Tara Walpert Levy
Bloomin' BrandsAbout Tara Walpert Levy
Independent director at Bloomin’ Brands since 2013; currently Vice President, Americas, YouTube (Google). Age 51. Harvard AB in Economics and Harvard MBA. Her core credentials include executive leadership across Google/YouTube, digital transformation, consumer/retail marketing, and human capital/talent management; she serves on BLMN’s Compensation Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google/YouTube | VP, Americas, YouTube | 2021–present | Leads regional business; digital/media execution |
| VP, Agency & Brand Solutions | 2017–2021 | Partner strategy with CROs/CMOs; market development | |
| VP, Agency Solutions | 2014–2017 | Agency ecosystem development | |
| Managing Director, Ads Marketing | 2011–2014 | Led communications & market development globally | |
| Visible World (Comcast-owned) | President | 2005–2011 | Built addressable video ad tech platform |
| McKinsey & Company | Associate Partner | 1999–2005 | Co-led Global Media & Entertainment, Sales & Marketing practices |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braze, Inc. (BRZE) | Director (Class III) | 2019–present | Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance; Member, Compensation & Leadership Development |
| Ad Council; John A. Reisenbach Foundation; American Advertising Federation; Ponto Footwear | Board/advisor | Various | Industry/community governance and advisory engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee assignment: Compensation Committee member at BLMN; the Compensation Committee met 5 times in FY2024 .
- Independence: Board determined Levy is independent under NASDAQ standards; also independent for compensation committee service .
- Attendance: In FY2024, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all directors then on the Board attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board and committee structure context: Board held 9 meetings; Audit (8 meetings), Nominating (7), Compensation (5). Current committee membership table confirms Levy on Compensation (Chair is Melanie Marein‑Efron) .
- Say‑on‑pay signal: 2024 say‑on‑pay received 97.4% support, indicating investor alignment with compensation governance .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Structure/Amount | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $95,000 | Non‑employee director |
| Committee member cash retainers | Compensation Committee member $12,500; Chair $30,000 | Annual; per committee |
| Other chair/member retainers | Audit Chair $30,000 / Member $15,000; Nominating Chair $30,000 / Member $10,000; Operating Committee Chair $30,000 / Member $10,000 | Annual |
| Non‑Executive Chair premium | +$85,000 cash retainer (2024 increase) | Chair only |
| Director fees actually paid (FY2024) | Tara Walpert Levy: $115,215 cash | As reported |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (standard director grant) | $155,000 fair value (closing price) | Vests in full at first annual meeting following grant | No dividends on unvested awards; subject to clawback |
| Tara Walpert Levy – FY2024 RSU grant | $155,023 grant‑date fair value | Unvested RSUs at 12/29/2024: 5,881 shares | Director equity under Board plan; time‑based vesting |
No performance-based metrics are disclosed for non‑employee director equity (grants are time‑based RSUs aligned to one‑year director terms) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braze, Inc. | Director (Class III) | Chair Nominating & Corporate Governance; Member Compensation & Leadership Development | Software/customer engagement; no BLMN‑disclosed related party transactions involving Levy |
| YouTube (Google) | Executive role (VP, Americas) | N/A | No Item 404 related party transactions disclosed for Levy; Board affirmed independence |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Digital/IT and transformation: Significant digital transformation leadership at Google/YouTube and Visible World .
- Consumer/retail marketing: Deep understanding of evolving consumer behavior; advisor to CMOs/CEOs on purchase funnel performance .
- Human capital/talent: Led talent initiatives at McKinsey/Visible World/Google .
- Education: Harvard AB (Economics), Harvard MBA .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tara Walpert Levy | 63,995 | <1% (star footnote) | Excludes 5,881 unvested RSUs not vesting within 60 days of 2/12/2025 |
| Stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual retainer for directors | Compliance | All non‑employee directors have met or are on track to meet guidelines |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited by policy | Alignment protection | Insider Trading Policy and governance practices restrict margin, pledging, hedging |
Fixed & Equity Compensation – FY2024 Detail
| Metric | Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tara Walpert Levy | 115,215 | 155,023 | 270,238 |
| Unvested RSUs at FY2024 YE | — | 5,881 shares | — |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Long-tenured independent director (since 2013) with high digital/consumer expertise; clear independence determination; attendance thresholds met; equity alignment via RSUs and stock ownership guidelines; clawback policy and no option repricing in equity plan strengthen governance .
- Compensation structure: Director pay mix balanced between cash retainer and time‑based RSUs; plan features include minimum vesting standards, no dividends on unvested awards, and director award limits ($500k combined cash+equity per year, non‑exec chair excluded) .
- Conflicts/related party: Proxy states no related party transactions requiring disclosure other than Brazil/OSRB items (not involving Levy). Independence reaffirmed; Insider Trading Policy restricts hedging/pledging, reducing misalignment risk .
- Signals: Strong 2024 say‑on‑pay vote (97.4%) and use of independent consultant FW Cook for Board compensation benchmarking; periodic committee rotation considerations per Corporate Governance Guidelines support Board effectiveness .
Overall, Levy’s independence, expertise in digital/consumer domains, committee service, and ownership alignment support investor confidence. No director‑specific red flags disclosed (attendance shortfalls, related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or anomalous pay practices) .