Rebecca Kujawa
About Rebecca Kujawa
Independent director at Equinix (effective November 3, 2025), appointed to the Audit Committee with independence affirmed under Nasdaq/SEC rules; prior President & CEO of NextEra Energy Resources with deep energy, infrastructure and capital markets expertise. She managed $15–$20B of annual capital investment and led AI-driven digital transformation of a ~300 GW development pipeline; she holds a BA in Public Policy Studies from Duke University (with honors) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextEra Energy Resources | President & CEO | Most recent role prior to EQIX appointment (dates not disclosed) | Managed $15–$20B annual capex; oversaw renewables, storage, natural gas, nuclear, transmission; led AI/analytics digital transformation across ~300 GW pipeline |
| NextEra Energy (enterprise) | Senior leadership across energy transition, digital innovation | Not disclosed | Recognized by Fortune as “Next to Lead: The 25 Most Powerful Rising Executives in the Fortune 500” for leadership and vision |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclear Electric Insurers Limited (NEIL) | Chairperson | Not disclosed | Served on Audit, Finance & Risk, and Governance Committees; strategic oversight of financial integrity, enterprise risk, regulatory compliance |
| XPLR Infrastructure | Board Member | Not disclosed | Governance experience in infrastructure investing |
| Speaking & Industry Forums | Speaker | Ongoing | COP28, CERAWeek, Milken Institute Global Conference, World Hydrogen Summit |
Board Governance
- Independence: Elected as an independent director; not party to any related-person transactions under Item 404(a) as of election .
- Committee assignment: Audit Committee member (Audit chaired by Christopher Paisley; committee held 36 meetings in 2024 around an independent investigation) .
- Board structure & practices: Majority voting standard; 1-year terms; proxy access; regular executive sessions; robust risk oversight via GRCC/ERM and quarterly cybersecurity briefings .
- Attendance baseline: In 2024, each incumbent director attended ≥75% of Board/committee meetings; Kujawa joined in November 2025 so 2024 attendance not applicable .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Standard Terms (Non-Employee Directors) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (Cash) | $75,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears; Kujawa will receive standard compensation |
| Committee Membership Fees (Cash) | Audit: $15,000 member; $35,000 chair | As Audit member, eligible for $15,000 |
| Other Committee Fees (Cash) | Finance: $5,000 member / $12,500 chair; Nominating & Governance: $10,000 / $20,000; Real Estate: $12,500 / $25,000; Talent, Culture & Compensation: $12,500 / $25,000 | Committee assignments determine eligibility |
| Meeting Fees (Cash, above thresholds) | Audit: $3,000 member ($5,000 chair) beyond 12 meetings; Finance: $3,000/$5,000 beyond 6; Nominating & Governance: $3,000/$5,000 beyond 5; Real Estate: $3,000/$5,000 beyond 8; Talent, Culture & Compensation: $3,000/$5,000 beyond 8 | Only paid when meeting count exceeds thresholds |
| Lead Independent Director Retainer (Cash) | $50,000 | Applies to LID, not Kujawa |
| Annual RSU Grant | $260,000 grant date fair value; becomes fully vested on earlier of first anniversary of immediately preceding annual meeting or next annual meeting if not standing | Dividend equivalents accrue; directors may elect deferral; pro-rated RSU upon joining based on days until first anniversary of immediately preceding annual meeting |
| Change-in-Control Vesting | Director RSUs become fully vested upon change-in-control; death accelerates next vesting tranche | Equity caps: $750,000 per year; may increase by $200,000 for special service only with stockholder-approved plan limits |
Performance Compensation
| Performance-Linked Component | Applies to Directors? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-based equity (PSUs) | No | Equinix director equity is time-vested RSUs; PSUs and financial/TSR metrics apply to executives only |
| Clawback/Recoupment | Yes (plan-level) | Awards subject to Equinix Compensation Recoupment Policy and any applicable clawback under law/listing rules |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Public Company? | Role | Potential Interlock with EQIX Suppliers/Customers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEIL | No (mutual insurer) | Chair; committee service | Low direct operating overlap with EQIX data center customers/suppliers | Governance/insurance specialization |
| XPLR Infrastructure | Private | Board member | Infrastructure investing exposure; no interlocks disclosed | 8-K notes no Item 404(a) transactions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Energy markets and procurement: Two decades leading renewables, storage, natural gas, nuclear, and transmission portfolios; relevant to EQIX power sourcing risk and capacity planning .
- Capital allocation: Managed $15–$20B annual capex; top-five U.S. capital investor experience; valuable for Finance/Real Estate oversight even as Audit member .
- Digital/AI transformation: Drove enterprise AI/analytics acceleration; relevant to EQIX operations and efficiency initiatives .
- Governance depth: Committee leadership (Audit, Finance & Risk, Governance) and board experience; strong enterprise risk oversight background .
- Education: BA, Public Policy Studies, Duke University (honors) .
Equity Ownership
| Data Point | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership at appointment | 0 shares | Initial Form 3 reported no securities beneficially owned |
| Ownership % of outstanding shares | <1% | Based on Form 3 and 97,818,262 shares outstanding as of Mar. 25, 2025 (context) |
| Vested vs. unvested | None initially | RSU grants upon appointment are pro-rated; vest per director program |
| Pledging/Hedging | Hedging prohibited; pledging limited | Securities Trading Policy prohibits hedging and limits pledging; no pledges disclosed for Kujawa |
| Director stock ownership guideline | ≥6× annual cash retainer | 5 years to comply; measured annually at fiscal year-end |
Insider Filings
| Form | Filing Date | Key Disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership) | November 4, 2025 | No securities beneficially owned at appointment |
| Power of Attorney (Exhibit 24) | September 23, 2025 (executed); filed November 4, 2025 | Authorized designated attorneys-in-fact to file Section 16 reports |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Appointment strengthens Board’s energy procurement and capital allocation oversight as EQIX targets doubling its footprint in five years—directly relevant to power capacity access and cost volatility risks .
- Independence and conflicts: Independence confirmed; 8-K states standard director compensation and no Item 404(a) related-party transactions—low conflict risk at appointment .
- Committee fit: Audit Committee membership leverages her risk/compliance experience; energy expertise enhances Board’s ERM focus on power sourcing, sustainability and cost management .
- Ownership alignment: Director RSUs and six-times retainer ownership guideline promote long-term alignment; initial Form 3 shows no holdings yet with a five-year runway to comply .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed—no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging by Kujawa, and no attendance concerns (newly appointed). Continued monitoring advised for any future energy-related transactions or roles that could create perceived conflicts .