Rob Benson
About Rob Benson
Rob Benson, 46, serves as Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) of The European Equity Fund, Inc. (EEA) since 2025; he is also a Director at DWS (since 2024), Senior Team Lead for Anti‑Financial Crime & Compliance US (since 2025), and Vice President of DBX Advisors LLC (since 2025) . Officers of the Fund receive no compensation from the Fund (they are employees of DWS), and the Fund has no employees; officers are elected annually by the Board following the Annual Meeting . As of May 16, 2025, Benson beneficially owned no shares of EEA common stock . No fund‑level performance compensation metrics (TSR, revenue, EBITDA) are tied to Benson’s role and none are disclosed for officers in the proxy .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWS Legal | Associate General Counsel | 2023–2025 | Not disclosed |
| DWS Legal | Vice President and Senior Counsel | 2021–2023 | Not disclosed |
| DWS Legal | Assistant Vice President and Counsel | 2017–2021 | Not disclosed |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DWS | Director | Since 2024 | EEA executive officer roles are provided by DWS; officers are elected annually by the Fund’s Board |
| DBX Advisors LLC | Vice President | Since 2025 | Part of DWS group |
| DWS (AFC & Compliance US) | Senior Team Lead | Since 2025 | Anti‑Financial Crime & Compliance leadership |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary (Fund) | None | “No compensation is paid by the Fund … to officers.” Officers are DWS employees . |
| Target bonus % (Fund) | None | Not paid by the Fund . |
| Actual bonus paid (Fund) | None | Not paid by the Fund . |
| Cash retainers/fees (Fund) | None | Officers receive no Fund fees; director fees apply only to independent directors . |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive type | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fund‑level incentives for officers | — | — | — | — | — | — | Not applicable; Fund does not compensate officers . |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| As-of date | Beneficially owned shares | Ownership % of OS | Pledged as collateral | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | None | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Officers and directors as a group (13 persons) owned 3,930 shares, <1% of OS . |
Employment Terms
| Aspect | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Role start date (CCO) | Since 2025 |
| Election/term | Officers are elected annually by the Board following the Annual Meeting |
| Employment status | The Fund has no employees; officer roles are provided by DWS |
| Compensation at Fund | No compensation is paid by the Fund to officers |
| Severance / Change‑of‑control | Not disclosed at the Fund level (no Fund employment contracts disclosed) |
| Non‑compete / non‑solicit | Not disclosed |
| Clawback / tax gross‑ups | Not disclosed |
Additional Governance and Compliance Context
- Section 16(a) reporting: For FY 2024, the Fund states all required filings were timely except a late Form 3 (Kircher) and a late Form 4 (Koepp); no delinquency is noted for Benson .
- Beneficial ownership reporting: As of May 16, 2025, Benson reported no beneficial ownership in the Fund .
- Board/committee structure: The Fund has an Audit, Advisory & Valuation, and Nominating & Governance Committee; “as the Fund has no employees,” it has not established a compensation committee .
Investment Implications
- Pay‑for‑performance visibility at Fund level is limited: Officers, including Benson, receive no compensation from the Fund and thus have no Fund‑level cash or equity incentives tied to Fund performance; alignment (if any) would occur through DWS compensation plans that are not disclosed here .
- Low insider‑selling pressure and pledging risk signal: Benson owns no Fund shares, reducing immediate selling or pledging overhang; however, it also reduces direct “skin‑in‑the‑game” alignment with Fund shareholders .
- Retention and contract transparency: With officers provided by DWS and elected annually, Fund‑level severance, change‑of‑control, and restrictive covenant terms are not disclosed, limiting visibility into retention risk and transition economics .
- Compliance track record: The proxy’s Section 16(a) note highlights late filings by other insiders but none for Benson, suggesting no disclosed compliance red flags specific to him during the period reviewed .