David Robbie
INTERNATIONAL PAPER CO /NEW/About David A. Robbie
Independent non‑employee director of International Paper (IP); age 61; appointed to the IP Board in 2025 after serving on DS Smith’s board since 2019. Recognized as an audit committee financial expert and a chartered accountant (KPMG); former Group Finance Director of Rexam PLC with deep corporate finance, risk and EMEA operating experience. Current public directorship: easyJet plc (LSE: EZJ). Independent under NYSE and IP standards; joins IP during DS Smith integration, bringing material packaging sector and governance expertise .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS Smith plc | Non‑Executive Director; Senior Independent Director; Chair/member of Audit, Nomination, Remuneration | 2019–2025 | Governance leadership; chaired audit; UK listed board experience |
| FirstGroup plc | Interim Chairman; Senior Independent Director; Audit Committee Chair | 2018–2021 | Board leadership, audit oversight in UK transport group |
| Rexam PLC | Group Finance Director | 2005–2016 | Top finance executive at FTSE-listed packaging leader |
| Royal P&O Nedlloyd N.V. | Chief Financial Officer | 2004 | CFO role at global logistics company |
| CMG plc | Group Finance Director | 2000 | Public-company finance leadership |
| BTR plc | Senior Finance Roles | (prior to 2000) | Corporate finance experience |
| BBC | Non‑Executive Director; Audit Committee Chair | 2006–2010 | Public-sector audit and governance |
| KPMG | Chartered Accountant (qualification) | Early career | Professional qualification; accounting expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| easyJet plc (LSE: EZJ) | Non‑Executive Director | Current | UK LSE-listed; airline sector; potential customer/market proximity, no IP‑disclosed related transactions |
| Britten Pears Arts (charity) | Trustee | 2008–present | Arts/heritage governance |
Board Governance
- Independence and status: IP Board is 10/11 independent; Robbie is a non‑employee director and determined independent under IP’s heightened standards; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Committee assignments (effective Feb 11, 2025):
- Audit & Finance Committee – Member; Audit Committee Financial Expert .
- Public Policy & Environment (PPE) Committee – Member .
- Committee cadence/attendance benchmarks (context): 2024 A&F met 7x (97% attendance); PPE met 6x (100% attendance); Board met 10x (avg 98% attendance). Robbie joined in 2025; these rates indicate committee rigor he is entering .
- Lead independent director and executive sessions: IP maintains a robust Lead Director role; independent directors meet in executive session after each regular Board/committee meeting .
- DS Smith integration oversight: Board is actively overseeing post‑acquisition integration, including UK MAR/Listing Rule compliance; Robbie’s DS Smith knowledge expected to aid synergy realization and controls harmonization .
Fixed Compensation (Director Fees)
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | 120,000 | Payable monthly; directors may convert all/50% to equity with 20% share premium . |
| Annual Equity Retainer (Restricted Stock/RSUs) | 163,000 | Equity equals ~58% of board fees; restricted stock vests after 1 year; RSUs if deferred until retirement/death/disability . |
| Audit & Finance Committee – Member fee | 10,000 | For non‑chair members . |
| Audit & Finance Committee – Chair | 25,000 | Chair premium . |
| Governance/MDCC/PPE – Chair | 20,000 | Chair premium (each) . |
| Lead Director | 27,500 | Annual fee . |
| Insurance | — | Life: $10.5k; Travel accident: $500k; Liability D&O program (~$3m annual cost through 4/1/2026) . |
Structure: target director pay at peer median; 58% equity to align interests; flexibility to take equity in lieu of cash and to defer equity; seven of nine non‑employee directors elected equity in lieu of some/all cash in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Design | Vesting/Settlement | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Equity | Time‑based restricted stock or RSUs (if deferred) | Restricted stock vests after 1 year; RSUs settle in cash after retirement/death/disability; dividends accrue | Not applicable for directors; no performance conditions disclosed . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: easyJet plc (LSE: EZJ) .
- Prior public boards: DS Smith plc (SID; committee leadership); FirstGroup plc (interim chair/SID/audit chair); Rexam PLC (executive director); CMG plc; Royal P&O Nedlloyd N.V. (executive) .
- Interlocks/related parties: IP discloses routine commercial relationships reviewed for independence; only Avient and Mars transactions were considered in 2024 independence review; no related‑party transactions disclosed for Robbie .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert; chartered accountant (KPMG) .
- Former FTSE finance chief (Rexam), extensive risk management and corporate finance experience .
- EMEA operations and integration know‑how; governance leadership as SID and interim chair in UK listed companies; experience chairing multiple committees .
- IP flags three newest directors (Beggs, Robbie, Tozier) as audit committee financial experts, bolstering Board finance depth .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Stock Units | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| David A. Robbie | 4,920 | — | <1% | As of March 14, 2025 record date. Anti‑hedging and anti‑pledging policies apply to directors . |
| Director ownership guideline | $566,000 | — | — | Requirement = 2x total annual Board retainer; new directors have 4 years to comply; Robbie joined Feb 2025 . |
Governance Assessment
-
Positives
- Strong financial governance profile: audit committee financial expert; deep CFO background; immediate placement on Audit & Finance and PPE aligns skills with oversight priorities (financial reporting, cybersecurity, sustainability) .
- Independence confirmed under heightened IP standards; no related‑party transactions disclosed for Robbie; Board maintains anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging and robust clawback (for officers) frameworks enhancing investor alignment .
- Board/committee discipline: high 2024 attendance benchmarks; executive sessions at each meeting; active integration oversight following DS Smith acquisition—Robbie’s DS Smith knowledge is additive to execution and UK compliance .
-
Watch items / potential conflicts
- External commitment monitoring: easyJet NED plus IP Board; IP has an overboarding consultation policy (directors to consult before accepting new boards) which mitigates risk; monitor workload as integration progresses .
- DS Smith prior service: now an IP subsidiary; no related‑party issues disclosed, but continued vigilance on integration‑related judgments and UK MAR/listing compliance is appropriate .
-
Director compensation alignment
- Mix is majority equity (58%) with optional conversion of cash to equity at a 20% premium, plus ownership guideline ($566k), and strict anti‑hedging/pledging—these features support alignment; no performance‑conditioned director equity (time‑based only) .
-
Shareholder sentiment context
- Say‑on‑Pay support ~96% in 2024 and historically averages ~96%, signaling broad investor support for IP’s pay governance; while this concerns executives, it reflects overall compensation governance rigor .
Appendix: Board/Committee Reference
- Audit & Finance Committee responsibilities include financial reporting integrity, auditor oversight, internal audit, fraud risk, and cybersecurity program oversight; Robbie is a member and designated financial expert .
- PPE Committee oversees environment, health & safety, sustainability (including climate), public policy and selected tech issues; Robbie is a member .