Alexis DeSieno
CardlyticsAbout Alexis DeSieno
Cardlytics’ Chief Financial Officer since August 14, 2023; previously Senior Vice President at Clear Secure (CLEAR), with earlier finance leadership roles at SoulCycle and Estée Lauder. She holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.S. in Brain & Cognitive Sciences from MIT; she was 39 at appointment per the July 18, 2023 8-K . CDLX’s pay-for-performance program emphasizes Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted Contribution as the two most important performance measures; 2024 annual bonuses were tied to Adjusted EBITDA and paid 0% due to underperformance . Company “Pay vs. Performance” TSR values (value of $100 investment) were $227 (2020), $46 (2021), $9 (2022), $159 (2023), and $64 (2024) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Secure, Inc. (NYSE: YOU) | Senior Vice President (Finance, BI, IR, Procurement); helped lead IPO | Apr 2020 – Jul 2023 | Led finance functions, budgeting/planning, and investor relations through growth and public markets transition |
| SoulCycle Inc. | Vice President and Senior Director, Strategic Finance & Analytics | May 2017 – Apr 2020 | Drove strategic finance and analytics to support multi-unit consumer growth |
| The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. | Director, Financial Planning & Analysis | Jul 2014 – May 2017 | Led FP&A for global beauty portfolio segments |
| Prior roles (Wall Street/investment banking) | Executive and associate roles | — | Capital markets and analytical rigor carried into operating finance leadership |
External Roles
- No public company directorships disclosed in CDLX filings for Ms. DeSieno .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | 153,538 | 400,001 (initial CFO salary $400,000) |
| Target Bonus (% of Salary) | 75% (eligibility at hire) | 75% (target $300,000) |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | 165,000 (signing bonus) | 0 (no payout under 2024 Bonus Plan) |
| Retention/Promotion Cash ($) | — | $200,000 retention bonus approved Aug 15, 2024; 50% paid Feb 15, 2025 and 50% scheduled Aug 15, 2025; repay if voluntary resignation before Aug 15, 2025 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | 7,086 (401k/insurance) | 19,102 (401k/insurance) |
| Total Compensation ($) | 5,227,966 | 2,244,359 |
Performance Compensation
Annual Incentive (2024 Bonus Plan)
| Metric | Weighting | Threshold | Target | Max | Actual | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA | Corporate component; individual modifers allowed | $14.4m → 50% | $28.8m → 100% | $34.56m → 120% | Below threshold | 0% (no payout) |
Notes
- 2024 target bonus opportunity set at 75% of base salary ($300,000); no payout due to underperformance vs adjusted EBITDA .
- In response to investor feedback, CDLX plans to add a second metric (Billings) to the 2025 Bonus Plan and re-introduce PSUs in 2025 to strengthen long-term alignment .
Long-Term Incentives (Equity)
| Award | Grant Date | Shares Granted | Vesting Terms | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inducement RSU (on hire) | Aug 14, 2023 | 350,000 | 50% vests on 1st anniversary of hire; remaining 50% vests quarterly over the next year; subject to service | Included in 2023 Stock Awards ($4,784,500) |
| 2018 EIP RSU | Mar 22, 2024 | 114,796 | Eight equal installments on Jul 1, 2024; Oct 1, 2024; Jan 1, 2025; Apr 1, 2025; Jul 1, 2025; Oct 1, 2025; Jan 1, 2026; Apr 1, 2026; service-based | 1,825,256 |
Vesting/realization in 2024
- Shares acquired on vesting in 2024: 247,449; value realized: $1,002,850 .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership | 140,948 shares as of Mar 26, 2025; includes 43,750 RSUs vesting within 60 days; <1% of outstanding (52,174,481 shares outstanding) |
| Unvested RSUs at 12/31/2024 | 131,250 (Inducement Plan 2023 grant); 86,097 (Apr 2024 RSU grant; remaining vests quarterly for 6 quarters) |
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | NEOs required to hold 1x base salary in stock; five-year compliance window; currently compliant (subject to phase-in) |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited from short sales, options, hedging, holding in margin accounts, or pledging company stock |
Insider selling pressure indicators
- Scheduled vesting creates periodic supply: remaining installments from the Mar 22, 2024 RSU occur on Apr 1, 2025; Jul 1, 2025; Oct 1, 2025; Jan 1, 2026; Apr 1, 2026; Inducement RSU continues quarterly through the second year post‑hire (to Aug 2025), subject to service .
Employment Terms
| Term | Key Economics |
|---|---|
| Offer/Start | Hired as CFO effective Aug 14, 2023; base salary $400,000; eligible for 75% target bonus; $165,000 signing bonus (repay if voluntary departure within 12 months); 350,000 inducement RSUs with 50%/1‑yr cliff then quarterly over year two |
| Severance (non‑CIC) | If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason: 12 months base salary, 12 months health benefits, and pro‑rated bonus if qualified |
| Change‑in‑Control (CIC) | Double-trigger equity acceleration: If within 90 days before or 1 year after a CIC the NEO is terminated without cause, resigns for good reason, or has material adverse changes (duties, compensation, or work location), all unvested equity vests in full |
| Estimated CIC Termination Value (as of 12/31/2024, $3.71/share) | Severance $400,000; Equity acceleration $806,357; Health benefits $19,102; Total $1,225,459 |
| Clawback | Company maintains a Dodd-Frank/Nasdaq‑compliant Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy |
Governance, Say‑on‑Pay, and Related Party
- Say‑on‑Pay approval improved to ~63.8% in 2024 (from ~51.9% in 2023); Board responded by planning 2025 PSUs, adding a second annual bonus metric, and removing equity plan evergreen provisions to require shareholder approval for increases .
- No related party transactions above $120,000 since Jan 1, 2024; Section 16 filings timely for FY2024 .
- Policies prohibit hedging/pledging; ownership guidelines in place for alignment .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance discipline: 2024 annual bonus paid 0% against an Adjusted EBITDA framework, signaling tighter cash incentive alignment; 2025 plan shifts (PSUs, dual metrics) should improve long-term alignment and reduce discretion risk .
- Retention vs. overhang: A $200,000 retention bonus (repayable if she resigns before Aug 15, 2025) and substantial unvested RSUs through 2026 anchor retention; however, scheduled RSU vesting dates concentrate potential selling windows that could create episodic supply, absent trading restrictions under blackout windows and policy .
- CIC economics: Double-trigger equity acceleration could increase share overhang risk in a sale scenario; estimated CIC termination value was ~$1.23 million as of year-end 2024, including ~$0.81 million of equity at $3.71/share .
- Alignment safeguards: Strict anti-hedging/pledging policy, ownership guidelines (1x salary for NEOs), and a formal clawback policy bolster governance and investor alignment .
- Shareholder scrutiny: Say‑on‑Pay approval (63.8%) remains below typical support levels, keeping compensation design under investor focus; the 2025 enhancements directly address prior feedback and should incrementally reduce governance risk if executed consistently .