Kristin C. Peck
BlackRockAbout Kristin C. Peck
Kristin C. Peck is an independent director of BlackRock, Inc. (BLK), age 53, serving since 2021 (tenure 3 years). She is the CEO of Zoetis Inc. (since 2020) and previously held senior roles at Zoetis and Pfizer in strategy, business development, and U.S. operations; her expertise spans senior executive leadership, branding/marketing, global business, and public company/financial reporting . The Board determined she is “independent” under NYSE standards, with no material relationships with BlackRock .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoetis Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | 2020–present | Led innovation and strategy; technology and science focus |
| Zoetis Inc. | EVP & Group President, U.S. Operations, Business Development & Strategy | 2018–2020 | U.S. operations leadership; business development |
| Zoetis Inc. | EVP & President, U.S. Commercial Operations | 2015–2018 | U.S. commercial execution |
| Zoetis Inc. | EVP & Group President | 2012–2015 | Portfolio leadership across segments |
| Pfizer Inc. | EVP, Worldwide Business Development & Innovation | Prior to 2012 | Corporate development, innovation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoetis Inc. | Director | 2019–present | Public company directorship |
| Thomson Reuters Corporation | Director | 2016–2020 | Prior public company board |
| Mayo Clinic | Board member | Current | Non-profit board |
| Columbia Business School | Board member | Current | Academic board |
| Business Roundtable | Member | Current | CEO policy forum |
| Catalyst | Board member | Current | Non-profit advancing women in leadership |
| HealthforAnimals | President | Current | Global animal health association |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Governance Committee (NGC). NGC responsibilities include director selection, committee membership recommendations, Board performance reviews, governance policies, oversight of the Related Persons Transaction Policy, shareholder engagement on governance/sustainability, and periodic review of sustainability and public policy activities; all NGC members are independent .
- Independence: The Board determined in March 2025 that Ms. Peck is independent under NYSE standards; none of her relationships with BlackRock are material .
- Attendance: The full Board met 10 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate Board and committee meetings on which they served. Directors are encouraged to attend annual shareholder meetings; all directors serving and nominated in 2024 attended the 2024 Annual Meeting. Committee meetings held in 2024: Audit 15, MDCC 8, NGC 6, Risk 6, Executive 3 .
- Board leadership: Chairman Laurence D. Fink; Lead Independent Director Murry S. Gerber. Governance practices include executive sessions of independent directors, annual Board/committee self-evaluations, and annual review of guidelines and charters .
- Shareholder support: 2025 election votes for Peck—For: 125,790,692; Against: 522,069; Abstain: 139,524; Broker non-votes: 12,158,081 .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | 2024 Amounts/Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer | $85,000 (Q1–Q3 annualized), $100,000 (Q4 annualized); paid quarterly in arrears | Directors may elect to receive common stock or DSUs in lieu of cash . |
| Committee Annual Retainer (Chair/Member) | Audit: $40,000 / $25,000; MDCC: $30,000 / $15,000; NGC: $30,000 / $15,000; Risk: $30,000 / $15,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears; new directors rotating receive one general committee retainer . |
| Lead Independent Director Retainer | $100,000 | Separate from standard retainers . |
| Peck – Fees Earned/Paid in Cash | $112,395 | She elected to receive common stock in lieu of $112,395 of retainers (amount included in “Fees Earned”). Total fees are reported; component breakdown not disclosed . |
Director compensation program updates effective Oct 1, 2024: (i) Annual Board Retainer increased to $100,000; (ii) Annual Equity Grant increased to $250,000 starting Jan 2025; (iii) prorated initial equity grants for mid-year appointments. Ownership requirement: directors must own at least $500,000 in shares within five years; all directors have met or are on track .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Equity Grant (DSUs) | $240,000 grant; 300 DSUs; vested upon election/re-election at May 15, 2024 meeting; settlement in BLK shares generally on the earlier of third anniversary of grant or departure from Board (lump sum or five annual installments) . | $250,000 DSU grant program level, beginning Jan 2025 per MDCC update . |
| Peck – Stock Awards (Grant-date fair value) | $239,648 | Not applicable (reported when granted; program level update disclosed) . |
| Peck – DSUs Outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) | 1,414 | Not disclosed for 2025 as of proxy date . |
Notes: Directors may elect to settle DSUs in a lump sum or equal annual installments over five years upon Board departure; grants approved under the Third Amended and Restated 1999 Stock Award and Incentive Plan .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles (if disclosed) | Interlock/Transactions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zoetis Inc. | Director | Not disclosed in BLK proxy | No BLK related-person transactions disclosed; independence affirmed . |
| Thomson Reuters Corporation | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Prior role; no BLK related-person transactions disclosed . |
Related-person transactions oversight: The Board’s written policy requires NGC/Board approval for transactions >$120,000 with a related person; factors considered include benefits to BlackRock, independence impact, availability of alternatives, and whether terms are comparable to third parties .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior Executive & Corporate Governance; Branding & Marketing; Global Business; Public Company & Financial Reporting .
- Brings perspective on driving innovation and strategy; technology/science-driven innovation to meet client needs .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Shares | % Outstanding | Deferred/Restricted Stock Units & Options (vested or vest within 60 days) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kristin C. Peck | 791 | <1.0% | 873 | 1,664 |
As of March 28, 2025, BLK had 155,022,282 shares outstanding . Stock ownership guidelines for directors: $500,000 minimum within five years; directors have met or are on track .
Insider Trades (Form 4 – recent)
| Date | Transaction | Shares | Price/Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-09-30 | Stock award (Non-employee director grant under Stock Award and Incentive Plan) | 1,750 | $1,165.87 per share (basis used for grant) |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment signals: Peck elected to receive common stock in lieu of retainer cash ($112,395), increasing equity alignment; annual equity grants in DSUs vest post-election and settle after a three-year horizon or departure, promoting long-term orientation .
- Independence and conflicts: The Board affirmed Peck’s independence with no material relationships; related-party transactions are overseen by NGC under a written policy. No related-party transactions involving Peck are disclosed, reducing conflict risk .
- Engagement and attendance: Board met 10 times in 2024; directors (including Peck) met at least the 75% attendance threshold; all directors serving and nominated in 2024 attended the Annual Meeting, supporting engagement .
- Investor confidence: Strong 2025 election support for Peck (125.8M “For” vs. 0.52M “Against”); say-on-pay for NEOs passed (For: 85,315,675; Against: 40,887,779), indicating overall shareholder support for BLK’s governance and compensation framework .
- Ownership guideline: Directors must own $500,000 in BLK shares within five years; directors are on track. Peck’s beneficial ownership is modest (791 shares; 873 DSUs), but program structure and her equity elections suggest increasing alignment over time .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding pledging/hedging, related-party transactions, or low attendance. Ownership is relatively small in absolute shares, though mitigated by DSUs and the five-year guideline trajectory .