Darren Throop
IMAXAbout Darren Throop
Independent Chair of the Board of IMAX since June 2021 and director since June 2015; age 60, based in Toronto. Throop founded Urban Sound Exchange, led ROW Entertainment and rebranded it to Entertainment One (eOne), serving as President & CEO from 2003–2022; he led eOne’s $4B sale to Hasbro and served as a Hasbro executive officer until 2022. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and The Television Academy; IMAX’s Board has affirmatively determined he is independent. Attendance in 2024 was 100% (8/8 board meetings).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Sound Exchange | Founder | From 1991 (not otherwise specified) | Built retail and expanded into distribution |
| ROW Entertainment / eOne | President & CEO | 2003–2022 | Led global growth through acquisitions; listed on London AIM in 2007; sale to Hasbro in 2019 |
| Entertainment One (Board) | Director | 2003–2020 | Board service during growth and M&A |
| Hasbro | Executive Officer | 2019–2022 | Served post-eOne acquisition |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global music rights investment fund | Director | Current | Focus on content ownership |
| Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences | Member | Current | Industry recognition |
| The Television Academy | Member | Current | Industry recognition |
Board Governance
- Role: Independent Chair of the Board; not listed as a member of the Audit, Compensation, or Governance Committees.
- Independence: Board determined nine of ten directors, including Throop, are independent.
- Attendance: 100% (8/8 board meetings) in FY2024; directors attended the 2024 Annual General Meeting.
- Executive sessions: Seven executive sessions of independent directors held in 2024; IMAX uses flexible presiding leadership (often Chair or committee chair).
- Board leadership: Independent Chair separates oversight from CEO’s management role; structure is assessed routinely with shareholder feedback.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period/Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (Board Chair) | $112,500 | FY2024 | Total cash fees earned |
| Annual RSU retainer (Chair) | $169,998 | June 7, 2024 | 10,685 RSUs granted; vested at grant |
| Policy level (reference) | Chair RSU value $170,000; Independent director RSU value $125,000 | Annually post-election | RSU grants vest on grant date |
| Policy retainers (reference) | Annual director $50,000; Chair $62,500; Committee chair/member retainers as disclosed | Ongoing | Audit Chair $15k; Comp/Gov Chairs $10k; Audit member $10k; Comp member $7.5k; Gov member $5k; Lead Independent Director $15k |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Metric(s) | Grant/Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director equity (RSUs) | None (time-based only) | 10,685 RSUs ($169,998) on June 7, 2024 | Vested on grant date; no performance conditions |
IMAX director equity grants are time-vested RSUs with no performance conditions; performance metrics apply to NEO PSUs, not independent directors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Dates | Interlock/Transactions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entertainment One | Director | 2003–2020 | eOne sold to Hasbro in 2019; Throop served as Hasbro executive officer until 2022. No IMAX related-party transactions disclosed for Throop. |
- Related-party exposure: None disclosed for Throop; Board recuses directors with material interests from votes on such matters.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Entertainment sector operator: Built eOne into a global film/TV/music powerhouse; extensive M&A and capital markets experience (London AIM listing).
- Content strategy: Deep expertise in production, distribution, licensing and brand building; strengthens IMAX’s content and partnerships.
- Industry standing: Member of AMPAS and The Television Academy; recognized leader (Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame; Order of Canada).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value | Date/Note |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) | 33,164 | As of April 14, 2025; <1% of outstanding |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | <1% | Based on 53,742,014 shares |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed | Not listed for director; table shows NEOs only |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 400% of annual retainer | Guideline updated in 2024 |
| Current ownership vs guideline | 541% of annual retainer | As of April 1, 2025; compliant |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited under Insider Trading Policy | Company-wide policy |
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals: Independent Chair; 100% attendance; robust executive sessions; strong ownership alignment (541% of retainer vs 400% guideline); no Throop-related party transactions disclosed.
- Compensation alignment: Chair receives modest cash retainers and time-based RSUs; director equity vests on grant (not performance-based), which is common but offers less explicit pay-for-performance linkage versus PSU structures for executives.
- Shareholder sentiment: 2024 say-on-pay support was 72.5%, up >25 percentage points from 2023—indicative of improved investor confidence in compensation governance.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Throop (no pledging/hedging, no related-party transactions, full attendance). Monitor for any future interlocks with content partners or investment fund holdings that could touch IMAX counterparties.