Adam Blitzer
DatadogAbout Adam Blitzer
Adam Blitzer, 44, has served as Datadog’s Chief Operating Officer since May 2021 after senior roles at Salesforce (EVP & GM, Digital) and as founder of Pardot, a B2B marketing automation platform acquired by ExactTarget and ultimately Salesforce; he holds a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from Duke University . Under his tenure, Datadog delivered FY2024 revenue of $2.68B (+26% YoY) and a 25% non-GAAP operating margin, with GAAP diluted EPS of $0.52; FY2024 PSU performance was based on revenue growth and non-GAAP operating income, achieved at 100.5% of the revenue target and 115% PSU payout . Datadog’s pay-versus-performance table shows the value of an initial fixed $100 TSR investment at $378 for 2024 (company measure), with sustained revenue growth to $2.684B .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce | EVP & GM, Digital | Dec 2016 – May 2021 | Led Salesforce Digital business; senior general management role overseeing digital products . |
| Pardot (acquired by ExactTarget, then Salesforce) | Founder & CEO | Feb 2007 – Oct 2012 | Built B2B marketing automation platform; exit to ExactTarget (2012), later integrated into Salesforce (2013) . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed in proxy biography | — | — | No public company board roles disclosed for Blitzer in 2025 proxy executive bio . |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Base salary ($) | $425,000 |
| Target bonus (%) of base | 94% |
| Target bonus ($) | $400,000 |
| Actual bonus paid ($) | $371,295 (93% of target) |
Notes:
- Annual bonus plan tied to net new ARR with decelerators if non-GAAP operating income falls below target; 2024 achievement ~93% with non-GAAP operating income target met .
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Bonus Plan (2024)
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net new ARR (company-wide) with non-GAAP operating income decelerator | Not disclosed | 100% of 2024 operating plan | ~93% of target; non-GAAP OI target achieved | 93% of target bonus ($371,295) | Paid post-year assessment (Feb 2025) . |
Performance Stock Units (PSUs, 2024 grants)
| Metric | Target | Actual | Achievement | Payout | Vesting schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (with non-GAAP operating income target) | $2,672,000k | $2,684,275k | 100.5% of revenue target | 115% of target PSUs earned | 25% on Mar 1, 2025; remaining in 12 equal quarterly installments thereafter, subject to continued service . |
| Grant detail | Target PSUs (#) | PSUs earned (#) | Grant date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 PSU award (Blitzer) | 52,504 | 60,544 | May 29, 2024 | Earned % determined 2/25/2025; vesting as above . |
| Time-based RSUs | Shares (#) | Grant date | Vesting schedule | Grant-date fair value ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 RSU award (Blitzer) | 52,504 | May 29, 2024 | 25% on Mar 1, 2025; then 12 equal quarterly installments thereafter, subject to continued service | $6,388,687 (half of total fair value shown below) . |
| 2024 equity award total fair value ($) | $12,777,373 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership (as of March 15, 2025)
| Holder | Class A shares | Class B shares | % of Class A | % of total voting power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Blitzer | 680 | — | <1% | <1% . |
- Insider trading policy prohibits hedging, short sales, buying on margin, and pledging shares as collateral; RSUs/PSUs vesting occur under pre-established schedules, but pledging is explicitly prohibited (reduces alignment risk from collateral calls) .
Outstanding Equity Awards (as of Dec 31, 2024)
| Award type | Grant date | Unvested shares (#) | Market value ($) | Vesting notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSU | 06/22/2021 | 27,564 | $3,938,620 | 25% vested 06/01/2022; then quarterly thereafter . |
| PSU (earned prior period) | 04/27/2022 | 8,015 | $1,145,263 | Earned PSUs vest 25% on 03/01/2023; then quarterly thereafter . |
| RSU | 04/27/2022 | 6,650 | $950,219 | 25% on 03/01/2023; then quarterly thereafter . |
| PSU (earned prior period) | 04/25/2023 | 28,213 | $4,031,356 | Earned PSUs vest 25% on 03/01/2024; then quarterly thereafter . |
| RSU | 04/25/2023 | 30,591 | $4,371,148 | 25% on 03/01/2024; then quarterly thereafter . |
| PSU (earned for 2024) | 05/29/2024 | 60,544 | $8,651,132 | Earned PSUs vest 25% on 03/01/2025; then quarterly thereafter . |
| RSU | 05/29/2024 | 52,504 | $7,502,297 | 25% on 03/01/2025; then quarterly thereafter . |
- 2024 stock vested: 112,591 shares, value realized on vesting $14,394,945 (RSU vestings across prior grants) .
Stock Ownership Guidelines and Pledging
- Executive stock ownership guidelines are not specifically disclosed; however, the Insider Trading Policy prohibits pledging, hedging, short selling, margin purchases, and trading derivatives on company stock .
Employment Terms
Severance and Change-in-Control (CIC)
- Severance agreement: If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason, lump sum equal to 6 months base salary plus 50% of annual target bonus; and up to 6 months COBRA premiums paid, subject to release; under CIC with double trigger, 12 months base salary plus 100% target bonus, up to 12 months COBRA, and 100% vesting of outstanding unvested time-based equity (earned PSUs subject to time-based vesting follow CIC provisions) .
| Scenario (as of Dec 31, 2024) | Base salary ($) | Bonus ($) | Accelerated vesting ($) | COBRA ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Termination without cause/with good reason | $212,500 | $200,000 | — | $10,807 | $423,307 |
| Double-trigger CIC | $425,000 | $400,000 | $21,938,902 | $21,613 | $22,785,515 |
Compensation Structure Signals
- Mix and design: Significant “at-risk” pay via PSUs and RSUs (50/50 target split), with PSUs earned on one-year revenue growth subject to non-GAAP operating income and four-year service vesting; RSUs vest quarterly over four years (retention-oriented) .
- Annual bonus: Focused on net new ARR with payout cap at 200% and decelerators if non-GAAP operating income under target (efficiency and growth balance) .
- Governance protections: Clawback policy consistent with SEC/Nasdaq, prohibitions on hedging/pledging; no single-trigger CIC vesting; no excise tax gross-ups; say-on-pay approval ~95% in 2024 indicates investor support .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: 2024 PSU design directly ties equity to revenue growth and non-GAAP operating income; actual 115% PSU payout reflects strong execution against growth targets, while cash bonus at 93% shows disciplined payout on net new ARR performance .
- Retention risk: Large multi-year unvested RSU/PSU stack with quarterly vesting through 2028 supports retention and may create periodic selling windows; pledging is prohibited, limiting forced selling risk from collateralized positions .
- Incentive balance: Bonus decelerators on non-GAAP operating income and 200% caps in both bonus and PSUs suggest prudent guardrails against excessive risk-taking; clawback policy further strengthens governance .
- Change-of-control economics: Double-trigger cash and full time-based equity acceleration imply meaningful payouts in a sale scenario (indicative accelerated vesting value ~$21.9M as of year-end 2024 for Blitzer), which could influence strategic optionality and executive incentives in M&A contexts .
- Shareholder sentiment: Strong say-on-pay support (~95%) and clear articulation of peer benchmarking and metrics reduce compensation controversy risk; continued revenue growth (+26% YoY) under Blitzer’s operating leadership supports the efficacy of performance-linked awards .