Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar
About Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar
Independent non-executive director of Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. since November 2018; age 62. She is a retired attorney with ~30 years’ experience across financial services, corporate advisory, securitization, real estate and IP; she led the financial services practice at Glinton Sweeting O’Brien (2015–Apr 2023) and was previously a partner at Graham Thompson (2005–2015) and VP—Legal & Trademark at Bacardi & Company Limited for almost nine years. She has lived and worked in The Bahamas since 1991 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Bahamas Financial Services Board upon her retirement in 2023 for long-standing contributions including legislative drafting and public advocacy. Selected to the CWCO board for legal, business and financial expertise and deep Caribbean market knowledge and relationships.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glinton Sweeting O’Brien (Nassau, Bahamas) | Partner; Head of Financial Services practice | Jul 2015 – Apr 2023 | Led financial services; recognized with Bahamas Financial Services Board Lifetime Achievement Award on retirement (2023) |
| Graham Thompson (Bahamas & Turks & Caicos) | Partner | Jan 2005 – Jul 2015 | Commercial/corporate practice |
| Bacardi & Company Limited | Vice President — Legal & Trademark | ~9 years (prior to 2005; exact dates not disclosed) | Oversaw global IP and domestic legal matters |
| Trust companies (The Bahamas) | Legal/Trust roles | Prior to Bacardi | Financial services experience in trust sector |
| U.S.-based law practice | Attorney | Prior to 1991 | Practiced law in the United States |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited (CWCO subsidiary) | Director | Service during 2024 | Received $20,000 of director fees from this subsidiary in 2024 |
| Public company boards (outside CWCO) | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed in CWCO’s 2025 proxy bio |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board determined all nominees other than the CEO are independent under NASDAQ rules; she is independent |
| Board tenure | Director since November 2018 |
| Board/committee attendance | Each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings served in 2024; Board held four meetings in 2024 |
| Board leadership | Independent Chairman (Wilmer F. Pergande) structure maintained for stronger independent oversight |
| Committees | Chair, Nominations & Corporate Governance; Member, Environmental & Social Governance (ESG) |
| Committee meeting cadence (2024) | Nominations & Corporate Governance: 3 meetings; ESG: 2 meetings |
| Cyber/IT risk oversight | Cybersecurity oversight delegated to Audit Committee; quarterly updates at Audit, annual Board review with VP IT/third-party consultant |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($, grant-date FV) | Total ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 63,661 | 52,600 | 116,261 | Includes $20,000 cash paid by CWCO (Bahamas) subsidiary for service on that subsidiary’s board |
| 2025 Policy Update | — | — | — | Board increased director compensation elements by 6% for 2025 |
| Director pay mix (policy) | — | — | — | More than 40% of director compensation is paid in CWCO stock |
| Standard cash/equity retainers (policy) | — | — | — | Base director cash retainer: $33,000; equity retainer: $33,150; committee cash retainers and equity adders vary by committee and chair; equity amounts calculated using Oct 1 prior-year market price |
Performance Compensation (Director)
- Structure: CWCO does not use performance-conditioned metrics for non-employee director pay; directors receive annual equity retainers (Ordinary Shares) per policy, sized by dividing the equity retainer by the prevailing market price on October 1 of the preceding year. No stock options disclosed for directors and no performance/TSR hurdles for director equity retainers.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role | Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Water (Bahamas) Limited (subsidiary) | Water utility (subsidiary operations) | Director | Internal subsidiary role; cash fees of $20,000 in 2024; not an external related-party transaction |
| External public boards | — | — | None disclosed; her bio lists no outside public directorships, reducing interlock risks |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Legal and financial services expertise across banking/trusts, corporate advisory, securitization, IP, and real estate; deep Caribbean operating and regulatory familiarity since 1991.
- Recognized industry leader: Lifetime Achievement Award from Bahamas Financial Services Board (2023) for contributions including legislative drafting and global publications/speaking.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linda Beidler-D’Aguilar | 18,607 | <1% | Includes 2,000 shares evidenced by Bahamian Depository Receipts held with shared investment power; underlying shares custodied in The Bahamas |
| Hedging/Pledging | — | — | Company policy prohibits hedging and shorting by directors; pledging not permitted under insider trading policy |
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership and fit: As Chair of Nominations & Corporate Governance and member of ESG, she is positioned at the core of board refreshment, governance policy, and sustainability oversight—an effective match with her legal/regulatory background. Meeting cadence indicates active committee engagement (N&CG 3x, ESG 2x in 2024).
- Independence and attendance: Board deems her independent; directors met the 75%+ attendance threshold in 2024, supporting baseline engagement expectations.
- Ownership alignment: Holds 18,607 shares (<1%); policy prohibits hedging/shorting, and the director pay program targets >40% equity, promoting alignment despite modest individual holdings.
- Compensation structure: Mix of cash retainers and fixed-share equity retainers; no options or performance-conditioned director pay—simplifies incentives and reduces gaming risk; 2025 6% fee increase is modest.
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-person transactions involving her were disclosed; subsidiary board fees are intra-group and disclosed within director compensation. The company’s related-party policy requires Audit Committee pre-approval for transactions >$120k and prohibits unless in company’s best interests.
- Broader governance signals: Independent chair structure; clawback policy adopted in 2024 (executive-focused); say-on-pay support ~88% in 2024 indicates generally favorable investor sentiment toward compensation governance.
RED FLAGS: None specifically disclosed regarding independence, attendance, hedging/pledging, or related-party dealings for Ms. Beidler-D’Aguilar.