David Kirk
Director at CRM
Board
About David B. Kirk
David B. Kirk was appointed as a non-employee director of Salesforce, Inc. (CRM) on July 9, 2025; he is an independent consultant and advisor with deep technical credentials in parallel computing, graphics hardware, and AI, and is a former NVIDIA Chief Scientist and Fellow . His education includes a Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science (Caltech) and B.S./M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (MIT) . Tenure on the CRM board began July 9, 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | Chief Scientist; VP of Architecture; later Fellow | Not disclosed | Pioneering contributions to parallel computing and graphics; inventor/co-inventor of ~100 patents |
| Various (technology and research) | Researcher/Innovator | Not disclosed | Advanced parallel programming, robotics, and AI education initiatives |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Several nonprofit boards | Member/Advisor | Ongoing (not specified) | Focus on computer science education; AI and robotics engagement |
Board Governance
- Appointment and independence: Kirk was appointed a non-employee director effective July 9, 2025; the 8‑K discloses no arrangements/understandings for his selection, no family relationships, and no direct/indirect material interests in transactions requiring Item 404(a) disclosure—consistent with independence expectations under NYSE standards (formal classification typically in the next proxy) .
- Compensation framework: He will receive standard non-employee director compensation and equity awards under CRM’s program as described in the April 24, 2025 proxy .
- Indemnification: CRM intends to enter into its standard indemnification agreement with Kirk .
- Committee assignments: Not disclosed at appointment (committee refreshes in FY25 noted in proxy; Kirk’s assignments will be visible in subsequent filings) .
Fixed Compensation
CRM’s standard non-employee director program (FY2025):
| Component | Amount/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | ~$374,900 grant-date fair value; vests in four equal installments on Feb 22, May 22, Aug 22, Nov 22, 2024 | |
| Lead Independent Director fee | $150,000 (cash, paid quarterly) | |
| Committee Chair fees (Audit, Compensation, Governance) | $50,000 (cash, paid quarterly) | |
| Other standing committee chair fees (e.g., Cybersecurity & Privacy, Business Transformation) | $25,000 (cash, paid quarterly) | |
| Reimbursement | Travel/lodging/other reasonable meeting expenses | |
| FY2026 program status | No changes to non-employee director compensation program |
- Per 8-K, Kirk will receive compensation “in accordance with” this program (specific grant timing/amounts for mid-year appointees typically disclosed in the next proxy) .
Performance Compensation
- CRM’s non-employee directors receive time-based RSUs; no performance-conditioned equity or cash metrics apply to directors (RSUs vest per schedule; no PRSUs/options for directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company boards: None disclosed for Kirk at appointment; press release cites nonprofit board service (no public interlocks identified) .
- Related-party transactions: None under Item 404(a) at appointment .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical depth: Parallel computing, graphics hardware, AI; inventor/co-inventor of ~100 patents .
- Recognitions: ACM SIGGRAPH Computer Graphics Achievement Award (2002); National Academy of Engineering (2006); Caltech Distinguished Alumni Award (2009) .
- Education: Ph.D./M.S. in Computer Science (Caltech, minor in Computation and Neural Systems); B.S./M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (MIT) .
Equity Ownership
| Policy Element | Prior Guideline | Current Guideline | Compliance Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director stock ownership requirement | Lesser of $400,000 or 7,500 shares | $550,000 (value on first trading day of fiscal year); excludes unvested equity | Achieve by the later of March 27, 2030 or five years from initial election/appointment; hold 100% of shares from vesting if not yet compliant |
- As of April 15, 2025, all non-employee directors then serving were compliant; Kirk joined subsequently and will be subject to this guideline and timeline .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Appointment as a non-employee director with no Item 404(a) related-party transactions and standard indemnification indicates clean governance posture at entry .
- Board effectiveness signal: Addition of a pioneering AI/parallel computing expert strengthens technical oversight for Agentforce/Data Cloud and AI governance (complementary to Cybersecurity & Privacy Committee remit at CRM) .
- Compensation and ownership: Standard director pay with strengthened stock ownership guidelines ($550k) supports investor alignment; no director-specific perquisites or performance pay .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed—no related-party ties, no overboarding concerns indicated, committees/attendance pending future proxy disclosure .