Anton Vincent
INTERNATIONAL PAPER CO /NEW/About Anton V. Vincent
Anton V. Vincent (age 60) is an independent director of International Paper, serving since 2021. He is President of Mars Wrigley North America (2019–present) and previously held senior P&L roles at General Mills and a brief CEO stint at Greencore USA, bringing deep consumer, manufacturing, branding, and transformation expertise. He is not on any other public company boards, and IP classifies him as independent along with all non-employee directors. His current IP board service includes the Governance Committee and the Management Development & Compensation Committee (MDCC).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greencore USA | Chief Executive Officer | Jun–Dec 2018 | Operating leadership of U.S. convenience foods business |
| General Mills | President, U.S. Snacks Division | 2014–2016 | Brand and category transformation leadership |
| General Mills | President, Frozen Frontier Division | 2012–2014 | Business unit P&L leadership |
| General Mills | President, Baking Division | 2010–2012 | Business unit P&L leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Wrigley (Mars, Inc.) | President, North America | 2019–present | Leads a large consumer products portfolio; no public boards in addition to IP |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | IP board determined all non-employee directors, including Vincent, are independent under NYSE and company standards |
| Committees | Governance Committee (member); MDCC (member) |
| Committee Attendance (2024) | Governance Committee 96% attendance; MDCC 97% attendance (committee-level rates) |
| Board Attendance (2024) | Board met 10x; average attendance 98%; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting |
| Lead Independent Director | Not Vincent; Lead Director is Christopher M. Connor |
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Component | Policy/Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer | $283,000 total: $120,000 cash + $163,000 equity | No change to 2024–2025 fee levels |
| Committee Chair Fees | Audit & Finance $25,000; MDCC $20,000; Governance $20,000; PPE $20,000 | Vincent is not a chair |
| Committee Member Fees | Audit member $10,000; (no member fees disclosed for Governance/MDCC/PPE) | |
| Lead Director Fee | $27,500 | Not applicable to Vincent |
| Vincent’s FY2024 Mix | Cash $0; Stock awards $307,020; Total $307,020 | Reflects his equity election; SEC grant-date fair value |
| Equity Mechanics | Restricted stock vests after 1 year; optional deferral into RSUs (settled in cash at retirement) |
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-based incentive compensation; equity is time-based (restricted stock/RSUs) with one-year vesting for director grants and optional deferral. No option grants, no performance metrics for director pay.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other Public Company Boards | None (Vincent) |
| Potential Interlocks/Transactions | Routine IP–Mars commerce considered in independence review; routine sales to Mars $35,708,539 (<0.19% of IP 2024 net revenue) and routine purchases from Mars $50,890,811 (<0.10% of Mars’s 2024 gross revenue). Determined immaterial under IP’s independence standards. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Brings consumer insight, manufacturing perspective, branding and transformation knowledge, and deep enterprise leadership; strong marketing and strategic planning expertise relevant to IP’s packaging businesses.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Shares | Stock Units | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anton V. Vincent | 0 | 34,006 | <1% | Director stock units are paid in cash at separation (not convertible into shares) |
| Unvested Director Awards (12/31/2024) | — | 34,006 | — | Aggregate unvested restricted stock/RSUs outstanding |
| Director Ownership Guideline | 2x annual retainer ($566,000) | As of 12/31/2024, all directors except three new 2024–25 additions met the requirement; Vincent is in compliance |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with relevant operating and brand leadership experience; serves on Governance and MDCC where independence and compensation oversight are critical; board/committee attendance metrics indicate strong engagement at the board level; compensation is equity-heavy (Vincent took 100% equity in 2024), aligning with shareholders; IP prohibits director hedging/pledging and maintains a robust clawback regime for officers; say‑on‑pay supported by ~96% of votes in 2024, indicating broad investor alignment.
- Potential Red Flags/Conflicts: Commercial relationships between IP and Mars (Vincent’s employer) exist but were reviewed and deemed immaterial under IP’s independence thresholds; no MDCC interlocks or related‑party transactions requiring Item 404 disclosure; continued monitoring recommended given size of routine transactions.
- Overall: Vincent’s consumer/marketing operating background and current large-scale leadership role add perspective to IP’s packaging strategy; independence, equity alignment, and committee assignments support board effectiveness; related-party exposure appears well-controlled under policy thresholds but warrants periodic review.