Jennifer Feikin
HERTZ GLOBAL HOLDINGSAbout Jennifer Feikin
Independent director of Hertz Global Holdings since July 2021; age 57. Background spans digital media and technology leadership: former Director of Google Video at Google (now Alphabet), with prior roles in business development/affairs at AOL Time Warner, 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, and Morgan Creek Productions, and earlier at McKinsey & Company as a management consultant. The Board has affirmatively determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules; she serves on the Audit and Governance Committees. Board structure is “controlled company” but Hertz elects not to use governance exemptions.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Business Advisor | Advisor to non-profits, startups, large media companies | 2007–2020 | Strategy and growth advisory focus |
| Google (Alphabet) | Director, Google Video | Not disclosed | Digital product leadership |
| AOL Time Warner | Business Development | Not disclosed | Corporate development |
| 20th Century Fox; Fox Searchlight; Morgan Creek Productions | Business Affairs | Not disclosed | Media transactions and operations |
| McKinsey & Company | Management Consultant | Not disclosed | Strategy consulting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Funds Insurance Funds; American Funds Fund of Funds; American Funds Fixed Income Funds | Director (mutual fund boards) | Since 2023 | Independent fund director |
| Capital Group Exchange Traded Funds | Director | Since inception (2021) | ETF board oversight |
| Capital Group Private Client Services Funds; Capital Group U.S. Equity Fund; American Funds International Vantage; Global Insight; Emerging Markets Growth | Director | 2019–2022 | Prior fund board experience |
| Youth Sports Alliance (Park City, UT) | Board member | Since Oct 2024 | Non-profit governance |
| The Nature Conservancy of Utah | Trustee | 2021–2024 | Non-profit governance |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee and Governance Committee; not a chair. Audit Committee met 16 times in 2024; Governance Committee met 5 times.
- Independence: Board determined Feikin and all committee members meet heightened independence standards; Audit members have required financial literacy (committee “financial expert” is Intrieri).
- Attendance: Board held 14 meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings; all serving directors attended the 2024 annual meeting.
- Board leadership and practices: Chair and CEO roles separated (independent Chair: Colin Farmer), regular executive sessions of independent directors at every scheduled meeting; controlled-company status but Hertz does not use Nasdaq governance exemptions.
- Related-party oversight: Audit Committee administers the Related Person Transaction Policy; 2024 transactions involved sponsor-affiliated entities (GT Racing; Amex GBT; Internova; Wheels Up via CK Wheels), and none involved organizations where any independent director is an officer, partner, or controlling stockholder.
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | 100,000 | Standard director program: $275,000 total retainer ($100,000 cash + $175,000 RSUs), unchanged vs 2023 |
| Committee chair fees | 0 | Not a chair; chair fees: Audit $50,000; Compensation $25,000; Governance $15,000 |
| All other compensation (perqs) | 1,355 | Value of free car rentals under Director Car Rental Program |
| Total (cash + perqs) | 101,355 | Excludes equity fair value shown below |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award (2024) | Grant Date | Shares (#) | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting/Deferral |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (annual director grant) | May 22, 2024 | 35,212 | 175,004 | Vest on earlier of day before 2025 annual meeting or Board departure; Feikin elected to defer receipt (phantom RSUs) |
Director equity is time-based; no director performance metrics are disclosed. Program prohibits dividends on unvested equity and hedging/pledging by directors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company interlocks: None disclosed for Feikin; her boards are Capital Group mutual funds/ETFs and non-profits.
- Shared directorships with Hertz counterparties: 2024 related-party transactions involved sponsor affiliates (e.g., Amex GBT chaired by O’Hara; Internova with Farmer on the board), but proxy states none of the transactions involved organizations where any independent director is an officer, partner, or controlling stockholder.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic development; digital technology and innovation; consumer development; governance experience as an independent mutual fund director.
- Audit Committee financial literacy; participates in oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, treasury/finance, ERM (including cybersecurity).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Date | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unvested RSUs outstanding | Dec 31, 2024 | 35,212 |
| Vested deferred awards (phantom/deferrals) | Dec 31, 2024 | 38,621 |
| Phantom shares included in beneficial ownership | Mar 31, 2025 | 9,234 |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | 2025 proxy | Less than 1% |
| Director stock ownership guideline | Current policy | 5x annual cash retainer; compliance within 5 years of Nov 9, 2021 for directors serving at adoption; counts 50% of value of phantom shares and time-based RSUs toward guideline |
No hedging or pledging permitted for directors under company policy.
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Feikin’s dual Audit and Governance roles support oversight of financial reporting, controls, compliance, and sustainability/corporate responsibility. Independence affirmed; committee independence meets Nasdaq/Exchange Act standards. Attendance thresholds met; regular executive sessions and independent Chair are positive governance signals.
- Alignment and incentives: Standard director pay mix (cash + RSUs) with deferral election indicates longer-term alignment; stock ownership guideline at 5x cash retainer strengthens “skin in the game.” Perquisites are modest (free car rentals).
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: 2024 related-party transactions concentrated among sponsor-affiliated entities; Audit Committee oversees RPTs, and none involved organizations where independent directors (including Feikin) are officers/partners/controlling stockholders—mitigating direct conflict risk for Feikin.
- Controlled company context: CK Amarillo held ~59% as of March 24, 2025; a voting agreement requires proportional voting of “Excess Voting Securities” above 45%, partially addressing control concerns. Hertz does not rely on controlled-company governance exemptions—supportive of investor confidence.
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Feikin. No related-party transactions tied to her, no hedging/pledging, attendance threshold met. Controlled company ownership remains a structural consideration but mitigated by proportional voting agreement and independent committee structure.