James McDonald
About James R. McDonald
James R. McDonald, age 46, has served as an independent director of Liberty Energy Inc. (LBRT) since 2020. He is Senior Vice President of Investor Relations at Schlumberger (SLB) since April 2023, with prior senior operating roles across SLB; he holds a chemical engineering degree from MIT and brings core credentials in technology/cybersecurity, oilfield services, marketing/sales, and investor relations . The Board has affirmatively determined he is independent under NYSE and SEC standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schlumberger (SLB) | Senior Vice President, Investor Relations | Apr 2023–present | Investor engagement and disclosure leadership |
| Schlumberger (SLB) | President, Americas Land | Jun 2020–Apr 2023 | Oversaw onshore North/South America operations |
| Schlumberger (SLB) | President, Well Services | Prior (dates not disclosed) | Led global stimulation, coiled tubing, cementing, offshore vessels |
| Schlumberger (SLB) | Various leadership roles (operations, quality/safety, BD) | Over 21 years (dates not disclosed) | Assignments across Americas, North Africa, Middle East, land and offshore |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permian Strategic Partnership | Board of Directors | Current | Regional energy and community initiative |
| Energy Workforce & Technology Council | Board of Directors | Current | Industry association governance |
| American Petroleum Institute | Upstream and Service Supply & Technology Committees | Current | Technical and policy engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; not on Audit or Nominating & Governance .
- Compensation Committee composition and independence: Dea (Chair), Babcock, McDonald, Steinbeck; all independent under NYSE and Exchange Act .
- Board and committee activity in 2024: Board 5 meetings, Audit 7, Compensation 4, Nominating & Governance 3; each director participated in at least 75% of meetings of the Board and their committees .
- Independence: Board has determined McDonald is independent under NYSE standards; also Audit Committee independence standards, though he is not an audit member .
- Director class and term: Class III director; up for election in 2025 for a term expiring at the 2028 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| FY | Cash Retainer and Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | All Other Compensation ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — (no cash fees earned) | — (no stock awards) | 100,000 (charitable donation option) (see footnote) | 100,000 |
Footnote: The Company agreed to make up to $100,000 in charitable donations designated by Mr. McDonald in connection with his 2024 Board service; as of February 19, 2025 no donations had been designated and no payments had been made .
Performance Compensation
- Director pay structure features an annual election among: RSUs, additional cash, or a charitable donation; director awards are time-based (no explicit performance metrics tied to director compensation) .
- Clawback policy applies to executive incentive compensation; the Compensation Committee oversees ownership guidelines and recovery policy .
| Element | Amount/Terms | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU option | $175,000 grant-date value | 12-month vesting | Automatic grant on Jan 2; units based on 30-day average price |
| Additional cash option | $100,000 per year | N/A | Payable quarterly in arrears |
| Charitable donation option | $100,000 per year | N/A | To independent 501(c)(3) acceptable to Compensation Committee; payable quarterly |
| Non-executive Chairman incremental comp (program update effective Jan 1, 2025) | $60,000 cash + $75,000 RSUs | RSUs on same 12-month schedule | Aligns with marketplace practice for independent chairs |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No current public company directorships disclosed for McDonald; his LBRT nomination originated from SLB pursuant to a stockholders agreement that is no longer in effect .
- Board includes other SLB-affiliated nominees historically (e.g., Ayat), but independence has been affirmed for all non-employee directors .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, chemical engineering .
- Core skills matrix highlights: technology/cybersecurity, oilfield services, marketing/sales, investor relations .
- Senior operating and investor relations experience spanning unconventional and deepwater service environments across multiple geographies .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|
| James R. McDonald | — (none reported) | — |
- Stock Ownership Guidelines: compensated directors must reach ownership equal to 5x annual Board cash retainer within five years; as of the record date, all executive officers and directors except Mr. Murti were in compliance even without the benefit of the transition period .
- Anti-hedging and pledging policy: bans hedging/monetization and pledging of Company securities by directors, with narrow short-term exceptions only if approved by the Audit Committee .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths: Independent status under NYSE/SEC; active Compensation Committee role; robust governance policies including clawback, stock ownership guidelines, and bans on hedging/pledging; strong say-on-pay support (~95% approval in 2024), indicating aligned executive pay practices .
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Alignment considerations: McDonald elected the charitable donation option in 2024 and reported no beneficial ownership as of Feb 19, 2025; the lack of equity exposure may reduce direct stockholder alignment, particularly for a Compensation Committee member (RED FLAG) .
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Engagement: At least 75% attendance threshold met across Board and committee meetings; Board schedules regular executive sessions for independent directors, supporting effective oversight .
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Conflicts and related party exposure: No McDonald-specific related party transactions disclosed; broader related party items (e.g., Liberty Resources, Franklin Mountain) are detailed but do not reference McDonald (positive signal) .
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Signals for investors: SLB employment and prior SLB stockholder nomination are disclosed with independence affirmed; continued transparency on compensation elections and ownership progress would further bolster confidence .