Erin Kane
ChemoursAbout Erin N. Kane
Erin Kane (age 48) is an independent director of The Chemours Company (CC) since 2019 and currently serves as President and CEO of AdvanSix. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Bucknell University and brings more than two decades of executive leadership in chemicals, with deep expertise in operations, safety, engineering, and technology .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AdvanSix | President & CEO | 2016–present | Led spin-off and transformation into diversified chemistry company; drove operational excellence and sustainability initiatives |
| Honeywell | VP & GM, Resins & Chemicals; Business Director, Chemical Intermediates; Global Marketing Manager; Product Marketing Manager; Six Sigma Black Belt | 2002–2016 | Led strategic growth and key client relationships; strengthened market positioning |
| Kvaerner Process / Elementis Specialties | Process Engineer | 1999–2002 | Early technical roles building foundational engineering experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AdvanSix Inc. (public company) | Director | 2016–present | Public company board service enhancing governance credentials |
| Manufacturers Alliance | Member/Director | 2023–present | Industry leadership and best-practice engagement |
| American Chemistry Counsel | Member/Director | 2017–present | Policy and industry standards participation |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all non-employee nominees, including Erin Kane, are independent under NYSE standards and CC’s Corporate Governance Guidelines .
- Committee roles: Audit Committee member; Compensation & Leadership Development Committee (CLDC) member; Chair of Environmental, Health, & Safety & Operational Performance (EHS&O) Committee .
- Audit Committee financial expert: The Board identified Kane as an “audit committee financial expert” (enhanced financial reporting oversight capacity) .
- Attendance/engagement: Board met 19 times in FY2024; Audit (18 meetings), CLDC (8), NCG (5), EHS&O (4). Each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; independent director executive sessions are held at each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Governance posture: Independent Chair; majority voting with resignation policy; anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies; ongoing board refresh; active shareholder engagement; proposal to eliminate supermajority voting for charter/bylaw amendments .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $105,000 | Standard non-employee director cash retainer |
| Committee Chair Retainer (EHS&O) | $17,500 | Chair fee applicable to Kane as EHS&O Chair |
| Meeting Fees | $0 | CC does not pay meeting fees; reasonable expenses reimbursed |
| 2024 Cash Earned (Kane) | $122,500 | Sum of retainer + chair fee |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Amount | Structure / Metric detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Equity Award | $160,000 | Granted as common stock or deferred stock units (DSUs); valued at grant date closing price ($27.50 on May 8, 2024; $18.72 on Aug 6, 2024); DSUs convert to shares upon board departure or an elected anniversary; dividend equivalents accrue on DSUs |
| 2024 Stock Awards (Kane) | $160,000 | Included in 2024 Director Compensation Table |
| Vesting/Performance Metrics | N/A | Director equity grants are not tied to performance metrics; design aligns interests via ownership and holding requirements |
Director ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must hold at least 6× the cash portion of annual retainer in CC stock/DSUs within five years; all non-employee directors either meet or are on track to meet guidelines .
Hedging/Pledging: Directors are prohibited from hedging and generally from pledging CC securities (special exceptions required) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| AdvanSix Inc. | President & CEO; Director | CC’s related-party transaction policy requires NCG Committee review/approval of any transactions with related persons; since the beginning of FY2024, no related person had a material interest in any CC business transaction or relationship (mitigates conflict risk) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Chemical industry leadership; R&D and technological innovation; marketing/business development; EHS and sustainability; operational excellence .
- Audit/financial oversight competency recognized through Audit Committee financial expert designation .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Direct | Indirect | Right to Acquire (Options/Units) | Total | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erin N. Kane | 0 | 0 | 50,226 (DSUs) | 50,226 | <1% |
- DSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024: 50,226 for Kane .
- Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies apply to directors; ownership guidelines target six times cash retainer within five years .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Multi-committee engagement with chair responsibility (EHS&O), audit financial expert status, independent director designation, and high meeting cadence/attendance signal robust oversight and engagement .
- Shareholder-friendly moves: Resubmission to eliminate supermajority vote provisions; independent Chair; majority voting; strong historical say‑on‑pay support (five-year average ~94.8%) bolster investor confidence .
- Controls oversight: Audit Committee actively oversaw successful remediation of prior material weaknesses; ICFR deemed effective at Dec 31, 2024 (supports credibility of reporting) .
- Conflicts: As AdvanSix CEO, potential counterparty interactions are governed by strict related‑party review; CC disclosed no material related‑person transactions since start of FY2024, reducing perceived conflict risk .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding attendance shortfalls, hedging/pledging, or related‑party transactions; continue monitoring any CC‑AdvanSix commercial dealings due to executive role interlock .