Robert Bensoussan

About Robert Bensoussan

Robert Bensoussan, age 67, has served as an independent director of Inter Parfums, Inc. since March 1997, bringing deep operating and investment experience in retail and branded luxury goods . He currently serves on the Audit, Executive Compensation & Stock Option, and Nominating Committees; all three committees were chaired by François Heilbronn in 2024, with Bensoussan as a member alongside Veronique Gabai‑Pinsky . IPAR’s Board held 23 meetings (including committee meetings/consents) in 2024, and all directors attended at least 75% of meetings of the Board and committees on which they served, indicating baseline engagement . He is classified as independent under Nasdaq rules; IPAR explicitly lists him among independent directors .

Past Roles

External Roles

Board Governance

• Committees: Audit; Executive Compensation & Stock Option; Nominating. All three chaired by François Heilbronn in 2024; members were Heilbronn (Chair), Bensoussan, and Gabai‑Pinsky .
• Independence: Listed as independent under Nasdaq rules; Audit Committee members (Heilbronn, Bensoussan, Gabai‑Pinsky) meet the stricter independence standards .
• Attendance: Board held 23 meetings (including committee meetings/consents) in 2024; all directors attended at least 75% of meetings of the Board and their committees .
• Board structure: Combined Chair/CEO (Jean Madar) and Vice Chair (Philippe Benacin); no Lead Director given founders’ oversight of U.S. and European operations .
• Audit Committee financial expert: Company states it has no designated “audit committee financial expert,” citing recruitment challenges and perceived liability; Board asserts members are qualified by background/experience .

Fixed Compensation

Performance Compensation

• Attendance-based equity adjustment: If a nonemployee director misses certain board meetings, option grants are reduced per schedule, reinforcing engagement incentives .
• Insider exercise value: “All other compensation” includes $68,775 gain realized from stock option exercises by Bensoussan in 2024 .
• Anti‑hedging: Directors are prohibited from hedging or monetization transactions in company securities; blackout windows and pre‑clearance apply .

Other Directorships & Interlocks

No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Bensoussan; a director fee arrangement pertains to Gilbert Harrison’s firm regarding the DKNY/DK acquisition ($300,000 over 2021–2023) .

Expertise & Qualifications

• Extensive operator and investor experience across retail and branded luxury goods; founded Sirius Equity Consultants (retail/luxury branded investment) .
• Governance: Member of Audit, Compensation, and Nominating Committees; prior governance at multiple consumer/retail companies, including public company experience at lululemon .
• Board’s rationale: Qualified due to business and financial acumen and market experience in retail and branded luxury goods .

Equity Ownership

• Section 16(a) compliance: Company is not aware of any reporting person failing to timely file required Forms 3/4/5; applies across directors/officers .
• Hedging/pledging: Anti‑hedging policy prohibits hedging/monetization for directors; pledging not specifically addressed in policy disclosure .

Governance Assessment

• Strengths:

  • Long tenure and deep sector expertise; sits on all three key committees, contributing to oversight breadth .
  • Independence affirmed; Audit, Compensation, and Nominating Committees composed solely of independent directors .
  • Engagement incentives: Automatic annual option grants with attendance‑based reductions; documented meeting participation thresholds .
  • Insider trading controls and anti‑hedging policy apply to directors; Section 16(a) compliance noted as timely .

• Watch items / potential governance risks:

  • No designated Audit Committee Financial Expert; Board cites recruitment complexity/liability concerns—may be viewed as a governance gap by some investors .
  • Founders/major shareholders (Madar and Benacin) vote in concert, effectively controlling outcomes (including director elections and say‑on‑pay), which can dilute minority shareholder influence despite committee independence .
  • No disclosed director stock ownership guidelines (executive guidelines explicitly “none”); alignment relies on options and personal holdings rather than formal minimums .
  • Intra‑group loans between subsidiaries and parent (used for dividends/buybacks) are approved, but heighten complexity; not linked to Bensoussan personally .

Director Compensation (2024)

Board Governance Details (Committee Assignments)

• Board meetings/attendance: 23 meetings in 2024; all directors ≥75% attendance (Board and relevant committees) .
• Lead Independent Director: None; combined Chair/CEO structure with founders leading U.S./EU operations .

Related-Party Transactions (Context)

No Bensoussan-specific related-party transactions disclosed .

Say-on-Pay & Compensation Committee Signals

• 2024 say‑on‑pay: The most recent advisory vote (Sept 2024) “overwhelmingly approved” compensation policies and decisions; Compensation Committee intends continuity of approach .
• Director equity program: Independent director automatic option grants reinstated starting Dec 30, 2022; annual grants on last business day of each year at FMV; Bensoussan received 1,500 options on Dec 31, 2024 at $130.60 .

Conclusion

Bensoussan offers seasoned luxury/retail operating and governance experience and serves on all three key committees as an independent director, with documented meeting engagement and equity-linked incentives that align with shareholder value creation . Governance watch items include the absence of a designated Audit Committee Financial Expert and concentrated voting power among founders, which may constrain minority investor influence on board composition and pay outcomes, though these are structural to IPAR rather than specific to Bensoussan .