Javed Ahmed
CF Industries HoldingsAbout Javed Ahmed
Javed Ahmed, age 65, has served as an independent director of CF Industries since 2018. He is the former CEO of Tate & Lyle PLC (2009–April 2018) and previously spent 17 years at Reckitt Benckiser, with earlier roles at Procter & Gamble and Bain & Co. His core credentials include public company governance, agriculture/food industry expertise, human capital management, strategy, environmental sustainability, risk management, EHS operations oversight, senior executive leadership, and accounting/finance . CF designates him independent, and he is currently a member of the Compensation & Management Development Committee and the Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tate & Lyle PLC | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2009 – Apr 2018 | Led global food/ingredients company; brings governance, strategy, ESG, EHS, risk, senior leadership, finance expertise |
| Reckitt Benckiser Group plc (Benckiser NV) | Senior roles | ~17 years | Consumer products leadership experience |
| Procter & Gamble | Early career | Not disclosed | Foundational CPG operating background |
| Bain & Co. | Consultant | ~5 years | Strategy consulting experience |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None (past 5 years) | — | — | CF proxy lists no other public company directorships for Ahmed in the past five years |
Board Governance
- Independence: CF states all non-employee directors (including Ahmed) are independent under NYSE standards; all standing committees are 100% independent .
- Committee assignments: Compensation & Management Development (member) and Corporate Governance & Nominating (member) .
- Attendance: Each director attended 100% of Board and relevant committee meetings in 2024 .
- Board structure: Independent Chair separate from CEO; executive sessions held at each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Shareholder alignment: Strong stock ownership guidelines; hedging and pledging by directors/officers prohibited; clawback policy in place .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $115,000 | Standard non‑employee director retainer; paid quarterly; no meeting fees |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Ahmed is not a committee chair; chair fees are $22,500 (Audit) and $17,500 (other committees), but not applicable to Ahmed |
| 2024 cash earned | $115,000 | Actual fees earned in 2024 |
| Other compensation (dividends) | $4,099 | Dividends on restricted stock |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Instrument | Grant Value (2024) | Vesting | Grant Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock | $159,976 | Vests on earlier of next annual meeting or first anniversary of grant, subject to continuing service | Annual grant for non‑employee directors; chair receives higher value; no director meeting fees |
CF’s director equity is time‑vested restricted stock; there are no director performance metrics tied to director compensation (performance metrics apply to executive AIP/LTIP, not to directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | None identified | No other public company boards for Ahmed in past 5 years per CF proxy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Accounting & Finance; Risk Management; Public Company Governance; Senior Executive Leadership (CEO); Strategy & Strategic Initiatives; Environmental Sustainability; EHS Aspects of Operations; Human Capital; Agriculture/Food industry focus .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 19,701 shares | As of March 13, 2025; includes 2,010 unvested restricted shares that can be voted |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | <1% | Less than 1% of class |
| Unvested restricted stock | 2,010 shares | Outstanding unvested restricted stock as of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer within 5 years | Directors have 5 years to reach 5× retainer; all directors/officers were in compliance as of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited | CF prohibits hedging and pledging by directors/officers |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Ahmed contributes deep operating and governance experience from leading a global food/ingredients company; his committee roles (Compensation, Governance) align with his strategic and human capital background .
- Independence and engagement: CF affirms his independence; 100% attendance signals strong engagement; CF’s governance structure (independent Chair, executive sessions, annual evaluations) supports effective oversight .
- Alignment: Material equity retainer ($159,976) alongside cash ($115,000) supports skin‑in‑the‑game; compliance with ownership guidelines and anti‑hedging/pledging policy bolster alignment and reduce red‑flag risks .
- Conflicts/related party exposure: CF maintains a robust related‑person transaction policy and disclosed a related‑party services relationship with Fidelity due to >5% ownership; no Ahmed‑specific related‑party transactions are disclosed in the proxy .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Ahmed: no attendance issues, no related‑party transactions, no pledging, and compensation structure is standard for CF directors .