James P. Cain
About James P. Cain
Ambassador James P. Cain (age 67) has served as an independent director of Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc. (ARE) since December 2015. He is Managing Partner of Cain Global Partners, with a career spanning law, business, sports management, and international diplomacy; he holds a BA and JD from Wake Forest University. On ARE’s Board, Cain chairs the Nominating & Governance Committee and serves on the Compensation and Life Science Committees, reflecting governance expertise and strategic industry engagement .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cain Global Partners, LLC | Managing Partner | Ongoing | Advises North American/European companies on global expansion; ecosystem-building expertise |
| Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP | Partner; currently Counsel | Partner for 20 years; founded Raleigh office in 1985 | Legal leadership; ongoing counsel role |
| Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) / Gale Force Holdings | President & COO | 2000–2002 | Sports management, operations leadership |
| U.S. Embassy, Copenhagen | U.S. Ambassador to Denmark | 2005–Jan 2009 | Led 13 U.S. agencies; focus on national security, energy, commerce |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cain Global Partners, LLC | Managing Partner | Ongoing | International market entry advisory |
| Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP | Counsel | Ongoing | Continues legal advisory relationship |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Cain is independent under NYSE standards; 7 of 8 nominees are independent .
- Committee assignments (2025 slate): Chair, Nominating & Governance; Member, Compensation; Member, Life Science .
- Meeting cadence and attendance: Board held 7 meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; overall director attendance was 99% in 2024 .
- Governance responsibilities: N&G oversees governance policies, Board composition/refresh, and approves related-person transactions; Compensation oversees executive pay and incentive plans; Life Science informs Board on sector trends and strategic implications .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2023 | 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $110,000 | $110,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Committee chair fees (N&G) | $35,000 | $35,000 | Chair, Nominating & Governance |
| Committee member fees (Compensation) | $20,000 | $20,000 | Member |
| Committee member fees (Life Science) | $20,000 | $20,000 | Member |
| Other committee fees (Pricing) | Not disclosed for Cain | Not disclosed for Cain | Pricing member fee is $6,000, but Cain’s assignment not indicated |
| Total cash fees | $185,000 | $185,000 | Sum aligns with published totals |
| Equity Compensation | 2023 | 2024 | Vesting / Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual stock award (grant-date fair value) | $175,016 | $200,106 | Restricted stock or phantom units; 3-year vesting; fixed-dollar award sized at $200,000 ÷ grant-date close |
| Non-employee director annual cap | $600,000 limit on total comp value | $600,000 limit on total comp value | Plan-imposed annual cap on cash+equity for directors |
Performance Compensation
- ARE does not disclose performance-linked metrics for director compensation; director equity is time-based with a three-year vesting schedule. Phantom stock units (if elected via DCPD) mirror restricted stock vesting and may accelerate under change-in-control, death, disability, removal without cause, or failure to be nominated without cause .
| Equity Structure Details | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Award form | Restricted stock or phantom stock units (if deferred) |
| Grant date | January 12, 2024 (annual cycle) |
| Grant value | $200,106 |
| Vesting schedule | Generally over 3 years |
| Post-vesting holding | Not specified for directors (NEO awards have a 1-year holding) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | No current public company directorships disclosed for Cain; no compensation committee interlocks or insider participation in 2024 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Relationship-building, governance, and ecosystem development (Research Triangle Park) .
- Legal and regulatory experience; international diplomacy (Ambassador to Denmark) .
- Business leadership across private sector and sports operations .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Metric (as of March 14, 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 5,232; less than 1% of outstanding |
| Direct common shares | 2,391 |
| Vested phantom stock units (DCPD) | 2,841 |
| Unvested phantom stock units (not counted for beneficial ownership) | 3,969 |
| Unvested restricted stock awards | None |
| Unvested phantom units held 12/31/2024 | 1,937 |
| Ownership guideline (non-employee directors) | 3× cash retainer; directors reported in compliance (phase-in for new directors) |
| Hedging/Pledging | Hedging prohibited; pledging restricted with safeguards |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Cain’s chair role on Nominating & Governance places him at the center of board composition, related-person transaction oversight, and governance policy evolution—key for investor confidence. The Board reports strong attendance (99% in 2024) and majority-independent composition .
- Pay/Alignment: Director pay mix balances cash retainers and time-based equity; Cain’s 2024 total was $385,106, with equity at ~$200k and cash at $185k; director comp is capped at $600k annually, and stock ownership guidelines are in force and reported in compliance .
- Conflicts/Related Parties: No Cain-specific related-party transactions disclosed; N&G Committee (which Cain chairs) pre-approves any such transactions. Company disclosed JV with an affiliate of Norges Bank and certain tenant relationships for other directors, with independence determinations maintained; no Cain conflicts noted .
- Risk indicators: No director overboarding issues (policy reviewed annually; all compliant); strong anti-hedging and pledging policies reduce alignment risk; compensation committee interlocks/insider participation absent in 2024 .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Cain. Areas to monitor include any future related-party relationships arising from external affiliations, but none are reported for the period reviewed .