Sarah Williamson
EvercoreAbout Sarah K. Williamson
Sarah K. Williamson (age 61) has served on Evercore Inc.’s Board since 2018. She is Chief Executive Officer of FCLTGlobal (since July 2016), a not-for-profit focused on encouraging long-term behaviors in business and investment decision-making, and previously spent over 21 years at Wellington Management Company LLP, where she was a Partner and Director of Alternative Investments and chaired Wellington Trust Company NA and the firm’s founding Diversity Committee. She holds a B.A. in economics (with honors) from Williams College (1984) and an M.B.A. (with distinction) from Harvard Business School (1989). The Board cites her investment management experience, leadership of a sustainability/long-term investing organization, and familiarity with institutional investor perspectives as core credentials. She is affirmatively independent and designated an Audit Committee Financial Expert.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wellington Management Company LLP | Partner; Director of Alternative Investments | Over 21 years | Served on firm boards/committees; Chair, Wellington Trust Company NA; Founding Chair, Diversity Committee |
| Wellington Trust Company NA | Chair | Not disclosed (within 21+ years at Wellington) | Governance oversight and fiduciary leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Focus/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCLTGlobal | Chief Executive Officer | Since July 2016 | Encouraging long-term behaviors in business and investment decision-making |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Williamson is independent under NYSE rules and Evercore’s categorical standards; all Board committees are fully independent.
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee member. Not a committee chair.
- Financial expertise: Designated an “Audit Committee Financial Expert” with accounting/financial management expertise.
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 5 meetings in 2024; committees held Audit (7), Compensation (5), Nominating (2). Each director attended over 80% of Board and applicable committee meetings; all incumbent directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Lead Independent Director and executive sessions: Lead director is Gail B. Harris; independent directors conduct regular executive sessions without management.
| Governance Attribute | 2024 Status |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent |
| Audit Committee | Member; Financial Expert |
| Compensation Committee | Member |
| Committee Chair Roles | None |
| Board Meetings Attended | >80% (Board held 5 meetings) |
| Audit/Comp Meetings (Total held) | Audit 7; Compensation 5 |
| Annual Meeting Attendance | Attended 2024 Annual Meeting |
Fixed Compensation
- Structure: Non-management directors receive an annual retainer ($125,000) and annual RSU grant ($125,000); committee chair fees ($30,000) apply only to chairs; directors may elect to receive retainer in cash, RSUs, or 50/50. There are no meeting fees.
- 2024 Actuals (Disclosure Table): Williamson’s reported 2024 director compensation totaled $254,762 (Fees Earned/Paid in Cash $125,000; Stock Awards $129,762). Footnote clarifies she elected to receive her cash retainer 100% in common stock and thus did not receive a cash payment but received RSUs equivalent to the retainer.
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Retainer | 125,000 | Elected 100% in RSUs rather than cash |
| Annual RSU Grant | 125,000 | Time-based delivery on 1st anniversary |
| Committee Chair Fees | 0 | Not a chair |
| Reported Fees Earned/Paid in Cash | 125,000 | Presentation per proxy; paid as equity per election |
| Reported Stock Awards | 129,762 | Grant-date fair value per ASC 718 |
| Total | 254,762 | Sum of reported cash and stock columns |
Performance Compensation
Directors’ equity awards are time-based (not performance-conditioned). In 2024, non-management directors received RSUs that deliver on the first anniversary of grant; Williamson elected to receive her entire retainer in RSUs, increasing her total RSU grant units for 2024.
| Equity Award Detail (2024) | Units | Valuation/Timing | Vesting/Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSUs (standard) | 639 | Valued ≈$125,000 using 10-trading-day avg ($195.84) | Deliver on 1st anniversary (June 18, 2025) |
| Retainer as RSUs (election) | 638 (additional) | Williamson elected 100% RSUs; total 1,277 RSUs | Deliver on 1st anniversary (June 18, 2025) |
Ownership/retention policy: Directors must hold shares equal to ≥3x most recent annual retainer; until met, they must retain 100% of shares received upon delivery (net of taxes). Hedging is prohibited; pledging by directors requires Compensation Committee approval.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company directorships: None disclosed beyond Evercore Inc.
- Committee interlocks/insider participation: No Compensation Committee member (including Williamson) was an employee/officer or had Item 404 related-party transactions in 2024; no interlocks with other issuers’ compensation committees.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Investment management and alternatives: 21+ years leading investment strategies and alternative investments at Wellington.
- Long-term investing and sustainability: CEO of FCLTGlobal; Board credited her understanding of institutional investor approaches to performance, sustainability, and governance.
- Financial reporting and audit oversight: Audit Committee Financial Expert designation and related experience.
- Governance leadership: Prior board/committee leadership roles (Wellington Trust; Diversity Committee chair).
Equity Ownership
| Equity Holdings (Director) | Count | Timing/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vested RSUs (deliver on June 18, 2025) | 1,277 | Reflects 2024 annual grant plus retainer election in RSUs (1,277 vested RSUs delivering 6/18/2025) |
| Ownership Guidelines | ≥3x retainer (value-based) | Must retain 100% of delivered shares until guideline met |
| Hedging & Pledging | Prohibited to hedge; pledging requires approval | Policy applies to directors and executive officers |
Note: Beneficial ownership totals and % of shares outstanding for Williamson are not detailed in the cited sections; only RSU delivery counts are disclosed.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with dual committee service (Audit and Compensation) and Audit Committee Financial Expert designation; equity-heavy compensation with retainer taken entirely in stock enhances alignment; adherence to robust ownership and anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies; no related-party transactions or interlocks disclosed; attendance above 80% and participation at Annual Meeting.
- Watch items: Attendance disclosure is threshold-based (>80%) rather than exact rates; no specific disclosure of individual ownership guideline compliance status. No conflicts or related-party exposures identified for Williamson.
RED FLAGS: None identified in proxy disclosures for Williamson (no related-party transactions; no hedging/pledging; fully independent; committee interlocks absent).