Susan Lyne
About Susan Lyne
Susan M. Lyne (age 74) has served as an independent director of Blade Air Mobility (BLDE) since May 2021. She is President and Managing Partner of BBG Ventures (since September 2014), with prior CEO roles at AOL Brand Group (2013–2014), Gilt Groupe (CEO then Chair, 2008–2013), and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (CEO, 2004–2008), and earlier leadership at The Walt Disney Company as President of ABC Entertainment (1996–2004) . She is currently a director of GoPro, Inc., where she chairs the Compensation Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AOL, Inc. | CEO, AOL Brand Group | Feb 2013–Sep 2014 | Oversaw TechCrunch, Engadget, StyleList, Moviefone, MapQuest |
| Gilt Groupe, Inc. | CEO; Chair | Sep 2008–Feb 2013 | Led ecommerce pioneer in flash sales; governance leadership as Chair |
| Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. | President & CEO | 2004–2008 | Operated diversified media/merchandising company |
| The Walt Disney Company / ABC Entertainment | President, ABC Entertainment; other positions | 1996–2004 | Network leadership; content strategy |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBG Ventures | President & Managing Partner | Sep 2014–Present | Early-stage investing; governance of portfolio |
| GoPro, Inc. (Nasdaq) | Director; Chair, Compensation Committee | Current | Leads exec pay oversight; compensation governance |
| Prior Boards | Director | Prior | Gilt Groupe; AOL, Inc.; Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia; Starz Entertainment Group; CIT Group, Inc. |
Board Governance
- Classification and term: BLDE has a classified board; Lyne is a Class III director with next election expected at the 2027 Annual Meeting .
- Independence: The Board determined Susan Lyne is independent under Nasdaq and Rule 10A‑3 of the Exchange Act .
- Committee assignments:
- Compensation Committee: Chair (continues post-Annual Meeting) .
- Audit Committee: Member .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Not listed as a member in 2024 .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met 5 times; Audit 4; Compensation 5; NCGC 2. Each director attended at least 75% of aggregate meetings; independent directors meet regularly in executive session; six of eight directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2024) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Paid in Cash | $62,500 | Director cash fees per August 2024 program election |
| Stock Awards (RSUs, grant-date fair value) | $128,906 | RSUs granted; valued under ASC 718 |
| All Other Compensation | $23,984 | Value of air/car transportation on Blade services per Flight Benefit Policy |
| Total | $215,390 | Sum of cash, equity, other |
Director compensation program (approved August 2024; elections permitted in cash or RSUs):
| Role | Compensation |
|---|---|
| Director | $150,000 RSU award; plus $50,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| Board Chair | $50,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| Audit Chair | $20,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| Compensation Chair | $15,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| NCGC Chair | $10,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| Audit Member | $10,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| Compensation Member | $7,500 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
| NCGC Member | $5,000 in RSUs or cash (at election) |
- Equity vesting: 2024 director RSUs vest 100% on the date of the 2025 Annual Meeting; cash director payments vest quarterly from May 2, 2024 .
- As of 12/31/2024, Lyne had 42,826 RSUs outstanding (base award; continuing director) .
Performance Compensation
| Performance Metric | Weighting/Design | FY2024 Director Application |
|---|---|---|
| Company performance metrics (e.g., revenue, EBITDA, TSR) | Not applicable | No performance-based awards disclosed for non-employee directors; RSUs are time-based |
| Options/PSUs for directors | Not applicable | Company has not granted option-like instruments in recent years; director equity is RSU-based |
No director-specific performance metrics or PSUs disclosed; RSUs vest based on continued service and annual meeting timing .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Nature | Potential Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|
| GoPro, Inc. | Current public company directorship; Compensation Committee Chair | No BLDE supplier/customer overlap disclosed; routine multi-board service |
| Prior public boards (AOL, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, CIT Group, Starz Entertainment Group) | Historical governance roles | No BLDE-related-party exposure disclosed |
- Nomination/Investor rights overlays at BLDE: Sponsor and RB Lift nomination rights shaped board composition historically; Lyne is not a Sponsor/RedBird nominee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Operating CEO experience in media/consumer e-commerce; board leadership and compensation governance expertise; qualifies her to lead BLDE’s Compensation Committee .
- No family relationships among directors/executives .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned (Class A) | 151,651 | <1% of outstanding; based on 79,955,438 shares outstanding as of 3/13/2025 |
| Composition detail | 108,825 shares + 42,826 RSUs | RSUs vest within 60 days of 3/13/2025 (counted for beneficial ownership) |
| Ownership Guidelines | Directors: 5x max potential annual cash retainer | All directors in compliance as of 12/31/2024; RSUs count toward compliance |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy for directors/officers/employees |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Lyne chairs Compensation and serves on Audit—key oversight points for pay design, risk, controls, and related-party reviews; attendance threshold met per Board disclosures .
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirmatively determined independence; no related-party transactions involving Lyne disclosed; Audit Committee reviews and must approve any related-party transactions; directors with interests must recuse .
- Pay-for-performance and alignment: Director pay skewed to equity (time-based RSUs) alongside cash elections; Lyne’s FY2024 mix was $128,906 stock vs $62,500 cash; ownership guidelines enforced and in compliance; anti-hedging/pledging supports alignment .
- Potential signals/red flags:
- Flight benefits are disclosed and quantified ($23,984 for Lyne in FY2024); common in mobility businesses but worth monitoring for optics and escalation .
- Classified board with plurality voting reduces immediate accountability; offset by regular executive sessions and committee oversight .
- External compensation chair role (GoPro) adds expertise, but monitor bandwidth and evolving compensation practices for cross-pollination risk (no conflict disclosed) .
Overall, Lyne’s profile is governance-positive: independent status; dual committee leadership (Comp Chair; Audit Member); strong attendance; equity-weighted compensation with ownership compliance; and strict anti-hedging/pledging policy. No related-party or pledging red flags disclosed .