Martha J. Crawford
Blink ChargingAbout Martha J. Crawford
Martha J. Crawford (age 57) joined Blink Charging Co.’s board in December 2024; she is an Operating Partner at Macquarie Asset Management and an internationally recognized technologist with C‑suite experience in chemicals, energy, and environmental services . She holds an MS and PhD in Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Harvard), an MBA from Collège des Ingénieurs, and an Executive Certificate from Columbia Business School; she previously served on EURONEXT-listed boards (Altran Technologies, Ipsen SA, Suez SA) and taught at Harvard Business School from 2016–2019 . Blink’s board has determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Liquide | Global VP of R&D | 1997–2016 | Led decarbonization technologies development (H2 energy storage/propulsion, CCS) |
| Areva (now Orano) | Global VP of R&D | 1997–2016 | Oversaw major clean energy innovation programs |
| Harvard Business School | Faculty (Gov/Ethics; Clean Energy Innovation) | 2016–2019 | Governance and ethics instruction; energy innovation thought leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macquarie Asset Management | Operating Partner | Since 2021 | PE fund in infrastructure (~$80B AUM); serves on two MAM-owned waste management boards |
| Altran Technologies (EURONEXT) | Director | Prior | Engineering/R&D services board experience |
| Ipsen SA (EURONEXT) | Director | Prior | Biopharmaceutical governance experience |
| Suez SA (EURONEXT) | Director | Prior | Water/waste and decentralized energy board experience |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; Chair of Growth & Strategy Committee; expected to join the Audit Committee following the 2025 Annual Meeting .
- Independence: Board determined Crawford was independent in 2024; a majority of Blink’s directors are independent and meet regularly in executive session .
- Attendance: The Board met 11 times in 2024; each director attended or participated in ≥75% of aggregate Board/committee meetings; all directors attended last year’s virtual annual meeting .
- Engagement: The Compensation Committee met eight times; Audit Committee met six times; the Nominating, Corporate Governance & Sustainability (CGS) Committee met five times .
- Governance posture: Updated committee charters and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (May 2024/May 2025); independent chair structure with regular executive sessions .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $80,000 | Paid quarterly |
| Chair fee – Growth & Strategy Committee | $10,000 | Paid to committee chair |
| Member fee – Compensation Committee | $5,000 | Per member |
| Member fee – Audit Committee (if/when appointed) | $7,500 | Per member |
| 2024 actual fees earned (Crawford) | $5,435 | Joined Dec 2024; no 2024 stock awards shown |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Structure | Grant Value Policy | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director equity award | RSUs | $150,000 market value per non-employee director; Lead Independent Director receives additional $30,000 | Vests upon earlier of July 18, 2025 or immediately before next annual meeting (example 2024 grants to other directors) |
No director performance metrics disclosed or tied to director equity awards; equity is time-based to align director interests with shareholders .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None; no insider participation by committee members in 2024, and no transactions requiring Item 404 disclosure .
- Shared directorships: Not disclosed for Crawford beyond prior EURONEXT boards and current private-company boards within MAM’s portfolio .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical credentials: Chemical and Environmental Engineering (Harvard), applied to decarbonization technologies (hydrogen, CCS, offshore wind, large-scale solar) .
- Governance: Taught corporate governance and ethics at Harvard Business School; 15 years of public board experience .
- Strategic oversight: Chairs Blink’s Growth & Strategy Committee, which guides long-term growth, strategic initiatives, and governmental/regulatory affairs .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martha J. Crawford | 0 | <1% | No listed RSUs/options as of April 30, 2025 table; equity grants to directors typically occur annually but none shown for Crawford in 2024 |
Policies relevant to alignment:
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Blink securities by directors and officers .
- Related party transactions: No related-person transactions reportable since Jan 1, 2024; Board must approve any material related-party transactions .
- Clawback: Board can claw back annual incentive or performance-based compensation from executive officers and employees; no director-specific clawback disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Crawford brings deep clean-tech innovation and infrastructure investing experience; as Growth & Strategy Chair, she enhances oversight of strategic growth/M&A and regulatory affairs—critical areas for an EV charging operator scaling globally .
- Independence and committee roles: Independent director; active role on Compensation Committee and expected Audit membership increases coverage across pay and financial oversight; Blink’s committees are majority-independent and led by independent chairs .
- Engagement signals: High committee activity (Compensation 8x, Audit 6x, CGS 5x in 2024) and board attendance suggests strong engagement; board maintains NACD membership and continuing education for governance quality .
- Pay program responsiveness: Following a 63% say-on-pay approval in 2024, the Compensation Committee engaged holders (~17% of shares), clarified LTI disclosures, and shifted performance-based equity to 3-year measurement—positive signal for investor alignment .
- Ownership alignment: As of April 30, 2025, Crawford had no reported beneficial ownership—expected to improve with annual director RSU grant cycle, but current low ownership is a near-term alignment gap .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-person transactions; insider trading policy bans hedging/pledging; as an Operating Partner at MAM, no disclosed transactions between Blink and MAM portfolio companies; board monitors related party transactions and conflicts via Audit Committee .
RED FLAGS
- Very low disclosed ownership for Crawford as of April 30, 2025 (0 shares), pending expected annual RSU awards for directors .
- Late Section 16 filing: One late Form 3 filing noted for Crawford (no transactions) in 2024; minor filing compliance lapse .
POSITIVE SIGNALS
- Governance enhancements (updated charters, code) and independent committee leadership structure .
- Strategy oversight strengthened via new Growth & Strategy Committee chaired by Crawford .
- Shareholder feedback incorporated into executive LTI design (three-year measurement) .
Overall, Crawford’s technical depth in clean energy and infrastructure investing, combined with her roles across compensation, audit (expected), and strategy oversight, support Blink’s board effectiveness in risk management and strategic execution, though improved director-level ownership would better signal alignment to investors .