Yuvraj Arora
President, Nourish at IFF
Executive
About Yuvraj Arora
President, Taste Division and Chief Commercial Officer at IFF since January 2025; joined IFF in June 2023 as President, Nourish after 20+ years at Kellogg. Age 53 as of Feb. 28, 2025; holds a B.Tech. (National Institute of Technology, Calicut) and MBA (University of Delhi) . 2024 corporate AIP payout was 181.8% and Nourish business unit payout was 183.2%, reflecting strong EBITDA and currency-neutral sales growth; 2024 saw a 16% improvement in comparable EBITDA, while long-term TSR underperformed (2022–2024 LTIP paid ~13.1%) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kellogg North America | President, U.S. Categories | 2021–2023 | Led six U.S. categories, delivering portfolio growth and transformation |
| Kellogg (AMEA) | Lead, Marketing & Innovation (Asia, Middle East, Africa) | 2012–2015 | Drove regional innovation and category growth |
| Kellogg India | Marketing & Category Management | 2002–2005 | Launched/expanded local categories; brand building |
| Kellogg U.S. | Marketing, Brand Mgmt, General Mgmt | 2005–2012 | Managed cereals/snacking portfolios; commercial execution |
| IFF | President, Nourish | 2023–2024 | Oversaw largest division; margin and revenue improvement; led split into Taste and Food Ingredients |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States Golf Association (USGA) | Executive Committee; Foundation Chair; Chair, Leadership Development & Compensation Committee | N/A | Governance and leadership development; nonprofit mission alignment |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $366,154 | $695,300 |
| Target Bonus (%) | 90% | 90% |
| AIP Target ($) | $612,000 (annualized, pro-rated for 2023 hire) | $630,360 |
| Actual AIP Paid ($) | $168,919 | $1,154,820 |
Performance Compensation
Annual Incentive Plan (AIP) Outcomes
| Item | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Metrics & Design | CN Sales, EBITDA, Cash Conversion Cycle, ESG; corporate weighting 30% for division presidents | CN Sales, EBITDA, ESG modifier; corporate weighting 30% for division presidents |
| Corporate Performance Payout | 57.5% | 181.8% |
| Nourish Business Unit Payout | 51.4% | 183.2% |
| Y. Arora AIP Target ($) | $328,636 (pro-rated) | $630,360 |
| Y. Arora AIP Award ($) | $168,919 | $1,154,820 |
PSUs: Design, Targets, and Grants
| PSU Cycle | Metrics | Target ($) | Target Shares (#) | Grant Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023–2025 | ROIC Improvement; Relative TSR (100% paid in shares) | $1,700,000 | 21,322 | 6/19/2023 |
| 2024–2026 | Stock Price Appreciation; Productivity; Employee Engagement; TSR modifier vs S&P 500 | $900,000 | 11,423 | 5/1/2024 |
RSUs: Grants and Vesting
| Year | RSU Value ($) | RSUs Granted (#) | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 (new hire) | $2,299,971 | 28,847 | RSUs vest one-third per year; new hire RSUs accelerate upon involuntary termination without Cause, Good Reason, death or disability |
| 2024 (annual) | $900,000 | 10,716 | RSUs vest one-third per year |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Beneficial Ownership (as of Mar 7, 2025) | Shares |
|---|---|
| Total Beneficially Owned | 24,119 |
| Owned Directly | 3,238 |
| Stock Units (incl. DCP units, where applicable) | 20,881 |
| % of Shares Outstanding | <1% (255,735,006 shares outstanding) |
| Outstanding Unvested Awards (12/31/2024) | Count | Market/Payout Value ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 PSU (unearned units) | 10,661 | $901,388 |
| 2023 RSU (unvested) | 17,309 | $1,463,476 |
| 2024 PSU (unearned units) | 5,712 | $482,950 |
| 2024 RSU (unvested) | 10,716 | $906,038 |
- Stock ownership guidelines: Level-based multiples (e.g., 3x base salary at certain levels); retention requirements until guideline met; unexercised/ unvested awards don’t count. Committee approved Arora’s share sale solely to facilitate relocation in Nov 2024, resulting in non-compliance as of Dec. 31, 2024; otherwise executives/directors in compliance .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited; no margin or collateral pledges allowed .
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Employment Status | At-will; offer letter dated May 16, 2023; President, Nourish effective June 19, 2023 |
| Base Salary at Hire | $680,000 |
| Target AIP Bonus | 90% of base salary |
| LTI Target (2024) | PSU target $1,800,000; max up to 200% of target |
| New Hire Awards (7/1/2023) | RSUs $2,300,000; PSUs $1,700,000; one-time cash $550,000 |
| Repayment Obligation | $550,000 cash repay if voluntary resignation without Good Reason or termination for Cause prior to June 19, 2025 |
| Special RSU Acceleration (new hire RSUs) | Full acceleration upon involuntary termination without Cause, Good Reason, death or disability |
| Severance Policy (ESP) Multiples | Outside CiC: 1.5x salary ($1,050,600) and 1.5x target AIP ($945,540); Within 2 years after CiC: 2.0x salary ($1,400,800) and 2.0x target AIP ($1,260,720) |
| Equity Treatment (ESP) | Annual equity pro-rata continued vesting; sign-on award full accelerated vesting; CiC shows immediate vesting values per award terms |
| Benefits Continuation | Estimated $47,468 (medical/dental COBRA) |
| Executive Death Benefit | $1,350,800 (2x salary less $50,000) |
| Non-Compete/Non-Solicit | 12-month non-compete; 24-month non-solicit; required for severance eligibility |
| Clawback Policy | Robust clawbacks covering cash and equity awards beyond NYSE minimums |
| No Employment Agreements | Company policy: no fixed-term employment agreements with executive officers |
Performance Compensation – Detailed Structure
| AIP Metric (2024) | Weighting | Target Definition | 2024 Achievement | Payout Impact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Currency Neutral Sales Growth | Corporate portion; Arora’s corporate weighting 30% | Budgeted CN sales growth range (flat spot target) | Above target; corporate payout 181.8% | Contributed to 183.2% Nourish payout | Targets set March 2024; adjustments exclude non-core items |
| EBITDA | Corporate portion; Arora’s corporate weighting 30% | Budgeted EBITDA range (flat spot target) | Above target; corporate payout 181.8% | Contributed to 183.2% Nourish payout | 2024 comparable EBITDA up 16% |
| ESG Modifier | N/A (modifier) | GHG reduction, Inclusion, Ethics & Compliance, Safety | Met at target (no modification) | Neutral modifier | — |
| PSU Metrics | Cycle | Weighting / Modifier | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROIC Improvement; Relative TSR | 2023–2025 | Relative TSR threshold at 25th percentile; absolute TSR cap; 100% paid in shares | Yields share payout based on 3-year performance; 2021–2023 cycle paid 13.1% (ROIC barely above threshold; TSR below threshold) |
| Stock Price Appreciation; Productivity; Employee Engagement; TSR Modifier vs S&P 500 | 2024–2026 | Payout 50%–200% (linear); TSR modifier based on 3-year relative TSR | Aligns executives to share price and profitable growth; first annual PSU grant for Arora in 2024 |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Above-target AIP payout in 2024 tied to EBITDA and CN sales confirms strong near-term execution under Arora’s divisional leadership; long-term incentives pivoted to stock price, productivity and engagement, reinforcing multi-year value creation focus .
- Retention risk: Sign-on cash $550,000 subject to repayment if departure before June 19, 2025; special acceleration provisions for new-hire RSUs reduce downside in certain separations, improving retention through mid-2025 .
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership modest (<1% of shares outstanding), but stringent stock ownership and retention policies apply; hedging/pledging prohibited. Committee-authorized relocation-related sale caused year-end 2024 non-compliance, but policy requires ongoing retention until guideline achieved—limiting insider selling pressure near term .
- Change-in-control economics: 2x salary and 2x target bonus under CiC vs 1.5x otherwise, plus favorable equity treatment for sign-on awards; clawbacks and restrictive covenants mitigate governance risk .
- Execution track record: 2024 operational improvements (16% EBITDA growth) and strong divisional AIP result for Nourish support Arora’s commercial leadership; prior multi-year TSR underperformance informs PSU redesign to emphasize stock price and margin quality .
- Role expansion: Promotion to President, Taste and CCO centralizes commercial accountability—potentially a positive read-through for sales discipline and pricing/mix management across IFF’s portfolio .
Role, tenure, and education confirmations: Arora has served as President, Taste and CCO since Jan 2025; joined IFF June 19, 2023; age 53; B.Tech and MBA credentials .
Leadership narrative (IFF): prior Kellogg leadership across geographies and categories; led Nourish transformation leading to creation of Taste and Food Ingredients units .
Sources and Cross-References
- IFF 2025 Proxy (DEF 14A), published Mar 18, 2025: compensation tables, AIP/PSU designs, ESP terms, ownership .
- IFF 2024 Proxy (DEF 14A), published Mar 21, 2024: new-hire awards, 2023 AIP metrics/payouts .
- IFF press release (Feb 20, 2025): promotion to President, Taste & CCO .
- IFF leadership and profile pages: role, bio, education, external roles .
- IFF 10-K (filed Feb 28, 2025): executive officers, age, role history .