Axel Harries
Director at CHPT
Board
About Axel Harries
Axel Harries (age 60) is an independent Class I director of ChargePoint Holdings, Inc., serving since 2016 (Legacy ChargePoint since October 2016; ChargePoint since February 2021). He is Head of Global Customer Service and Parts for Mercedes‑Benz AG and previously led product management/sales, EV architecture, and quality management across Mercedes‑Benz Cars; he studied product engineering with finance and management accounting at Furtwangen University, Germany . The Board has affirmatively determined he is independent under NYSE standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz AG | Head of Global Customer Service & Parts | May 2023–present | Global aftersales operations; customer service and parts leadership |
| Mercedes-Benz AG | VP Product Management & Sales | Jun 2017–May 2023 | Commercial leadership across product management and sales |
| Mercedes-Benz Cars | Lead, Connected/Autonomous/Shared & Services and Electric Drive unit | Jul 2016–Jun 2017 | Responsible for all‑electric vehicle architecture and technology programs |
| Mercedes-Benz Cars | Lead, Quality Management | Jul 2014–Jul 2016 | Quality systems and vehicle quality oversight |
| Mercedes-Benz Cars | Head, G‑Wagon Business Unit | Jul 2008–Jun 2014 | Business unit management, iconic platform stewardship |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes‑Benz AG | Head of Global Customer Service & Parts | May 2023–present | Executive role (not disclosed as a board directorship) |
| Mercedes‑Benz Cars (prior roles) | Various leadership roles | 1993–2017 (as listed) | Operational and technology leadership |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Harries is independent under NYSE rules .
- Committee assignments: Not listed as a member of Audit, Compensation & Organizational Development, or Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees .
- Attendance: In FY2025, the Board held 8 meetings; each director attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings, except Ms. Chao (70%) .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Bruce Chizen) presides over executive sessions; CEO and Chair roles separated .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2025 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $40,000 | Program level; paid quarterly |
| Chair/Committee cash fees | $0 | Harries is not a chair or committee member |
| FY2025 cash earned | $40,000 | Harries’ “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash” |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Shares/Value | Vesting | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | 115,552 RSUs; grant-date fair value $204,527 | Vests in full on the earlier of one-year from grant or next annual meeting (subject to service) | Annual non‑employee director award sized at ~$185,000; share count based on 20‑day average price |
| Change-in-control/death/disability | — | Accelerated vesting of director RSUs/new‑director RSUs upon death, permanent disability, or change in control | Applies to director equity; general director program terms |
No director PSUs/options disclosed for Harries; his equity is time-based RSUs (not performance-based). Annual director equity program targets ~$185,000; Harries’ FY2025 RSUs follow standard vesting .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Company | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | — | — | None disclosed for Harries |
| Private/Non-profit boards | — | — | Not disclosed |
| Industry interlocks | Mercedes‑Benz AG | Executive role | Potential ecosystem proximity (automaker/EV charging), but no related-party transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 30+ years in automotive operations, product management, and quality (Mercedes‑Benz) .
- Led EV architecture programs; knowledge of Europe’s auto charging market .
- Education in product engineering with finance/management accounting (Furtwangen University, Germany) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 57,180 | Shares held directly |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | Company table indicates below 1% |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding | 115,552 | Director RSUs as of Jan 31, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited; pledging requires compliance approval | Insider Trading Policy prohibits derivatives/hedging; pledge only with approval |
| Director ownership guideline | 3× base retainer ($40k) | Must achieve within 5 years of adoption/appointment and maintain; company counts unvested time-based RSUs toward compliance |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths
- Independent director with deep OEM and EV architecture experience; valuable market/operational insight .
- Board-level guardrails: stock ownership guidelines (3× retainer), strict insider trading/hedging restrictions, clawback policies aligned with Dodd‑Frank/NYSE .
- No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Harries; Board/Audit Committee oversight policies for any related parties .
- FY2024 say‑on‑pay approval ~90% indicates general shareholder support for compensation framework .
- Watch items
- No committee assignments (Audit, Compensation, Nominating) reduces direct influence on key oversight areas relative to peers .
- Small disclosed share stake (<1%) may signal limited “skin in the game” at current prices, though director RSUs and ownership guidelines partially mitigate alignment concerns .
- The company pursued reverse stock split authorization to address NYSE minimum price compliance; governance-sensitive environment for investor confidence, though not specific to Harries .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure
- Corporate opportunity waiver removal: Board is seeking stockholder approval to delete the waiver from the Charter following litigation—positive governance remediation that narrows conflict risk for directors including Harries .
- RED FLAGS
- None specific to Harries disclosed (no low attendance or related‑party transactions). Committee non‑membership is a relative governance engagement gap .
Director Compensation (FY2025)
| Item | Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axel Harries | $40,000 | $204,527 | $244,527 |
Insider Trades
- Section 16(a) compliance: Company disclosed one late Form 4 for a former officer; no late filings disclosed for Harries in FY2025 .
Committee Assignments, Independence, Attendance
| Attribute | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Not a member | Committee comprised of Heystee, Singh‑Bushell, Dhruv, Harris |
| Compensation & Organizational Development Committee | Not a member | Committee comprised of Heystee, Chizen, Leschly, Linse |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | Not a member | Committee comprised of Bowman, Chao, Leschly, Wagoner |
| Independence | Independent | Affirmed by Board |
| Attendance | ≥75% | FY2025 Board attendance; Board held 8 meetings |