Gordon von Bretten
Director at DNUT
Board
About Gordon von Bretten
Age 52. Senior Partner at JAB Holding Company since April 2024; Director Nominee to Krispy Kreme, Inc. (DNUT). Former Chief Transformation Officer at Coty Inc. (June 2020–March 2024), with 30+ years in procurement, supply chain value creation, restructuring and performance improvement across consumer goods and consulting. Education: Bachelors in International Business (IBS Lippstadt, Germany) and MBA (Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada). Independence: not independent under Nasdaq due to JAB affiliation. No DNUT board tenure yet (nominee) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coty Inc. | Chief Transformation Officer | Jun 2020–Mar 2024 | Led transformation initiatives; sits on Coty board since Apr 2024 |
| KKR Capstone | Operating Partner | 2015–2020 | Focused on carve‑outs, procurement and supply chain value creation across portfolio |
| Klöckner Pentaplast; AlixPartners; A.T. Kearney | Various leadership/consulting roles | Prior to 2015 | Restructuring and performance improvement mandates |
External Roles
| Organization | Public/Private | Role | Since | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY) | Public | Director | Apr 2024 | Current DNUT nominee brings consumer/beauty experience |
| Wella Company (Rainbow UK Bidco Limited) | Private | Director | n/a | Board member |
| The Brandtech Group | Private | Director | n/a | Board member |
Board Governance
- Status: Director Nominee; no DNUT committee assignments designated (Audit & Finance / Remuneration & Nomination entries “N/A”). DNUT expects to establish a Strategy and Operating Committee chaired by Bernardo Hees post‑election; no chair role indicated for von Bretten .
- Independence: Not independent under Nasdaq; three nominees are affiliated with largest shareholder JAB (owns ~44%). Von Bretten is a Senior Partner at JAB .
- Attendance: DNUT Board met 6 times in 2024; all directors met ≥75% attendance except Paul Michaels (health) and Patricia Capel (missed one). Von Bretten was not on the Board in 2024, so no attendance record yet .
- Committee composition standards: Audit & Finance and Remuneration & Nomination committees are solely independent directors; Lead Independent Director is Gerhard Pleuhs .
Fixed Compensation (DNUT Non‑Employee Director Program)
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer – Board member | $60,000 | Standard non‑employee director retainer |
| Committee membership retainer | $5,000 | Per committee membership annually |
| Committee chair – Audit & Finance | $75,000 | Annual chair fee |
| Committee chair – Remuneration & Nomination | $70,000 | Annual chair fee |
| Lead Independent Director | $80,000 | Annual additional retainer |
| Board Chair | $200,000 | Annual cash retainer |
- 2024 DNUT non‑employee director totals ranged from $160,013 to $455,010 depending on roles and equity; von Bretten was not a director in 2024, so no amounts reported for him .
Performance Compensation (Equity and Vesting)
| Equity Element | Annual Value | Vesting Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant – other Board members | $100,000 | 60% at 3rd anniversary; 20% at 4th; 20% at 5th | Grant size uses closing price on grant date; rounded up to next whole share |
| Annual RSU grant – Chair | $255,000 | Same schedule | Chair equity level |
- Plan mechanics: Director equity treatment upon termination generally follows DNUT plan provisions; DNUT equity awards have double‑trigger vesting upon change‑in‑control, and full acceleration on death/disability under omnibus plan rules (plan provisions described in proxy; directors’ equity subject to those general terms per program narrative) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Largest shareholder affiliation | JAB beneficially owns ~43.9% of DNUT; three nominees are JAB‑affiliated, including von Bretten |
| JAB Investor Rights Agreement | DNUT consults JAB and gives good‑faith consideration to JAB’s views on Board composition, committee agendas, major strategic transactions, and significant capex; JAB receives confidential financial information regularly |
| Related‑party commercial ties | Keurig Dr Pepper (JAB affiliate) licenses Krispy Kreme trademark (portion packs) and supplies beverages; licensing revenue $2.4M in FY2024 |
Potential interlocks/conflicts: Von Bretten’s JAB senior partner role alongside JAB’s rights under the IRA and ongoing commercial ties (e.g., KDP) create perceived influence risks. DNUT’s Related Party Transactions Policy requires prior approval and recusal for any such transactions .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Procurement and supply chain value creation; corporate carve‑outs; transformation leadership across consumer goods; restructuring and performance improvement. Formal business training (IBS Lippstadt; Wilfrid Laurier MBA). 30+ years experience .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gordon von Bretten | — | — | No reported DNUT beneficial ownership as of Apr 10, 2025 |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee access: As a non‑independent nominee (JAB affiliate), von Bretten will not serve on DNUT’s independent‑only Audit & Finance or Remuneration & Nomination committees, limiting direct oversight of financial controls and pay decisions; governance mitigant is strong independent committee composition and Lead Independent Director structure .
- Influence risk (RED FLAG): JAB’s ~44% stake, IRA consultation rights on Board composition and strategy, and JAB‑affiliated commercial ties (e.g., KDP licensing) concentrate influence. DNUT’s related‑party policy and mandatory recusal are key controls; investors should monitor committee independence, transaction approvals, and disclosures .
- Ownership alignment: No DNUT stock reported for von Bretten as of April 10, 2025, which is a near‑term alignment gap; director equity program with multi‑year RSU vesting partly addresses alignment over time .
- Board refresh and oversight: DNUT is refreshing the Board and creating a Strategy and Operating Committee (chaired by Bernardo Hees); majority independent nominees and executive sessions of independent directors are positives for board effectiveness .
- Attendance and engagement: Strong 2024 attendance across the Board; not applicable yet for von Bretten (nominee) .
- Policies: Robust prohibition on hedging/pledging, clawback policy covering incentive compensation, and minimal perquisites enhance governance quality .