Mohammed Lawal
About Mohammed Lawal
Mohammed Lawal, age 58, is an independent director of Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc. (BWB) since 2020. He is the lead founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Principal Architect of LSE Architects, Inc. (since 2011), with over 34 years of design and planning experience. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Minnesota and was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2021, reflecting significant contributions to architecture and society .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSE Architects, Inc. | Lead Founder, CEO, Principal Architect | 2011–present | Led delivery across commercial, multifamily, hospitality; notable projects include U.S. Bank Stadium; brings real estate and construction market insight |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of the Hennepin County Library | President | Current |
| AIA Minnesota | Member; AIA College of Fellows | Elevated 2021; recognized for exceptional work and contributions |
Board Governance
- Independence: Affirmatively determined independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; 80% of Board is independent; all standing committees are fully independent .
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating and ESG Committee; committee met 2 times in 2024; chaired by Lisa Brezonik .
- Attendance: Board held 13 meetings in 2024; all directors attended at least 75% of combined Board+committee meetings; all directors attended last year’s virtual annual meeting .
- Lead Independent Director: David Juran serves as Lead Director; independent directors held two executive sessions in 2024 .
- Board structure: Declassification approved; Board will be fully declassified by 2026 .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer | Stock Awards (Grant-Date Fair Value) | All Other Compensation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $0 | $81,424 | $0 | $81,424 |
- Non-employee director program: $20,000 quarterly retainer; paid half in cash and half in fully-vested stock awards unless a director elects all stock; $1,000 travel stipend for out-of-state; Audit Chair receives an additional $5,000 quarterly cash retainer (not applicable to Lawal) .
- 2024 adjustments: Retainer levels unchanged; Pearl Meyer previously engaged for market benchmarking of director pay .
Performance Compensation
| Program Element | Performance Metric(s) | Applies to Directors? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director compensation | None disclosed | No | Paid as retainer (cash/fully-vested stock); no meeting fees; equity grants are not performance-conditioned |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Company/Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company board | None disclosed | — | No other public directorships disclosed for Lawal |
| Related-party transactions (RPT) | None disclosed | — | 2023–2024 RPTs involve other directors/entities (Greenwood, Colliers, North Shore); Lawal not listed in these transactions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Architecture/Real Estate: 34+ years in design, planning, programming; leads market-rate housing and commercial projects; unique insights into construction markets and CRE dynamics valuable for a bank with material real estate exposure .
- Recognition: AIA College of Fellows (2021) .
- Board-relevant skills: Entrepreneurial execution, market development, stakeholder engagement .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Pledged Shares | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Lawal | 29,461 | <1% (star indicates one percent or less) | Not disclosed for Lawal (no pledge footnote) | Director stock awards are fully-vested upon grant under program |
- Ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors expected to own ≥4x the annual cash retainer ($40,000), within five years; directors elected after 2020 must comply within five calendar years; all non-employee directors have achieved or are progressing appropriately .
- Hedging policy: Prohibition on hedging Company stock for directors, officers, employees .
Insider Trades
| Item | 2024 Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Section 16(a) compliance (Lawal) | No delinquent filings reported | Company noted one late Form 4 for Ms. Crocker; otherwise timely for required filers |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence and committee structure: Lawal serves on a fully independent Nominating and ESG Committee; Board majority independent; independent executive sessions held .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 13 times; directors met attendance thresholds; participation in annual meeting .
- Alignment: Lawal elected all-equity retainer in 2024 (no cash), increasing skin-in-the-game; stock ownership guidelines further align director incentives .
- Risk controls: Anti-hedging policy; ESG oversight embedded in committee charter; related party transaction policy places reviews with Audit Committee/special committees .
-
Watch items / potential investor concerns
- Director pay governance: Non-employee director compensation decisions are made by the full Board, which includes two NEOs—independent committees oversee executive pay, but the Board-level role in director pay that includes management is a mild governance risk to monitor .
- Committee cadence: Nominating and ESG met twice in 2024; given declassification, succession, and ESG oversight scope, investors may expect robust engagement; assess outputs rather than counting meetings .
- Board RPTs: Greenwood lease, Colliers finance/brokerage, and North Shore development fees involve other directors; although terms are represented as arm’s-length and reviewed, continued monitoring is prudent; Lawal is not involved in these arrangements .
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Overall read-through for investor confidence
- Lawal adds domain expertise in construction and real estate cycles—relevant for community banking CRE concentrations and market risk oversight .
- His compensation mix (100% equity retainer in 2024) and stock ownership guidelines support alignment; no pledging disclosure and anti-hedging policy mitigate misalignment risks .
- No disclosed conflicts or related-party exposure for Lawal in 2023–2024, and no delinquent Section 16 filings reported for him, supporting governance quality .