Laura Desmond
About Laura B. Desmond
Laura B. Desmond (age 60) has served on DV’s board since September 2017 and is an independent director. She is CEO of Smartly.io, Founder/CEO of Eagle Vista Partners, a past Chair of the Advertising Council, and previously served as DV’s Interim CEO from February 28, 2020 to July 21, 2020. Desmond holds a BBA in Marketing from the University of Iowa and sits on the boards of Adobe and Smartly.io, bringing deep advertising, marketing technology, and senior leadership experience to DV’s board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. | Interim Chief Executive Officer | Feb 28, 2020 – Jul 21, 2020 | Stabilized leadership during transition |
| Publicis Groupe | Chief Revenue Officer | Aug 2016 – Dec 2016 | Revenue leadership at global holding company |
| Starcom MediaVest Group | Chief Executive Officer | Nine years | Led the world’s largest media services firm |
| Advertising Council | Chair (past) | Not disclosed | National non-profit leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartly.io | Chief Executive Officer; Director | Private | Operates in social/programmatic ad tech |
| Eagle Vista Partners | Founder & CEO | Private | Strategic advisory in marketing/digital tech |
| Adobe Inc. | Director | Public | Large-cap software company board service |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board affirmatively determined Desmond is independent under NYSE rules; DV’s Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Governance Committees are entirely composed of independent directors .
- Committee assignments:
- Chair, Nominating & Governance Committee
- Member, Compensation Committee
- Attendance and engagement:
- DV’s board met 4 times in 2024; all current directors attended ≥75% of board and applicable committee meetings .
- Non-management and independent director executive sessions are held regularly; independent directors meet in private at least annually .
- Board structure:
- Classified board with staggered three-year terms; non-executive Chairperson (R. Davis Noell). Board has pledged to sunset classified structure and certain supermajority provisions within three years .
Fixed Compensation (Director – 2024)
| Item | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual base cash retainer | $40,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| Nominating & Governance Committee – Chair retainer | $10,000 | Chair fee |
| Compensation Committee – member retainer | $7,500 | Member fee |
| Total cash fees earned | $57,500 | Desmond deferred 100% of fees to DV’s NQDC plan |
| NQDC earnings (change) | $5,263 | Reported in 2024 director compensation table |
Performance Compensation (Director – 2024)
| Equity Element | Grant-Date Fair Value (USD) | Vesting Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | $200,003 | Vests on earlier of May 23, 2025 or the 2025 Annual Meeting | Standard $200k annual RSU for all non-employee directors |
Detailed RSU and settlement status:
- Total RSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024: 25,616; includes 14,892 vested RSUs, of which 5,709 settled in January 2025 .
- Vested RSUs held: 19,907, with 9,183 scheduled to settle on the earlier of March 2027 or end of service (then in five annual installments), and 10,724 scheduled to settle on the earlier of January 2026 or end of service (lump sum) .
Policy context and safeguards:
- Clawback: DV maintains a Rule 10D-1/NYSE-compliant clawback policy for executive incentive compensation; broader misconduct-based recovery policy also applies to covered persons and equity awards .
- Hedging/pledging: Hedging or pledging DV securities requires pre-clearance; short sales and derivatives are prohibited for Company Associates .
- Director equity program: Non-employee directors receive $200,000 initial and annual RSU grants (1-year vesting) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Overlap/Interlock | Potential Conflict Note |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Inc. | Desmond serves as director | No DV-related party transactions disclosed; industry adjacency noted but no related-party dealings identified in DV proxy |
| Smartly.io | Desmond serves as CEO and director | No DV-related party transactions disclosed in DV proxy |
Compensation Committee interlocks: In 2024, none of DV’s executive officers served on the board or comp committee of a company whose executive served on DV’s Compensation Committee (no interlocks) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Advertising, marketing technology, and data-driven media leadership; public company board experience; strategic planning; operations .
- Education: BBA in Marketing, University of Iowa .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Element | Quantity | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 243,852 | <1% | Held via Laura B. Desmond Revocable Trust (Desmond as trustee) |
| Right to acquire within 60 days | 48,539 | n/a | Options/RSUs exercisable/settling within 60 days |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 86,039 | n/a | As reported in director equity table |
| RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 25,616 | n/a | Includes 14,892 vested; 5,709 settled in Jan 2025 |
| Vested RSUs (settlement timing) | 9,183 (Mar 2027 trigger); 10,724 (Jan 2026 trigger) | n/a | Settlement contingent on specified dates or end of service |
Stock ownership guidelines: DV maintains stock ownership guidelines for executives and non-employee directors (value equal to a multiple of annual base salary or director cash retainer); compliance reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee (specific multiples not disclosed in proxy) .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent director with deep domain expertise and prior interim CEO service at DV—a signal of high engagement and board confidence .
- Chairs Nominating & Governance and serves on Compensation—direct influence on board composition, governance policy, and pay oversight .
- Solid attendance culture (≥75% across directors); regular executive sessions; independent committee composition—supports board effectiveness .
- Clear guardrails: clawback policy, hedging/pledging restrictions, and annual say-on-pay support (93.5% approval in 2024) bolster investor alignment .
-
Watch items / potential conflicts
- Classified board reduces annual accountability, though DV pledges to sunset within three years—track execution of declassification timeline (investor-friendly) .
- Registration Rights Agreement: the Laura B. Desmond Revocable Trust is party to DV’s IPO-related registration rights (standard, but monitor for share sales and optics) .
- Industry adjacency with Adobe and Smartly.io—no DV related-party transactions disclosed; continue monitoring for business overlaps or transactions requiring recusal .
-
RED FLAGS (none disclosed)
- No pledging or hedging disclosures specific to Desmond; DV policy requires pre-clearance and prohibits derivatives/short sales .
- No related-party transactions, loans, tax gross-ups, or option repricing involving Desmond disclosed in 2024–2025 proxy materials .
Overall signal: High governance engagement via committee leadership and prior interim CEO service; equity and deferred fee participation indicate alignment. Key investor focus should be on completion of declassification and ongoing monitoring of external board roles for any future conflicts .