13,180 | 0.0023% (13,180 / 570,432,275) | DEF 14A security ownership table |
| July 1, 2025 | 18,462 | N/A | SEC Form 4 filing (period 2025-07-01) |
- Director stock ownership guidelines: Independent directors expected to hold ≥5x the $150,000 retainer ($750,000) in AGM stock; directors with <5 years’ service (Swann tenure ~3 years) are “on track” to meet the guideline within five years .
- Pledging/Hedging: AGM insider trading policy prohibits speculative transactions; no pledging by Swann disclosed (Rowan pledge noted; not applicable to Swann) .
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness: Swann’s role on the Compensation Committee situates him at the center of pay-for-performance oversight; the committee is independent, meets regularly, and employs an independent consultant, which supports board effectiveness .
- Independence & attendance: Confirmed independent; 2024 attendance standards met at board/committee level, supporting engagement .
- Alignment: AGM director compensation includes equity grants for most directors, but Swann had no AGM stock award in 2024; combined with modest AGM share holdings, this is a watch item for equity alignment, partially offset by guideline requirements and reported increase in holdings in 2025 .
- Conflicts/related party exposure: Swann’s paid service on AHL’s board/committee is a related-person context; AGM’s formal related party policy places review/approval with the Audit Committee, which mitigates conflict risk . No specific related transactions involving Swann disclosed.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Swann (no low attendance, no say-on-pay issues attributable to directors, no hedging/pledging, no related-party transactions directly tied to him) .
Overall, Swann appears to meet independence and engagement expectations and contributes committee oversight; monitoring his AGM equity participation versus ownership guidelines and any evolving cross-entity roles at AHL remains prudent for alignment and conflict controls .