Jesus Mantas
Director at IFF
Board
About Jesus B. Mantas
Jesus B. Mantas is a retired IBM senior executive and current independent director at IFF, appointed on July 30, 2025. He led IBM Consulting’s $10B Business Transformation Services unit and previously ran Strategy & M&A, IBM Global Business Outsourcing, and regional IBM Consulting businesses; earlier roles include PwC Consulting partner, adjunct professor at UC Irvine, Procter & Gamble, and officer in the Spanish Air Force . He holds degrees in Telecommunications and Business Administration from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| IBM Consulting | Global Managing Partner, led $10B Business Transformation Services; led Strategy & M&A; oversaw multiple global/regional units | — | Scaled digital transformation, AI and operational excellence programs |
| PwC Consulting (High Tech) | Partner | — | Technology strategy and operations for global clients |
| University of California, Irvine | Adjunct Professor (Graduate School of Management) | — | Academic emphasis on technology and management |
| Procter & Gamble | Various roles | — | Consumer/operations experience |
| Spanish Air Force | Officer | — | Leadership and technical training |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biogen Inc. | Independent Director; chairs Compensation & Management Development Committee | 2019–present | Leads executive compensation oversight and pay-for-performance design |
| HITEC (non-profit) | Vice Chair of the Board | — | Promotes Hispanic technology leadership |
| NACD | Board Member | — | Governance thought leadership |
| Council for Global Competitiveness & Innovation | Council Member | — | Policy and innovation advocacy |
| World Economic Forum | Former member, AI Global Council | — | AI governance and global policy |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee and Innovation Committee member at IFF .
- Independence: IFF states that all directors other than the CEO meet NYSE independence standards; the Board annually reviews independence and related relationships .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board held 8 meetings; Audit (10), Human Capital & Compensation (7), Governance & Corporate Responsibility (11), and Innovation (3). All incumbent directors attended ≥75% of meetings for their service periods, and directors are expected to attend all meetings per guidelines .
- Audit Committee scope includes financial reporting integrity, internal controls, cyber/data security, auditor oversight, and compliance; members must be independent and financially literate .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Program Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Retainer | $300,000 total ($100,000 cash; $200,000 RSUs) starting with the 2025 Annual Meeting | Approved October 2024 |
| Non-Executive Chair Retainer | $200,000 ($66,667 cash; $133,333 RSUs) | Increased from $150,000 |
| Committee Chair Fees | Audit Chair $25,000; Human Capital & Compensation Chair $20,000; Governance & Corporate Responsibility Chair $15,000; Innovation Chair $15,000 | Updated audit chair fee; others unchanged |
| RSU Grant Mechanics | Annual director RSUs granted at annual meeting; vest in one year; accelerated on change of control | Annual grants under 2021 A&R SAIP |
| Deferred Compensation Plan | Directors may defer cash retainer and RSUs; DCP balances settle in stock on separation | Program details and eligibility |
| Matching Gifts | Up to $10,000 annually matched to eligible charities | Director benefit |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Term | Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Director equity | Time-based RSUs vest after one year; no performance-based equity for non-employee directors | Not tied to financial/ESG metrics; directors receive RSUs per program |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Biogen board service and compensation chair role may provide governance expertise; no IFF-related party transactions disclosed in 2024 and oversight policy requires prior review of any such transactions by Governance & Corporate Responsibility Committee .
- IFF maintains related person transaction policy with defined review factors (relationship, material facts, benefits, alternatives, arm’s-length comparison) and prohibits involvement of interested parties in approvals .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Digital innovation, AI/ML, global market insight, and operational excellence from IBM leadership; governance and compensation design expertise from Biogen chair role .
- Prior academic and consulting experience supports oversight of Innovation Committee remit (R&D quality, pipeline competitiveness, talent and technology trends) .
Equity Ownership
- Ownership guidelines: Directors must hold IFF stock at 5x cash retainer; if below guideline, must retain 100% of net shares until compliant .
- Hedging/pledging: Directors prohibited from short sales, derivatives (puts/calls), hedging or pledging/margin accounts of IFF securities .
- Compliance: As of December 31, 2024, all named executive officers and directors were in compliance with the Share Retention Policy; Mantas joined in 2025 and will be subject to the same policy .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Audit Committee oversight and independence; robust clawback and anti-hedging/pledging policies; director stock ownership guidelines; annual Board/committee evaluations; clear succession planning and risk oversight processes .
- Signals: Appointment to Audit and Innovation suggests emphasis on financial discipline and digital/R&D innovation; board independence affirmed by IFF policies .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related person transactions for 2024; policy requires pre-approval for any such items; no hedging/pledging allowed—reduces alignment risks .
- Board stability and activism context: IFF has an Icahn Group cooperation agreement; director changes in late 2025 (Brett Icahn, Richard Mulligan) were disclosed without disagreements, highlighting ongoing shareholder engagement dynamics . This environment heightens the importance of independent directors on Audit and Innovation committees.
Reference Tables
Board and Committee Meetings (2024)
| Body | Meetings Held | Attendance |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 8 | All incumbents ≥75% for periods served |
| Audit | 10 | Independent and financially literate members |
| Human Capital & Compensation | 7 | Independent members |
| Governance & Corporate Responsibility | 11 | Independent members |
| Innovation | 3 | Oversees R&D/innovation programs |
Director Compensation Program (Service Year Changes)
| Service Year | Retainer (Cash/RSU) | Non-Exec Chair Retainer (Cash/RSU) | Audit Chair Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–2025 | $112,500 cash / $157,500 RSUs | $60,000 cash / $90,000 RSUs | $20,000 cash |
| 2025–2026 | $100,000 cash / $200,000 RSUs | $66,667 cash / $133,333 RSUs | $25,000 cash |
Policies Impacting Director Alignment
- Share Retention Policy: 5x retainer; 100% retention until compliant; confirmed compliance as of Dec 31, 2024 .
- Equity Grant Policy: Annual grants at meeting date; off-cycle grants for appointments; grant pricing methodology disclosed .
- Anti-hedging/pledging: Prohibited for directors and employees .
Notes
- Specific 2025 grant amounts for Mantas will be disclosed in the next proxy; program terms above apply to all non-employee directors .
- Independence status and committee appointments sourced from IFF IR and July 30, 2025 press release .