Sir John Grant
Kosmos EnergyAbout Sir John Grant
Sir John Grant, age 70, is an independent Class II director of Kosmos Energy Ltd., serving since 2023; he sits on the Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability (HSES) Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and is not a committee chair . He attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 (Board held six meetings; HSES held four; Nominating held one), meeting the company’s attendance expectations . Grant earned a degree in modern languages from Cambridge University and brings deep government relations and energy-sector policy experience from senior roles at BG Group, BHP Billiton Europe, and Anadarko, and a 31-year career in the British Foreign Service, including as the UK’s Permanent Representative to the EU (2003–2007) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anadarko Petroleum Corporation | Vice President, International Government Relations | Oct 2016–2019 | Led global government relations; retirement in 2019 |
| BG Group | Executive Vice-President, Policy & Corporate Affairs | 2009–2015 | Oversaw government affairs, corporate responsibility, communications |
| BHP Billiton Europe | President | Since 2007 (prior to BG role) | Led European operations and external affairs |
| British Foreign Service | Various diplomatic posts; UK Permanent Representative to the EU | 1976–2007; Perm Rep 2003–2007 | Senior UK diplomat in Stockholm, Moscow, Brussels; EU representation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essar Oil (UK) Limited | Advisory Council Member | Jul 2021–Nov 2023 | Downstream energy; concluded prior to 2024, reducing conflict risk |
| Public company boards | — | Current | None |
Board Governance
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent under NYSE and Rule 10A-3; Board majority independent |
| Committees | HSES Committee (member); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member) |
| Committee Chairs | None (chairs: HSES—Goodwin; Nominating—Franklin) |
| Lead Independent Director | Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi (appointed 2025); robust responsibilities including executive sessions |
| Meeting Attendance | Board met 6 times in 2024; no director <75% attendance; all directors attended June 2024 annual meeting |
| Committee Meeting Counts (2024) | HSES: 4; Nominating: 1 |
| Related-Party Transactions | None with directors/officers since Jan 1, 2024; formal review policies in place |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $75,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Not a chair |
| Meeting fees | None disclosed | — |
| 2024 cash fees earned | $75,000 | As reported in director compensation table |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Value | Shares/Units | Vesting & Terms | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director RSUs (2024) | $170,000 | Not individually disclosed per grant; total RSUs outstanding: 30,196 | Service-vesting; scheduled to vest June 2025; accelerates on death/disability/change in control | None (director RSUs are service-based) |
Director Compensation Mix (2024)
| Cash ($) | Equity ($) | Total ($) | Cash % | Equity % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $170,000 | $245,000 | 31% (computed from ) | 69% (computed from ) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Current/Former |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | Public company | — | Current: None |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Government relations and international policy expertise from senior roles at BG Group and Anadarko; former UK Permanent Representative to the EU adds geopolitical and regulatory acumen relevant to multi-country energy operations .
- Energy industry corporate affairs and European leadership experience (BHP Billiton Europe) suited to stakeholder engagement and ESG oversight .
- Education: Cambridge University, modern languages—supports cross-border engagement and communications .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) | 27,923 shares (<1% of outstanding) | As of March 6, 2025; <1% based on 477,904,652 shares |
| Unvested RSUs | 30,196 units | Scheduled to vest June 2025; subject to standard acceleration |
| Ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer; 5-year compliance window | Applies to all non-employee directors |
| Compliance status | In compliance as of Dec 31, 2024 | Company-wide director compliance |
| Hedging/Pledging | Dealing Policy governs directors, officers, employees; prohibits speculative transactions (e.g., short sales; public options/margin without prior authorization) | No pledging disclosed in proxy |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and roles: Grant is independent and sits on HSES and Nominating & Corporate Governance—positions aligned with his regulatory and stakeholder expertise; not a chair, limiting individual control risk .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met six times; no director fell below 75% attendance; his committees met 4 (HSES) and 1 (Nominating) times, indicating active oversight cadence; all directors attended 2024 annual meeting—positive engagement signal .
- Pay alignment: Director pay skews to equity (69% of $245k total), supporting alignment; RSUs are service-based without performance metrics, standard for independent directors and subject to accelerated vesting on death/disability/change in control .
- Ownership: Holds 27,923 shares plus 30,196 unvested RSUs and meets robust director ownership guidelines (5x cash retainer), indicating skin in the game .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions reported since Jan 1, 2024; prior Essar advisory role ended in Nov 2023; formal related-party review policies reduce conflict risk .
- Board quality signals: Lead Independent Director role established with strong responsibilities; 2024 say-on-pay support was ~97%, indicating broad shareholder endorsement of compensation governance .
- RED FLAGS: None observed in proxy regarding low attendance, related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, or director pay anomalies .