Colin Parris
About Colin J. Parris
Dr. Colin J. Parris, age 63, is an independent director of Diebold Nixdorf (DBD) since August 2024, serving on the Audit Committee and the Nomination & Governance Committee. He is the former Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at GE Digital (2020–2024) and previously held senior roles at IBM; he holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering (Howard), M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (UC Berkeley), and an M.S. in Management (Stanford); he is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Council on Foreign Relations. His technology and AI/data software expertise and digital transformation background position him as a skills-based director for DBD’s operations- and software-led turnaround.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| GE Digital | Senior Vice President & Chief Technology Officer | May 2020 – Apr 2024 | Led AI/data software and digital transformation initiatives; GE Officer experience strengthens operational rigor and technology oversight on DBD’s board. |
| GE Software Research | Vice President | Joined GE in 2014 | Enterprise software research leadership; relevant to DBD’s platform/software agenda. |
| IBM | Vice President, Systems Research (T.J. Watson Research) | 2013 – 2014 | Advanced systems research; supports cybersecurity and infrastructure oversight. |
| IBM | General Manager, Power Systems | 2010 – 2013 | P&L leadership in compute systems; applicable to product, manufacturing, and supply-chain governance. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Appointment | Notes/Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptiv (NYSE: APTV) | Director | Since 2017 | Global mobility tech; no disclosed related-party transactions with DBD. |
| Corebridge Financial (NYSE: CRBG/CRBD) | Director | Appointed Jan 2025 | Retirement/insurance provider; distinct market from DBD’s banking/retail tech. |
| Professional Societies | Member | Current | National Academy of Engineering; Council on Foreign Relations. |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nomination & Governance Committee member. Not designated an “audit committee financial expert” (experts are Anton, Gross, Naemura, Markus, Bowen).
- Independence: Board determined Dr. Parris is independent under NYSE, SEC, and Company standards.
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024 the Board held 5 regular and 1 special meeting; all directors attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings; onboarding for new directors (Aug 2024) included one-on-ones with executives, site visits in Ohio, and formal/informal sessions to build teamwork.
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session regularly, presided over by the non-executive Chair.
- Risk oversight: Board and committees receive regular reports on operational, financial, strategic, cybersecurity, compliance, legal/regulatory risks; Audit Committee assumed prior Finance Committee duties.
- Related-party safeguards: Policy prohibits transactions that impair independence; no related person transactions requiring disclosure in 2024.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period/Grant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $100,000 | Program level | Paid quarterly; no committee membership fees beyond chair roles. |
| Committee chair fee (if applicable) | $25,000 | Program level | Only for chairs; Parris is not a chair. |
| 2024 pro-rated cash fees | $41,667 | Aug–Dec 2024 | Reflects partial-year service after Aug 2, 2024 election. |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Vehicle | Grant detail | Fair value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (initial director grant) | 3,165 RSUs on Aug 2, 2024 | $133,333 at $38.54 | Time-based; annual installments | Granted upon election; directors who received 2023 “emergence” grants are ineligible for annual RSUs until vesting—Parris joined in 2024 and received an initial RSU grant; no director performance metrics are attached to RSU vesting. |
| 2024 Stock awards (reported) | — | $121,979 | — | Aggregate grant-date fair value reported in the 2024 director compensation table. |
DBD’s director equity program targets alignment via time-based RSUs (annual grant value $200,000), with a special 2023 one-time RSU/option package granted only to directors serving at emergence; directors who received the 2023 package do not get annual RSUs until those fully vest.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Connection | Type | Detail | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptiv (APTV) | External public board | Director since 2017 | Automotive/mobility technology distinct from DBD’s ATM/retail systems; no related-party transactions disclosed. |
| Corebridge (CRBG/CRBD) | External public board | Appointed Jan 2025 | Retirement/insurance services; DBD serves banks/retailers—no disclosed transactions with Corebridge. |
| GE background | Shared industry experience | DBD Chair Patrick Byrne is former GE executive; Parris former GE Digital CTO | No formal interlock; potential for improved information flow on industrial technology; independence affirmed. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Advanced technical credentials: EE/CS and PhD (UC Berkeley), engineering degree (Howard), management (Stanford); deep software/AI/data systems background; digital transformation leadership.
- Governance experience: Long-standing public company directorships; service on technology-intensive boards.
- Not designated audit committee financial expert; Audit Committee includes multiple designated financial experts.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares beneficially owned | Options exercisable within 60 days | Unvested RSUs | % of class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Colin J. Parris | — | — | 3,165 | <1% |
- Director stock ownership guideline: 5x annual cash retainer; unvested and deferred shares count toward compliance. No specific compliance status disclosed for Parris.
- Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging/pledging for directors, officers, and employees; Clawback policy (NYSE-compliant) covers incentive-based compensation in the event of restatement.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with high-end software/AI and digital transformation expertise; serves on Audit and Nominating & Governance—committees central to controls, board composition, and risk oversight; Board-wide attendance ≥75% and robust onboarding indicate engagement.
- Alignment: Time-based RSU grant at election and director ownership guidelines support long-term alignment; prohibition on hedging/pledging and clawback policy enhance investor protections.
- Compensation/Pay signals: Balanced cash retainer and equity mix; no performance metrics attached to director RSUs—consistent with market practice; People & Compensation governance viewed favorably with 2024 say‑on‑pay approval of ~99.44%.
- Watch items:
- Audit Committee service without “financial expert” designation—mitigated by presence of multiple designated experts on the committee.
- Multiple external boards (Aptiv, Corebridge) increase time commitments—no attendance shortfall disclosed; independence affirmed; monitor future attendance trends.
- Ownership guideline compliance not disclosed; current beneficial ownership shows unvested RSUs but no direct share ownership—typical for new directors; monitor progression toward 5x retainer guideline over time.
No related-person transactions were disclosed for 2024; committee interlocks/insider participation on the People & Compensation Committee were clean; Section 16(a) filings were timely—supporting governance quality.