Javier E. Benito
About Javier E. Benito
Independent Trust Manager at Camden Property Trust since 2022; age 62. Former senior executive in consumer brands and hospitality with roles at Yum! Brands (including General Manager for KFC Latin America and the Caribbean; Chief Strategy Officer 2013–2014; Managing Director, European Franchise Business and Russia 2010–2013; EVP & CMO, KFC USA 2008–2010), Starwood Hotels & Resorts (EVP & CMO 2005–2007), Coca‑Cola (1994–2005), and Procter & Gamble (1987–1994). Education: B.A. in Economics, University of California–San Diego; MBA, University of Chicago. Classified as independent; currently serves on the Audit Committee and is designated an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | General Manager, KFC Latin America & Caribbean | Not disclosed | Senior GM role overseeing regional KFC business |
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | Chief Strategy Officer | 2013–2014 | Corporate strategy leadership |
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | Managing Director, European Franchise Business and Russia | 2010–2013 | Regional franchise leadership |
| Yum! Brands, Inc. | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, KFC USA | 2008–2010 | U.S. marketing leadership |
| Starwood Hotels & Resorts | EVP & Chief Marketing Officer | 2005–2007 | Global hospitality marketing |
| The Coca‑Cola Company | Various executive roles | 1994–2005 | Brand and commercial leadership |
| Procter & Gamble | Various roles | 1987–1994 | Early career in consumer products |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Investor | Investor | Current | Strategic/financial perspective |
| Public company boards | None | — | No current or past five‑year directorships |
Board Governance
- Independence: Camden’s Board has a majority of independent Trust Managers per NYSE standards; Benito is identified as INDEPENDENT.
- Committee work: Audit Committee member; audit committee financial expert; the Audit Committee met 5 times in 2024.
- Attendance and engagement: The Board met 5 times in 2024; all Trust Managers attended at least 80% of Board/committee meetings; all nominees standing for reelection attended last year’s Annual Meeting. Executive sessions of independent Trust Managers occur regularly before/after Board meetings.
- Board structure: Strong Lead Independent Trust Manager role with specified responsibilities and regular independent oversight practices.
| Committee | Role | Chair | Financial Expert | 2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | No | Yes | 5 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Date | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $12,500 | 2024 | N/A | Reflects committee fees; annual Board fee may be taken in equity |
| Stock Awards (aggregate grant‑date fair value) | $230,083 | 2024 | See below | ASC 718 fair value |
| Total Director Compensation | $242,583 | 2024 | — | Sum of cash and stock awards |
| Equity Award Component | Grant Value | Grant Date | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fully‑vested equity grant | $110,035 | May 10, 2024 | Fully vested at grant |
| Equity in lieu of $80,000 cash fee | $120,048 | May 10, 2024 | 25% at grant; 25% each of next three years; accelerated at age 65 |
- Director fee schedule context: Independent Trust Managers receive $80,000 annual fee (electable in shares at 150% of cash), plus role/committee fees; equity award increased to $120,000 effective May 9, 2025 to align with peer median.
Performance Compensation
| Element | Performance Metric | Applicability to Directors | 2024 Value/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performance‑based equity/bonus | Corporate financial metrics (e.g., FFO, NOI) | Not applicable to non‑employee directors | No director performance awards disclosed |
Director compensation is a mix of cash and time‑based equity; no director performance‑based equity metrics are disclosed.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Status | Years | Role/Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | — | No other public company directorships in past five years |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep marketing, brand, and strategy expertise across consumer, QSR, and hospitality; prior CMO and CSO roles.
- Audit Committee financial expert designation, indicating accounting/financial management proficiency.
- Advanced education in economics and business (MBA).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | As‑Of Date |
|---|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 5,101 | March 14, 2025 |
| Ownership % of class | <1% | March 14, 2025 |
| Unvested share awards (excluded from beneficial ownership) | 836 | March 14, 2025 |
| Unvested share awards (director fee equity, earlier period) | 1,598 | December 31, 2024 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 0 | March 14, 2025 |
| Compliance with director ownership guidelines (≥5x annual cash fee within 5 years) | In compliance | Current per Board policy |
- Hedging/short‑selling prohibited; pledging generally discouraged by policy.
- No shares disclosed as pledged for Benito.
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent status; Audit Committee service with “financial expert” designation; strong attendance culture and regular executive sessions; director equity election (150% of cash) enhances alignment; compliance with robust stock ownership guidelines.
- Conflicts/related party: Company reports no related party transactions requiring Item 404(a) disclosure; reduces conflict risk.
- Interlocks: No other current or recent public company boards; minimal interlock risk.
- Policy safeguards: Anti‑hedging; discouragement of pledging; clawback policy (for executive officers) demonstrates governance rigor.
- RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Benito (no pledging disclosed; no related‑party transactions; independent status; adequate attendance).
Overall signal: Benito’s profile supports investor confidence in board oversight—independent, financially literate, with a director pay design that emphasizes equity alignment and no apparent conflicts.