Laura Posadas
About Laura Posadas
Independent director at Koppers Holdings Inc. (NYSE: KOP) since November 5, 2025; the Board increased its size from eight to nine and elected her the same day . The Board determined she is independent under NYSE listing standards and Koppers’ Corporate Governance Guidelines, with no reportable related-party transactions; she will stand for election at the 2026 Annual Meeting . Posadas is a specialty chemicals operator with 20+ years of global leadership experience; she holds a chemistry degree from the University of Delaware . Prior roles include CEO of Canlak Coatings (Oct 2024–present), CCO of Matrix Adhesives Group (Jan 2023–Oct 2024), and Regional President, Americas of Castrol for BP (Dec 2019–Dec 2022) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canlak Coatings Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2024–present | Portfolio company of SK Capital; wood coating systems |
| Matrix Adhesives Group | Chief Commercial Officer | Jan 2023–Oct 2024 | Advanced adhesives and sealants provider |
| BP p.l.c. (Castrol) | Regional President, Americas | Dec 2019–Dec 2022 | Global integrated energy company; Castrol brand |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure/Status | Focus/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coqual | Director; Chair of Advisory Arm | Current | Global think tank on workplace/leadership redesign |
Board Governance
- Appointment and board size: Elected November 5, 2025; Board expanded from 8 to 9 .
- Independence: Board determined she is an independent director under NYSE and company standards .
- Committees: Not yet determined as of appointment .
- Election timing: Will stand for shareholder election at Koppers’ 2026 Annual Meeting .
- Conflicts/related party: No transactions reportable under Item 404(a) and no arrangements/understandings for her selection .
- Attendance context: In 2024, cumulative Board and committee attendance was 100% (pre‑appointment; background on board engagement) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms | Applicability/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non‑employee directors) | $85,000 | Standard program referenced for Ms. Posadas’ compensation |
| Annual equity award (RSUs) | $110,000 | Granted to new directors on election date; prorated if <12 months; shares determined by closing price; vests at earlier of 365 days or next AGM |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit Chair: $20,000; Compensation Chair: $17,500 (effective 1/1/2025); Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair: $15,000 (effective 1/1/2025); Other committee chairs: $12,500 | Committees for Ms. Posadas TBD; amounts per latest program update |
| Meeting fees (excess meetings) | $1,000 per board or committee meeting beyond six/year | Standard program |
| Non‑Executive Chair retainer | $100,000 | Not applicable to Ms. Posadas unless serving in that role |
| Director deferral plan | Cash and RSUs may be deferred into stock units; paid after board service ends | Alignment mechanism; dividends credited as stock units |
| Stock ownership guidelines (directors) | 5x annual cash retainer; retain 75% of net shares until achieved | Applies to non‑employee directors |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Performance Metric(s) | Weight | Vesting / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSUs | None (time‑based only) | N/A | Vest at earlier of 365 days or next annual meeting; accelerated on change in control |
No performance‑conditioned director pay elements are disclosed in Koppers’ director compensation program .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None disclosed in Koppers’ 8‑K and press release announcing her election |
| Non‑profit/other boards | Coqual (Director; chairs advisory arm) |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | Company stated no Item 404(a) related‑party transactions with Ms. Posadas |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Specialty chemicals leadership (P&L, commercial, operations) across coatings, adhesives, lubricants; 20+ years’ global roles .
- CEO experience and prior regional business leadership (Castrol/BP) .
- Technical foundation: Chemistry degree, University of Delaware .
- Governance experience via Coqual board and advisory leadership .
Equity Ownership
| Filing | Event Date | Filed | Title of Security | Amount Beneficially Owned | Ownership Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement) | 11/05/2025 | 11/07/2025 | Common Stock | 0 | Direct (D) |
- Derivative securities: None reported on Form 3 .
- Expected equity: New non‑employee directors receive a prorated RSU grant valued at $110,000 on election date, with shares determined by grant‑date closing price and vesting at earlier of 365 days or next AGM (number of shares not disclosed in filing) .
- Director stock ownership guidelines: 5x annual cash retainer; 75% net‑shares retention until achieved .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent; no related‑party transactions; relevant chemicals domain expertise; alignment mechanisms include standard RSU grants, director stock ownership guidelines, and ability to defer into stock units .
- Policy safeguards: Koppers’ insider trading policy prohibits hedging, short sales, and pledging of company securities by directors, which supports alignment and mitigates risk .
- Oversight/engagement: Board maintained strong 2024 attendance (100% cumulative), and operates five standing committees with independent membership requirements (context for expected engagement once Ms. Posadas’ committee assignments are made) .
- Watch items: Committee assignments and attendance for Ms. Posadas not yet available (new appointment); initial beneficial ownership is zero pending standard RSU grant; monitor subsequent Form 4 filings and progress toward 5x ownership guideline .
RED FLAGS: None identified. Company explicitly disclosed no Item 404(a) related‑party transactions; independence affirmed; no hedging/pledging permitted under policy .