George Stansfield
Equitable HoldingsAbout George Stansfield
George Stansfield (age 65) is an independent director of Equitable Holdings, Inc. (EQH) since 2017. He serves as Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AXA S.A. (since 2017) and Group General Secretary (since 2016), with prior roles as AXA’s Head of Group Human Resources and Group General Counsel, bringing deep HR, legal, and executive management credentials to EQH’s board . He is affirmed independent under NYSE/SEC standards following EQH’s annual review of relationships (including immaterial affiliate memberships) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXA S.A. | Deputy Chief Executive Officer | 2017–present | Group executive leadership; oversight perspective to EQH’s board |
| AXA S.A. | Group General Secretary | 2016–present | Governance, compliance, and enterprise coordination |
| AXA S.A. | Head of Group Human Resources | Prior role (year not specified) | Human capital, compensation, succession expertise |
| AXA S.A. | Group General Counsel | Prior role (year not specified) | Legal, regulatory, risk oversight experience |
External Roles
| Organization / Board | Role | Tenure / Start | Committees / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AXA France | Chairman | Not specified (current) | Strategic oversight in France market |
| AXA Liabilities Managers (France) | Chair, Supervisory Board | Not specified (current) | Runoff/liability mgmt expertise |
| GIE AXA (France) | Chair | Not specified (current) | Group shared services governance |
| AXA Venture Partners (France) | Advisory Council Member | Not specified (current) | Innovation/VC network |
| AXA ASIA (France) | Director or Management Committee member | Not specified (current) | Regional strategy |
| AXA Life Insurance Co. Ltd. (Japan) | Director or Management Committee member | Not specified (current) | Japan life market oversight |
| Equitable Financial (EQH subsidiary) | Director | 2017–present | Franchise governance alignment |
| Equitable America (EQH subsidiary) | Director | 2017–present | Franchise governance alignment |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmed Stansfield is independent under NYSE/SEC standards after reviewing “bright line” criteria and immaterial relationships (e.g., affiliate board memberships) .
- Committees: Compensation & Talent (member since May 22, 2024) ; Nominating & Corporate Governance (member since May 22, 2024) ; Finance & Risk (member since May 22, 2024) . All committee members are independent .
- Committee activity: 2024 meetings—Audit (9), Compensation & Talent (5), Nominating & Corporate Governance (4), Finance & Risk (5) .
- Board leadership: Independent Chair; executive sessions at each regular board meeting and at least annually; independent directors meet privately with the Chair presiding .
- Annual meeting attendance: All directors attended EQH’s 2024 annual meeting .
- Overboarding policy: Maximum four public company boards for non-executive directors; all directors were in compliance throughout 2024 .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee Chair Fees ($) | Meeting Fees ($) | Equity Retainer ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 125,000 | 0 (not a committee chair) | 0 (no meeting fees disclosed) | 175,039 (Holdings common stock) | 300,039 |
Notes:
- 2024 director program: Non-employee directors receive $125,000 annual cash retainer; committee chair fees only (Audit $35,000; Compensation & Talent $25,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance $20,000; Finance & Risk $20,000). No chair role for Stansfield in 2024 .
- Annual equity retainer for non-employee directors increased from $160,000 to $175,000 in 2024; Independent Chair received an additional $105,000 (not applicable to Stansfield) .
- AB director compensation is separate; Stansfield did not serve on AB’s board in 2024 (AB equity retainer applies to Kaye, Lamm‑Tennant, Stonehill) .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Performance Metric | Applies to EQH Director Pay? | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Relative TSR | No (director equity is service-based common stock grants) | Annual equity retainer consists of shares of Holdings’ common stock (not performance-conditioned) |
| Non-GAAP EPS | No | Same as above |
| Options/PSUs | Not granted to non-employee directors in 2024 | Director stock awards shown as common stock; AB director awards are restricted units for AB board only |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Nature | Potential Interlock / Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| AXA Group roles (France/Japan/Asia) | Senior executive and multiple boards within AXA | Board reviewed independence; affiliate memberships deemed immaterial; independence affirmed |
| EQH subsidiaries (Equitable Financial, Equitable America) | EQH franchise boards | Enhances franchise oversight; not a conflict per governance framework |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership (Deputy CEO, Group General Secretary) and prior HR and General Counsel roles at AXA provide human capital, compensation, legal/regulatory, and global insurance expertise aligned to EQH’s risk and strategy oversight .
- Board skills matrix emphasizes finance/investments, risk management, audit/accounting, compensation/HR, and governance—areas covered by Stansfield’s background .
Equity Ownership
| Security | Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EQH Common Stock | 35,434 shares | <1% | As of March 24, 2025 |
| AB Holding Units | 0 units | N/A | As of March 24, 2025 |
| Pledged/Hedged Shares | Prohibited by policy | — | Directors are prohibited from pledging or hedging company securities |
| Ownership Guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer (directors) | — | Must retain 50% of stock received until guideline met |
| Compliance Status | Not disclosed (individual compliance not specified) | — | EQH discloses guideline, not individual director status |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Despite senior AXA roles, EQH’s Nominating & Governance Committee affirmed Stansfield’s independence after assessing immaterial affiliate relationships; he serves on key independent committees (Compensation & Talent; Nominating & Governance; Finance & Risk) supporting robust oversight .
- Engagement and attendance: All directors attended the 2024 annual meeting; regular executive sessions led by the independent Chair reinforce independent board deliberations .
- Compensation structure: Director pay is balanced, modest, and equity-centric (service-based common stock), with no performance-conditioned awards for directors—reducing pay-related conflicts and supporting long-term alignment; the equity retainer rose $15,000 YoY in 2024 per market benchmarking .
- Ownership and alignment: Stansfield holds 35,434 EQH shares (<1%); directors are subject to stringent stock ownership guidelines and anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies that enhance investor alignment and reduce risk .
- Compensation committee practices: EQH uses an independent consultant (Meridian) and conducts annual risk assessments; no compensation committee interlocks were reported for 2024. Stansfield joined the Compensation & Talent Committee in May 2024, improving continuity with his HR/legal background .
- Investor confidence signals: EQH’s say‑on‑pay passed with 96.1% support in 2024, and governance enhancements (e.g., special meeting right at 15% ownership, independent Chair, majority voting) demonstrate responsiveness to shareholders .
RED FLAGS and Watch Items
- Potential perceived conflict due to AXA senior executive roles and AXA affiliate boards. Mitigants: formal independence determination and immaterial affiliate relationships; ongoing monitoring warranted given AXA industry footprint .
- No pledging/hedging permitted; no related-party transactions disclosed for Stansfield in proxy sections reviewed—no direct red flags identified .
Appendices (Program and Policy References)
- Director compensation peer group used for benchmarking (Ameriprise, Brighthouse, Corebridge, Jackson, Lincoln, Manulife, Principal, Prudential, Sun Life, Unum, Voya) .
- Director education reimbursement up to $5,000 per year; accidental loss insurance benefits; governance documents available on IR site .