Philip Schiller
ILLUMINAAbout Philip W. Schiller
Philip W. Schiller (age 64) is an independent director at Illumina, serving since 2016. He is currently an Apple Fellow at Apple, reporting to the CEO and leading the App Store and Apple Events, and holds a B.S. in Biology from Boston College. His core credentials include global product marketing leadership, product strategy, information security, pricing and forecasting at scale.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple, Inc. | Apple Fellow (reports to CEO; leads App Store and Apple Events) | Since 2021 | Product strategy and ecosystem leadership |
| Apple, Inc. | SVP Worldwide Marketing; member of Apple’s executive team | 2002–2021 | Led product marketing, developer relations, business and education marketing, international marketing, App Store programs |
| Macromedia, Inc. | VP, Product Marketing | 1995–1997 | Go-to-market leadership |
| FirePower Systems, Inc. | Director, Product Marketing | 1993–1995 | Product strategy and marketing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowdoin College | Trustee | Since 2019 | Non‑public board service |
| Boston College | Trustee | Since 2010 | Non‑public board service |
| Public company boards | — | — | None (0 other public boards) |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Mr. Schiller is independent under Nasdaq standards. All standing committees are 100% independent.
- Committee assignments (2024–2025): Nominating/Corporate Governance (Member); Science & Technology (Member). Chairs: NCG—Anna Richo; S&T—Frances Arnold.
- Committee activity levels (2024): Audit 10 meetings; Compensation 7; Nominating/Corporate Governance 5; Science & Technology 4.
- Attendance: Each director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings in 2024; Board held 9 meetings.
- Board leadership: Independent Chair (Scott Gottlieb) since March 28, 2025; no Lead Independent Director while an independent Chair serves.
- Executive sessions: Non‑employee independent directors met in executive session at regularly scheduled in‑person Board meetings.
- Outside board limits policy: Directors limited to ≤4 public company boards (including Illumina); tighter limits for sitting CEOs.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy / Amount | Mr. Schiller’s 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $75,000 | Included in $95,000 cash fees | Retainer unchanged in 2024 |
| Committee member fees | NCG: $10,000; S&T: $10,000 | Included in $95,000 cash fees | Chair fees: NCG $15k; S&T $15k (S&T Chair fee increased to $20k from 2025) |
| Chair/Lead fees | Board Chair $75,000 (raised to $100,000 in 2025) | N/A | Independent Chair as of Mar 28, 2025 (not Schiller) |
| Cash fees earned (total) | — | $95,000 | Reported fees earned/paid in cash for 2024 |
| Stock in lieu of cash (election) | Permitted (quarterly issuance at weighted avg. price) | Not disclosed for Schiller | Policy detail |
Performance Compensation
Directors receive time‑based RSUs; there are no performance‑conditioned awards for directors (no options; no PSUs). Annual grants aim to align directors with shareholders and represent the majority of director pay.
| Equity Element | 2024 Terms | Mr. Schiller’s 2024 Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU value | $300,000 grant-date value | 2,675 RSUs (grant date May 16, 2024) valued at $300,114 ($112.19 per share) |
| Vesting | Earlier of first anniversary or day prior to next annual meeting; continued service required | Same terms as policy |
| Options | None for directors | None reported |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding (12/29/2024) | — | 2,675 RSUs |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Status |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | None (0) |
| Compensation Committee interlocks (2024) | Committee comprised of Siegel, Epstein, Gottlieb, Teno; no interlocks and no related‑party transactions involving committee members in 2024. Schiller was not on this committee. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic and technical marketing leadership: global product launches, ecosystem development, and customer communication at Apple.
- Product strategy, information security, pricing and forecasting expertise applicable to scaling multi‑billion‑dollar businesses.
- Biology background (B.S., Boston College) supporting understanding of Illumina’s scientific marketplace.
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) as of Mar 26, 2025 | 16,368 shares; <1% of shares outstanding |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding (12/29/2024) | 2,675 RSUs |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited by company policy for directors and executives |
| Ownership guidelines | Non‑employee directors must hold 5x annual retainer; unvested RSUs count; 5‑year compliance window |
| Pledging status | Not individually disclosed; policy prohibits pledging by directors |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with relevant go‑to‑market, product strategy, and security expertise; serves on Nominating/Corporate Governance and Science & Technology committees—both fully independent.
- Attendance threshold met; Board and committees were active (Board: 9 meetings; NCG: 5; S&T: 4).
- No 2024 related‑party transactions disclosed; Compensation Committee reported no interlocks; strong anti‑hedging/pledging policy and stock ownership guidelines for directors.
- Director compensation structure emphasizes equity alignment; standard RSU grant with one‑year vest, no options; Board proposing an annual cap on non‑employee director compensation ($1.0M first year; $0.75M thereafter).
-
Potential watch items
- External role at Apple (Apple Fellow) is high profile; while no related‑party transactions were disclosed, investors may monitor for any future commercial overlaps.
- Individual ownership‑guideline compliance status is not disclosed by director; policy allows 5 years to meet 5x‑retainer requirement.
-
Overall implication
- Schiller’s skill set is additive to Illumina’s commercialization and product strategy oversight. Committee assignments, independence, lack of related‑party exposure, and alignment‑focused director pay structure support board effectiveness and investor confidence.