Monique Picou
Academy Sports & OutdoorsAbout Monique Picou
Monique Picou, age 58, joined Academy Sports and Outdoors’ Board as an independent Class II director on March 18, 2024; she is nominated for re‑election to a term expiring at the 2028 annual meeting if declassification phases in as proposed. She is a Global Executive at Alphabet (Vice President, Google Cloud Supply Chain & Operations since March 2023; prior Google roles in product/technology strategy and server operations), with earlier senior supply chain/operations roles at Sam’s Club, Walmart, Voyant Beauty, and Procter & Gamble; she holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Southern University) and an MBA (Florida Institute of Technology) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alphabet (Google) | VP, Google Cloud Supply Chain & Operations | Mar 2023 – present | Leads global supply chain and operations supporting cloud scale; technology operations background |
| Alphabet (Google) | VP, Google Product, Technology Strategy & Global Server Ops | Feb 2021 – Apr 2023 | Product/tech strategy; hyperscale server operations |
| Sam’s Club | SVP, Chief Strategy & Supply Chain Officer | Mar 2020 – Feb 2021 | Strategy and end‑to‑end supply chain oversight |
| Sam’s Club | SVP, Supply Chain Flow | Feb 2019 – Feb 2020 | Network flow optimization |
| Walmart | VP, Supply Chain | Aug 2018 – Jan 2019 | Retail supply chain leadership |
| Voyant Beauty | Chief Operating Officer | Aug 2017 – Aug 2018 | Manufacturing operations leadership |
| Procter & Gamble | SVP, Product Supply Global Health Care & other senior roles | Through Dec 2016 – Aug 2017 | Global product supply; operations excellence |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Companies US | Board of Directors | Nov 2021 – present | Private company board service |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Picou is independent under SEC/Nasdaq standards and the company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines .
- Board class/tenure: Class II; term expired at June 5, 2025 Annual Meeting; nominated for re‑election to 2028 with planned declassification phasing .
- Committee assignments: Not listed as a member of the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Governance Committees as of the proxy date (members enumerated exclude Picou) .
- Lead Independent Director: Tom Nealon serves as Lead Director with defined authority over agendas, executive sessions, and shareholder engagement .
- Attendance/engagement: In 2024, the Board held 6 meetings; all incumbent directors met at least the 75% attendance threshold and all ten then‑serving directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting; director orientation and continuing education are structured and ongoing .
- Overboarding policy: Directors limited to 4 public boards; audit committee membership limited to 3; directors serving as executive officers should hold ≤2 public boards—company states all directors comply .
- Clawback and governance enhancements: Company maintains clawback and director stock ownership guidelines; Board is seeking shareholder approval to remove supermajority provisions and to declassify the Board (reflecting off‑season shareholder engagement feedback) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $88,187 | Pro‑rated versus standard $100,000 annual retainer given March 2024 appointment |
| Chair/Lead/Committee fees | $0 | Not serving as chair or committee member; standard annual chair/lead fees: Chair $75,000, Lead $40,000, Audit Chair $30,000, Compensation Chair $25,000, N&G Chair $20,000 |
| Meeting fees | Not applicable | Program structured as retainers; no meeting fees disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Type | FY 2024 Grant‑Date Fair Value | Vesting / Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) | $183,909 | Director RSUs vest 100% on the earlier of one year from grant, the business day before the next Annual Meeting, death/disability, or change of control; director equity is time‑based, no performance metrics disclosed . |
No performance metrics (e.g., revenue growth, EBITDA, TSR) apply to non‑employee director equity awards; RSUs are time‑based per the Non‑Employee Director Compensation Policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Alphabet (Google Cloud) | Executive role | Company states “no related person transactions” requiring disclosure since the beginning of 2024; Audit Committee reviews related‑party transactions and conflicts per policy . |
| Ryan Companies US | Director | Private company; no transactions disclosed with Academy . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Core skills: Supply chain/logistics, sourcing/manufacturing, process improvement, strategic planning, store operations, digital/eCommerce, technology; Board skills matrix highlights these as Picou’s key competencies .
- Education: B.S. Electrical Engineering (Southern University); MBA (Florida Institute of Technology) .
- Board contribution: 30+ years across technology, retail, manufacturing; selected for supply chain scaling and omnichannel productivity expertise .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Date | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (# shares) | Apr 10, 2025 | 3,421 | Less than 1% of shares outstanding . |
| RSUs outstanding | Feb 1, 2025 | 2,929 | Director table indicates RSUs scheduled to settle within 60 days included in beneficial ownership calculations per footnotes . |
| Ownership guidelines | Policy | 3.0x annual cash retainer; compliance window 5 years; company states all directors are compliant or within prescribed timeframe |
- Hedging/pledging: Directors are prohibited from hedging and pledging company stock under the Insider Trading Policy .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence affirmed; seasoned operator with deep supply chain/digital expertise—useful for audit oversight of operations risk and strategic initiatives even without committee service .
- Strong alignment mechanisms: annual RSU grants and 3x retainer stock ownership guidelines; hedging/pledging prohibited; clawback policy in place .
- Board responsiveness: declassification and removal of supermajority provisions proposed following off‑season shareholder engagement—positive for shareholder rights and confidence .
- Attendance/engagement standards met and robust director orientation/education program supports board effectiveness .
-
Watchpoints
- External executive role at Alphabet (Google Cloud) could present perceived conflicts if Academy were to engage Google materially; however, the company reports no related person transactions requiring disclosure since 2024 and has a formal Related Party Transaction Policy with Audit Committee oversight and recusals .
- No current committee assignments reduces direct influence on audit/compensation/governance levers; monitoring future committee placement could signal increased board impact .
-
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed: no related‑party transactions, no pledging/hedging, no attendance shortfalls, no director compensation anomalies beyond typical pro‑rations for partial year service .