Vasu Jakkal
AptivAbout Vasu Jakkal
Vasumati P. (Vasu) Jakkal, age 49, joined Aptiv’s Board in April 2024 and is classified as an independent director. She is Corporate Vice President of Security, Compliance, Identity & Privacy at Microsoft (since 2020), with 20+ years of experience across cybersecurity, cloud, IoT, AI, and mobility; she holds a B.E. in Electrical Engineering from College of Engineering Pune and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Corporate VP, Security, Compliance, Identity & Privacy | 2020–present | Senior product/cybersecurity leadership relevant to Aptiv’s product cyber and tech roadmap oversight . |
| FireEye-Mandiant | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer | 2017–2020 | Go-to-market in cybersecurity; insight into threat intelligence ecosystems . |
| Brocade (now Broadcom) | VP, Corporate Marketing & Strategy | 2014–2017 | Cloud-to-edge networking strategy experience . |
| LSI (now Broadcom) | Chief of Staff & Technical Advisor to CEO/COO | Prior to 2014 | Semiconductor and infrastructure software exposure . |
| Intel | Engineering and GM roles | 1999–2012 | Scaled engineering/operations experience in semis and systems . |
External Roles
| Category | Role/Entity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None | No outside public board seats; limits overboarding risk . |
| Prior public company boards (last 5 years) | None | No recent interlocks . |
| Executive role | Microsoft, Corporate VP | Potential ecosystem adjacency; Aptiv reported no related-party transactions in 2024 . |
Board Governance
- Independence: Independent director; Board is 9 of 10 independent; only CEO is non-independent .
- Committee assignment: Member, Innovation & Technology Committee (ITC); not a Chair .
- Attendance and engagement: All directors attended >75% of Board and respective committee meetings in 2024; Board held 8 meetings; ITC met 5 times .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at every Board and committee meeting; Lead Independent Director presides .
- ITC oversight scope (relevant to Jakkal’s expertise): Technology/product roadmaps, product cybersecurity, engineering talent retention/development .
- Stock ownership guidelines (directors): $600,000 in Aptiv shares (5x max cash retainer); no hedging/pledging; new directors have up to 5 years to comply .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director compensation (standard) | $300,000 | Non-employee directors; mix of cash and time-based RSUs; Lead Independent Director +$50,000; Committee Chair fees: Audit $30k, CHRC $25k, Finance $20k, ITC $20k, Nom Gov $20k . |
| Election mix | 60%, 80%, or 100% RSUs | Remainder paid in cash; RSUs granted at AGM and vest day before next AGM . |
| Vasu Jakkal – Fees (cash) | $45,000 | Prorated for 2024 service start . |
| Vasu Jakkal – Stock awards (RSUs grant-date FV) | $240,047 | Granted April 25, 2024; FASB ASC 718 valuation . |
| Vasu Jakkal – Total | $285,047 | Sum of 2024 director compensation . |
| Unvested RSUs at 12/31/2024 | 3,362 | Vest on April 22, 2025 . |
Performance Compensation
| Item | Disclosure | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Director performance-linked pay | Not applicable | Non-employee director pay is cash retainer + time-based RSUs; no director-specific performance metrics disclosed . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Overlap/Interlock Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | — | None; reduces potential information-flow conflicts . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Cybersecurity, cloud, AI/ML, IoT, mobility; complements ITC oversight on product cybersecurity and tech roadmaps .
- Deep technology marketing/strategy and semiconductor/software background (Intel, LSI, Brocade/Broadcom) .
- Academic credentials in electrical engineering (COEP Pune, University of Minnesota) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Owned | RSUs Vesting ≤60 Days | Total Beneficial | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vasu Jakkal | 0 | 3,362 | 3,362 | <1% . |
- Vesting schedule: All outstanding director RSUs at year-end 2024 were unvested and vest in full on April 22, 2025 .
- Ownership guidelines: $600,000 in Aptiv shares required within five years; as of 2024 measurement, Jakkal is a new director and not yet at the guideline threshold .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited under Aptiv’s Insider Trading Policy .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Jakkal’s cyber/AI domain expertise is directly aligned with ITC’s mandate on product cybersecurity and technology roadmaps, supporting risk oversight in areas material to Aptiv’s strategy .
- Independence and attendance: Independent status and >75% attendance across Board/committees in 2024 bolster credibility and engagement .
- Ownership alignment: Initial holdings are limited (RSUs only, 0 owned shares), but strong director ownership guideline ($600k) and no hedging/pledging policy are positives; time to guideline compliance remains acceptable for a 2024 appointee .
- Compensation structure: Standardized director pay with the option to take high RSU proportion and time-based vesting; no performance-linked director compensation, minimizing pay-for-performance misalignment risk at the board level .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-party transactions identified in 2024; while Jakkal holds a senior role at Microsoft, Aptiv’s policy requires disclosure and committee review of potential conflicts; none were reported, reducing perceived conflict risk .
- Overboarding: No other public boards; aligns with Aptiv’s overboarding limits and supports focus on Aptiv responsibilities .
RED FLAGS
- None identified in filings for 2024: no related-party transactions, no pledging/hedging, no overboarding, and attendance above the 75% threshold .