Sir Simon Robertson
EvercoreAbout Sir Simon Robertson
Sir Simon M. Robertson, age 84, is an independent director of Evercore (EVR) and has served on the Board since 2017. He founded Simon Robertson Associates LLP in 2005 after serving as Managing Director and President of Goldman Sachs Europe Limited from 1997 to 2005; prior roles include decades at Kleinwort Benson Group culminating in Chair of Kleinwort Benson Group plc in 1996–1997. His background is strongly international with notable past chair and director roles at Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, HSBC Holdings plc (Senior Independent Director and Deputy Chairman), The Economist Newspaper Ltd., and other entities; he has been knighted for services to business and holds multiple honors.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldman Sachs Europe Limited | Managing Director, President | 1997–2005 | Senior leadership of European operations |
| Kleinwort Benson Group plc | Chairman; earlier various roles | Chairman 1996–1997; joined 1963; Corporate Finance from 1968 | Led group; extensive corporate finance background |
| Rolls-Royce Holdings plc | Chairman | 2005–2013 | Board leadership; governance of FTSE-listed industrial |
| HSBC Holdings plc | Director; Senior Independent Director; Deputy Chairman | Director 2006–2016; SID 2007–2015; Deputy Chairman 2010–2016 | Oversight at global bank; senior independent oversight |
| The Economist Newspaper Ltd. | Director | 2005–2017 | Governance at major media company |
| Berry Bros & Rudd Ltd. | Director | 1998–2018 | Board role at private company |
| Troy Asset Management Limited | Director | 2012–2024 | Board role at asset manager |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Timing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simon Robertson Associates LLP | Founder/Leader | Founded 2005; ongoing | Independent corporate finance advice |
| Byhiras Group | Director | Current | Private company directorship |
| LOV Group Invest | Supervisory Board Member | Current | Governance role on Supervisory Board |
| King’s College London (Dept. of Political Economy) | Visiting Professor | Current | Academic engagement |
| Brown Advisory | International Advisory Board | Joined 2015; retired Nov 2021 | Advisory role concluded |
| Légion d’Honneur UK Chapter | Emeritus President | Retired Jan 2022; now Emeritus | Honorary leadership |
| Winston Churchill Memorial Trust | Ambassador | Current | Honorary role |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Sir Simon Robertson is independent under NYSE rules and Evercore’s categorical standards. Audit and Compensation Committee members are independent under applicable NYSE/SEC rules.
- Committee assignments and chair roles:
- Compensation Committee: Member (not Chair); the committee held 5 meetings in 2024.
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Member (not Chair); the committee held 2 meetings in 2024.
- Audit Committee: Not a member; Audit held 7 meetings in 2024.
- Attendance: The Board met five times in 2024; each director attended over 80% of Board and respective Committee meetings. Independent directors hold regular executive sessions; a Lead Independent Director presides over non-management sessions.
- Majority voting resignation policy: Directors failing to receive a majority of votes in an uncontested election must tender their resignation; the Board decides within 90 days and discloses its decision.
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Director) | Amount/Detail | 2024 Figures | Vest/Payment Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $125,000 | $125,000 cash for Robertson | Director election in 2024, standard retainer |
| Committee chair fees | $30,000 (only for Chairs) | $0 (Robertson is not a chair) | Annual cash for Chairs only |
| One-time RSU grant upon joining Board | $50,000 | Not applicable in 2024 (joining grant at initial appointment) | Delivers on 2nd anniversary of grant |
| Cash fees (reported) | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $125,000 | 2024 Summary table |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant-Date Value | Delivery/Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (2024) | June 18, 2024 | 639 RSUs | ≈$125,000 (based on 10-day avg price $195.84) | Delivers on June 18, 2025 (1-year delivery) | None disclosed; time-based delivery (no performance conditions) |
| Retainer election in stock | Not elected by Robertson | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a (Overlock/Williamson elected 100% stock; Robertson did not) |
Notes: Grant-date fair values computed per FASB ASC Topic 718; grant values used average of high/low trading prices over June 4–17, 2024 to size RSU awards; delivery on first anniversary.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company boards: None disclosed. Historical public roles include Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (Chairman) and HSBC Holdings plc (SID, Deputy Chairman).
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None requiring disclosure; no member (including Robertson) was an employee/officer or had an Item 404 transaction in fiscal 2024.
- Shared directorships with EVR competitors/customers/suppliers: Not disclosed; independence review covers director relationships and related person transactions.
Expertise & Qualifications
- The Board cites Robertson’s extensive investment banking and financial markets experience, especially his international background, and experience serving on other boards of financial and other companies as key qualifications for oversight.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class A | Voting Units Beneficially Owned | % Voting Units | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Simon M. Robertson | 8,185 | <1% (*) | — | — | Address: c/o Evercore, 55 East 52nd Street, New York, NY 10055; ownership determined under SEC rules |
| Vested RSUs held (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 639 RSUs | n/a | n/a | n/a | Deliver on June 18, 2025 (standard director grant) |
- Director stock ownership guideline: Non-management directors must hold Evercore equity equal to at least 3x the most recent annual retainer; until met, directors must retain 100% of shares received upon RSU delivery (net of taxes).
- Hedging/pledging: Evercore prohibits hedging by all employees; anti-pledging policy prohibits directors and executive officers from pledging equity without Compensation Committee approval.
- Clawbacks: NYSE-compliant clawback policy effective December 1, 2023 for incentive-based compensation in restatement scenarios; additional recapture policy applies to SMDs in cases of misconduct or restatements.
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Robertson is affirmed independent under NYSE and company standards, serves on key governance and pay oversight committees (Compensation; Nominating & Corporate Governance), and participates in a director pay mix that includes meaningful equity with retention requirements and anti-hedging/anti-pledging protections—collectively supportive of shareholder alignment.
- Attendance and engagement: The Board and committees met 19 times in 2024; each director attended over 80% of Board and respective Committee meetings; independent directors hold executive sessions led by a Lead Independent Director—indicators of active oversight.
- Pay structure quality: Fixed retainer ($125k) plus time-based RSUs (~$125k) with standardized grant sizing and one-year delivery; no special fees for Robertson beyond retainer; chair fees apply only to committee chairs, limiting pay inflation.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Robertson—no related-party transactions requiring Item 404 disclosure for Comp Committee members; no pledging recorded; no attendance shortfalls disclosed. Continued vigilance is warranted given his external advisory activities (Simon Robertson Associates LLP), but the Board’s independence review and related-person transaction disclosure mitigate conflict concerns.
Shareholder confidence signals: Majority voting resignation policy, strong say-on-pay support (~93% in prior year), and ongoing shareholder engagement are positives for governance quality and accountability.