Julia Wright
HuntsmanAbout Julia Wright
Julia Wright was appointed Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Huntsman Corporation, effective October 13, 2025, but withdrew from the position on September 26, 2025 for personal reasons; David Stryker continues as EVP, General Counsel and Secretary while the search for a successor proceeds . She brings 15+ years of senior executive legal leadership, including serving as SVP, General Counsel and Secretary at ChampionX until its sale to SLB on July 16, 2025, and previously as VP & General Counsel at Nabors Industries; she began her legal career at Vinson & Elkins and also worked at Baker McKenzie . Company context: Huntsman reported approximately $6 billion in 2024 revenues .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChampionX Corporation | Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary | 2018–Jul 16, 2025 | Built full-service legal & compliance function; negotiated acquisition of Ecolab’s upstream chemical business; guided organization through successful sale to SLB |
| Nabors Industries Ltd. | Vice President & General Counsel | Not disclosed | Led corporate governance, compliance, and legal support at a leading energy technology provider |
| Vinson & Elkins; Baker McKenzie | Attorney | Not disclosed | Early legal career in leading law firms; corporate and transactional experience |
External Roles
No public company board roles or external directorships disclosed in Huntsman filings related to Wright .
Fixed Compensation
No Huntsman offer letter, base salary, target bonus, or fixed pay terms were disclosed for Wright in the 8-K or press releases; she withdrew prior to start, and no compensation details are available .
Performance Compensation
Huntsman’s executive incentive framework (context relevant to an EVP role; no individual terms disclosed for Wright):
Annual Cash Performance Award (2024 design and outcomes)
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout (% of Target) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA ($USD Millions) | 40% | $515 | $414 | 0% (Committee exercised negative discretion) | Thresholds set; below threshold → zero payout |
| Free Cash Flow ($USD Millions) | 40% | $195 | $101 | 0% (Committee exercised negative discretion) | Measured as operating cash from continuing ops less capex |
| Strategic & Operational Initiatives (%) | 20% | 100% | 100% | 0% (overall payout reduced to zero) | Includes volume improvement, SG&A reductions, portfolio actions |
Additional EH&S targets were exceeded (ASTM 2920 injury rate and process severity index), but overall annual cash awards for NEOs were reduced to zero for 2024 .
Long-Term Equity Incentives (LTI)
| Instrument | Weighting | Performance Metric | Vesting | Design Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Share Units (PSUs) | 60% of equity awards | Relative TSR vs performance peers | Earned over 3 fiscal years | PSU value tied to multi‑year stock performance; peers include Ashland, Dow, Eastman, etc. |
| Restricted Stock | 40% of equity awards | Service | 3‑year ratable vesting | Provides retention and long‑term alignment |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Policy Area | Huntsman Practice |
|---|---|
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | 6x base salary for CEO; 3x base salary for other executive officers; 3x annual cash retainer for directors; retain at least 50% of net shares until guideline met |
| Hedging & Derivatives | Prohibits hedging, short sales, and transactions in options/derivatives; as of the proxy date, none of the directors or executive officers engaged in hedging |
| Pledging | Not prohibited, but cautioned; margin account risks highlighted |
| Clawback | Amended and restated Clawback Policy effective Oct 26, 2023; applies to current/former Section 16 officers; requires recovery of incentive‑based compensation for accounting restatements within prior three fiscal years; misconduct not required |
No beneficial ownership, vested/unvested equity, or options data are disclosed for Wright at Huntsman; she was announced and subsequently withdrew prior to start .
Employment Terms
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment | Named EVP, General Counsel & Secretary effective Oct 13, 2025 |
| Status Change | Withdrew from the position for personal reasons on Sept 26, 2025; David Stryker continues as EVP, General Counsel & Secretary while search proceeds |
| Executive Severance Plan (general, applies to executive officers) | Upon termination without Reasonable Cause or for Good Reason: lump sum 2x Base Compensation; medical benefit continuation lump‑sum (COBRA premium x severance period x 100%); up to one year of outplacement; pro‑rata annual bonus; definitions of “Reasonable Cause” and “Good Reason” provided; annual review of severance level |
| Restrictive Covenants (Executive Severance Plan) | Perpetual confidentiality and non‑disparagement; 12‑month non‑compete and non‑solicit post‑termination |
| Equity Plan Provisions | 2025 Stock Incentive Plan provides for various awards and includes clawback applicability and change‑in‑control adjustments as determined by the Committee |
No Huntsman employment agreement or severance specifics were disclosed for Wright (e.g., bonus %, equity grant values, vesting schedules), and no change‑of‑control economics were disclosed for her individually .
Investment Implications
- Transition risk: Wright’s withdrawal creates near‑term continuity risk in the legal function; however, David Stryker remains in role, mitigating immediate operational disruption .
- No incremental insider supply: Her withdrawal implies no new equity grants or potential insider selling pressure from her appointment, reducing near‑term technical overhang tied to executive onboarding .
- Alignment discipline: Huntsman’s pay‑for‑performance framework showed rigor in 2024—despite achieving strategic and EH&S targets, annual cash awards for NEOs were reduced to zero due to missing EBITDA/FCF thresholds, reinforcing compensation discipline and long‑term alignment .
- Watch for successor signals: Monitor subsequent 8‑Ks and press releases for the next General Counsel appointment; new executive packages (equity/vesting) can affect insider activity and alignment profile .