Maha Ibrahim
DECKERS OUTDOORAbout Maha S. Ibrahim
Maha S. Ibrahim (age 54) is an independent director of Deckers Brands, serving since 2021; she is a General Partner at Canaan Partners (since March 2000) and previously held executive roles at Qwest Communications and served on The RealReal’s board (2012–2020). Following the September 2025 Annual Meeting, she is slated to move from the Audit & Risk Management Committee to the Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability & Governance Committee, reinforcing her ESG and technology credentials; she met board and committee attendance expectations in FY2025 (each director attended at least 80%).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canaan Partners | General Partner | March 2000–Present | Leads investing; M&A experience as GP |
| Qwest Communications | VP, e‑Business; VP, Business Development | 1998–2000 | Architected e‑business strategy and Qwest.com redesign |
| The RealReal, Inc. | Director | 2012–2020 | Guided through 2019 IPO; sustainable luxury and re‑circulation expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | Trustee | Since 2017 | Foreign policy think tank governance |
| Various private companies | Director (enterprise and consumer startups) | Ongoing | Technology infrastructure/cybersecurity and retail/brand insights |
| Public company boards | — | — | None currently (public directorships: None) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: FY2025 Audit & Risk Management Committee member; expected to join Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability & Governance Committee and step down from Audit after election at the 2025 Annual Meeting.
- Committee cadence: Audit & Risk met 10 times in FY2025; Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability & Governance met 4 times; Talent & Compensation met 4 times.
- Independence: DECK’s board and all three standing committees are composed of independent directors; Ibrahim is independent under NYSE rules.
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 6 meetings in FY2025; each director attended at least 80% of board and committee meetings; independent directors meet in executive session at every board meeting.
- Board refresh: 2025 re-alignment moved skills across committees, including Ibrahim’s anticipated ESG oversight role.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $90,000 | For board service; directors may elect stock in lieu of cash |
| Committee membership fee | $10,000 per committee | Additional annual cash retainer per assignment |
| Chair fees | Board Chair: $200,000; Audit Chair: $40,000; Compensation Chair: $35,000; CRSG Chair: $27,500 | Not applicable to Ibrahim (not a chair) |
| Director equity | ~$170,000/year in common stock | Issued quarterly; fully vested at grant; shares based on 10‑day rolling average close |
| Reimbursements/perks | Reasonable board expenses; product discounts and occasional products | For product familiarity; standard policy |
| Director (FY2025) | Fees Earned ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maha S. Ibrahim | 1,499 | 267,960 | 269,459 |
- Election in stock: Ibrahim elected to receive some or all cash retainers in common stock (footnote (2)), increasing stock awards and reducing cash fees.
Performance Compensation
| Equity Structure | Grant Value | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual common stock grant | ~$170,000/year | Fully vested upon issuance (quarterly installments) | None; director equity is not performance‑conditioned |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | None |
| Prior public boards | The RealReal, Inc. (2012–2020) |
| Interlocks/conflicts | Proxy discloses no related‑party transactions involving Ibrahim; one related‑person item pertains to another director’s family member, vetted by Audit & Risk. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Industry and premium branding: Luxury consignment and apparel experience via The RealReal; premium brand insights.
- Consumer technology/big data and telecom: e‑business leadership at Qwest; wireless/telecom familiarity.
- Sales/marketing; retail: Qwest business development; retail/luxury recommerce exposure.
- Technology infrastructure and cybersecurity: Extensive wireless/telecom experience; private tech company boards.
- M&A: Active transaction experience as a venture capital GP.
- Corporate responsibility/ESG: Sustainability program exposure at The RealReal; anticipated ESG committee service at DECK.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common Stock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maha S. Ibrahim | 10,681 | <1% | No DSU deferral footnote listed for Ibrahim; deferrals noted for other directors. |
- Director stock ownership guidelines: All directors are in compliance as of end FY2025.
- Hedging/pledging: DECK’s Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors/executives.
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Ibrahim took nearly all FY2025 director compensation in stock ($267,960 stock vs $1,499 cash), signaling strong ownership alignment and reduced cash reliance.
- Committee fit: Rotation from Audit & Risk to Corporate Responsibility, Sustainability & Governance leverages her ESG/technology background while preserving overall committee independence.
- Independence and attendance: Independent under NYSE rules; board/committee attendance thresholds met; executive sessions held at every board meeting.
- Shareholder confidence signals: Robust Say‑on‑Pay support (92.3% in 2024; 95.7% in 2023) and clear compensation governance practices bolster investor confidence in DECK’s oversight culture.
- Conflicts and related‑party exposure: No related‑person transactions involving Ibrahim disclosed; Section 16(a) compliance was timely for FY2025; formal related‑party review process overseen by Audit & Risk.
RED FLAGS: None identified in the proxy specific to Ibrahim—no attendance shortfalls, no disclosed conflicts/related‑party transactions, no hedging/pledging permitted, and high equity alignment via stock election.