Laurie Yoler
CHURCH & DWIGHT CO INC /DE/About Laurie Yoler
Laurie J. Yoler (age 60) is an independent director of Church & Dwight, serving since 2018. She is a Partner at Playground Global and previously served as Senior Vice President, Business Development of Qualcomm and President of Qualcomm Labs, bringing deep technology, product, corporate development, and M&A expertise to the Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm, Inc. / Qualcomm Labs | Senior Vice President, Business Development; President, Qualcomm Labs | Mar 2013 – Jan 2016 | Led internal innovation, strategic partnerships, acquisitions/divestitures |
| GrowthPoint Technology Partners | Partner & Managing Director | Feb 2006 – Mar 2013 | Investment banking; tech transactions |
| Intellectual Ventures LLC | Chief Development Officer | Sep 2004 – Jul 2005 | Corporate development |
| Packet Design & Precision I/O | VP, Business Development & Marketing | Mar 2001 – Sep 2004 | Early-stage tech product/BD |
| Visa, Sun Microsystems, Accenture, PwC | Various roles (strategy/product/corp dev, sales/marketing) | Earlier career | Product launches and innovation roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptiv PLC | Technical Advisory Board Member | Current | Automotive technology; advisory capacity (not a director) |
| Bose Corporation | Board Member | Jun 2018 – Jun 2024 | Consumer audio; private company |
| Zoox Inc. | Board Member & Strategic Advisor | 2015 – 2020 | Autonomous vehicle/AI; acquired by Amazon |
| Tesla, Inc. | Founding Board Member; Advisory Board Member | 2003 – 2008 (Board); 2008 – 2013 (Advisory) | EVs/energy; early governance role |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation & Human Capital Committee; Governance, Nominating & Corporate Responsibility Committee .
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Yoler is independent under NYSE standards and Company categorical guidelines .
- Attendance: Each incumbent director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings in 2024; meeting counts—Board: 9, Audit: 5, Compensation & Human Capital: 5, Governance: 4; Executive: 0 .
- Independent oversight: 3 fully independent committees; regular executive sessions of independent directors led by the Lead Director (moving to independent Chair), and robust governance practices (majority voting, proxy access, no supermajority) .
- Overboarding control: Directors limited to four public-company boards (including CHD); all directors compliant .
- Board education & risk oversight: Board hosted AI experts in 2024; Audit Committee oversees cybersecurity risk; structured ERM with quarterly reporting to Audit and Board .
Fixed Compensation
2024 director compensation (Yoler):
| Component | 2024 Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | — | Elected equity settlement/default share method for fee-based compensation |
| Stock Awards | 200,000 | Includes RSUs ($80,000) plus base retainer paid in stock ($120,000) per plan design |
| Option Awards | 80,000 | 50% of annual equity grant delivered as options |
| Total | 280,000 | Aggregate 2024 compensation |
Director fee framework (for context):
- Standard annual retainer for non-employee directors: $120,000; Committee chair retainers: Audit $145,000; Compensation & Human Capital $140,000; Governance $140,000; Lead Director $150,000; Annual equity grant: $160,000 .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | 2024 Grant Value ($) | Vesting | Change-in-Control/Retirement Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs | 80,000 | Vest in full on first anniversary of grant, continued Board service required | Retirement (≥6 years service): 100% immediate vest; death/disability: immediate vest and settle in shares |
| Stock Options | 80,000 | Vest in full on earlier of 3rd anniversary or 3rd annual meeting, continued Board service required | Retirement (≥6 years service): continue to vest; remain outstanding for remainder of option term; death/disability: continue to vest; remain outstanding up to 3 years (or earlier expiration) |
- Equity mix: Non-employee directors receive 50% options and 50% RSUs, granted in the first open window after the earnings release tied to the annual meeting; no more than one equity grant per calendar year .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public-company directorships: None disclosed for Yoler; Aptiv role is advisory (reduces interlock risk with CHD’s CPG ecosystem) .
- Overboarding policy and compliance: CHD limits directors to four public boards, reviewed annually; all directors in compliance (supports focus/attendance) .
- Compensation committee interlocks: None—committee members (including Yoler) were not CHD officers and had no disclosable related relationships in 2024; no reciprocal executive-officer interlocks .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology strategy and innovation: Extensive leadership across product development, corporate development, and M&A in tech; prior roles at Qualcomm, GrowthPoint, and early-stage firms .
- Board-relevant skills: Contributions to technology, acquisitions, marketing, business development, and international operations; aligns with Board’s education emphasis on AI and evolving cyber risk oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 52,220 | Includes options exercisable within 60 days (41,150) and RSUs expected to settle within 60 days (750) |
| Percent of shares outstanding | <1% | CHD shares outstanding: 246,109,929 (as of Mar 5, 2025) |
| Options held (total) at Dec 31, 2024 | 52,790 | Director-level outstanding options |
| RSUs held at Dec 31, 2024 | 750 | Director-level RSUs |
| Notional shares (Deferred Director Plan) | 0 | No deferrals shown for Yoler |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None | Pledging/hedging/short sales prohibited for directors |
| Trust-held shares | 9,500 | Shared voting/investment power |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 5x annual retainer ($600,000) | All non-employee directors on track to meet within five years of guideline date/join date; options excluded from guideline value |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; service on governance-critical committees (Compensation & Human Capital and Governance/Nominating/Corporate Responsibility); robust attendance; strong equity alignment (all fees taken in shares); anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies; no related-party transactions in 2024 .
- Compensation structure alignment: Annual equity split between RSUs/options with multi-year vesting; equity retainer paid in stock; ownership guideline at 5x retainer; supports long-term alignment and reduces short-term risk-taking .
- Committee quality: Compensation committee uses independent consultant Semler Brossy; charters cover risk reviews (pay risk, human capital, sustainability governance), enhancing oversight effectiveness .
- Potential conflicts: External roles (Playground Global, Aptiv advisory) are in technology sectors distinct from CHD’s CPG core; Company reports no disclosable related-party transactions, and pledging/hedging are prohibited—no direct conflict signals disclosed .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed—no related-party transactions; no hedging/pledging; attendance threshold met; overboarding compliance; options repricing prohibited; clawbacks in place for executives; director compensation capped at $750,000 annually .