Lori Conkling
Interactive Brokers GroupAbout Lori Conkling
Lori Conkling, age 53, is nominated as an independent director for election at IBKR’s April 2025 annual meeting; she brings over 25 years of media licensing and distribution experience and holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business . She currently leads TV and Film Licensing at Netflix and previously served as Global Head of TV, Film and Sports for YouTube/Google, with prior digital strategy roles at NBCUniversal; the Board has deemed her independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Head of TV & Film Licensing | Not disclosed | B2B and consumer media licensing leadership; brand growth and AI expertise |
| Google/YouTube | Global Head of TV, Film & Sports; member of YouTube’s GenAI Advisory Committee | Not disclosed | Led content and distribution strategy; AI advisory involvement |
| NBCUniversal | Strategic development, Corporate Digital Enterprises | Not disclosed | Digital brand growth across channels/social platforms |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teach for America | Board Member | Not disclosed | Non-profit governance |
| Duke University – Fuqua School of Business | Board of Visitors | Not disclosed | Advisory role; MBA alumna |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Conkling is independent under Nasdaq and SEC standards .
- Committee assignments: Not yet assigned; current committees are Audit (Harris chair), Compensation (Thomas Peterffy chair), and Nominating & Corporate Governance (Nemser chair) .
- Board leadership: IBKR separates Chair, CEO, and Lead Independent Director; Dr. Lawrence Harris serves as Lead Independent Director .
- Attendance: 2024 attendance thresholds (≥75%) applied to then-serving directors; Conkling was not on the Board in 2024 .
- Controlled company: IBKR is a Nasdaq “controlled company,” not required to have majority independent directors or fully independent comp/nom-gov committees .
- Trading policies: Directors are prohibited from hedging, short selling, or pledging IBKR stock .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $150,000 | For all non-employee directors |
| Committee chair retainer | $25,000 per committee | Paid to each committee chair annually |
| Meeting fees | None disclosed | Policy references retainers and equity; no per-meeting fees disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Value | Grant Timing | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual stock award | $25,000 | December 31 | Vests immediately | Non-employee director annual grant; shares based on FMV at grant |
| One-time appointment stock award | $75,000 | December 31 of appointment year | Straight-line over 5 years | Granted in year of appointment; same cancellation terms as employee awards |
| Dividend equivalents on unvested awards | Not applicable (rate not disclosed) | Ongoing | Paid on unvested units | Consistent with Stock Incentive Plan provisions |
No director performance metrics (TSR, revenue, EBITDA) are tied to director compensation; awards are service-based and not performance-based .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public Company? | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | Proxy does not list any public company boards for Conkling |
| Teach for America | No | Board Member | Non-profit; no IBKR-related transactions disclosed |
| Duke Fuqua Board of Visitors | No | Board of Visitors | Academic advisory; no IBKR-related transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Media licensing, content distribution, and brand growth across major platforms (Netflix, YouTube) .
- AI exposure: Member of YouTube’s GenAI Advisory Committee; Board skills matrix credits public-company experience, strategy, and leadership .
- Education: MBA, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| IBKR shares beneficially owned | Not disclosed in 2025 proxy for Conkling | Beneficial ownership table lists current directors and NEOs; Conkling listed as nominee, not included in holdings |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited | No hedging, short selling, or pledging of IBKR stock by directors |
| Director stock ownership guidelines | Not disclosed | Proxy does not state specific director ownership guidelines |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and engagement: Conkling is designated independent and adds media/AI expertise, potentially enhancing Board’s technology and growth perspectives .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay is modest, cash retainer plus small equity (annual $25k and one-time $75k), with service-based vesting; no options or performance-linked director pay, limiting incentive for short-termism .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions identified for Conkling; margin loans to directors are permitted only on market terms; no director-specific disclosures involve Conkling .
- Structural risk context: IBKR’s controlled-company status and insider-led Compensation and Nominating committees reduce independent oversight; Lead Independent Director role and an independent Audit Committee partially mitigate this risk .
- Signals for investors: Conkling’s AI/media licensing background may bolster strategic oversight of technology initiatives; absence of performance-linked director equity and strict anti-hedging/pledging support long-term alignment .
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