Troy Alstead
LEVI STRAUSS &About Troy Alstead
Independent director at Levi Strauss & Co. since 2012; age 61. Former Starbucks executive (COO; prior roles include Group President, CFO, CAO) who retired in 2016 after 24 years; currently Founder/President of Table 47, Ocean5, and The Cup Coffee Lounge. Designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules; re-nominated as a Class III director for election at the 2025 AGM. Committees: Compensation and Human Capital Committee (CHCC) and Nominating, Governance and Corporate Citizenship Committee (NGCCC) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starbucks Corporation | Chief Operating Officer; previously Group President, CFO, CAO; senior international roles (EMEA President; COO Greater China) | 24 years; retired Feb 2016 | Broad financial and global ops leadership; Board cites financial expertise . |
| Table 47 / Ocean5 / The Cup Coffee Lounge | Founder & President | Not disclosed | Entrepreneurial and consumer operations experience . |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harley-Davidson, Inc. | Director | Public | Current board service . |
| Array Technologies, Inc. | Director | Public | Current board service . |
| Heritage Distilling | Director | Private | Current board service . |
| OYO Global | Director | Private (not specified) | Current board service . |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent; Alstead is independent .
- Committee assignments: CHCC (member); NGCCC (member) .
- Financial expert: Designated “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules (with David Marberger) .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in FY2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; all then-serving directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent Board Chair (Robert A. Eckert); executive sessions of non-management directors at every Board meeting; committee membership limited to independent directors .
- Re-election: Nominee for Class III director at the 2025 annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Item (FY2024 unless noted) | Amount | Source/Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (standard) | $100,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer . |
| Annual equity award (standard) | $155,000 | Time-based RSUs; increased to $175,000 beginning FY2025 . |
| Committee chair fees (standard) | Audit $25,000; CHCC $20,000; Finance $15,000; NGCCC $15,000 | Standard chair retainers . |
| Board Chair additional retainer (standard) | $200,000 (50% cash/50% RSUs) | Applies to Chair; rationale disclosed . |
| Troy Alstead—Fees earned (cash) FY2024 | $125,000 | Actual compensation . |
| Troy Alstead—Stock awards FY2024 | $164,838 | Aggregate grant date fair value (RSUs) . |
| Troy Alstead—All other comp FY2024 | $11,029 | Includes dividend equivalents ($8,279) and event attendance ($2,750) . |
| Troy Alstead—Total FY2024 | $300,867 | Sum of components . |
Additional features and policies:
- Director RSUs typically vest on the earlier of the day before the next annual meeting or one year from grant; delivery generally deferred until six months post-board service .
- Director stock ownership guideline: 5x annual retainer ($500,000) within 5 years; as of Dec 1, 2024, all current directors are in compliance .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Metrics / Structure | Vesting / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-employee director equity | No performance metrics; time-based RSUs | Vest on earlier of next annual meeting or 1-year anniversary; dividend equivalents accrue; settlement deferrable per plan . |
No performance-based (PRSU/option) metrics apply to non-employee director pay at LEVI; equity is service-based .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other public boards | Harley-Davidson, Inc.; Array Technologies, Inc. . |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | Company disclosed no Compensation Committee interlocks involving LEVI executive officers and board members in FY2024 . |
| Related-party/transactions | Company reported no related-party transactions >$120,000 in FY2024 involving directors, officers, or >5% holders; disclosure covers Haas family registration rights but none involving Alstead . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global consumer, finance, and operations: Former Starbucks COO/CFO with extensive international leadership (EMEA President; China COO) .
- Financial expertise: Board has designated Alstead as an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules .
- Consumer/retail governance: Concurrent public board roles at Harley-Davidson and Array Technologies .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Detail | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (LEVI Class A) | 102,904 shares | <1% of shares outstanding; as of Feb 1, 2025 . |
| Aggregate outstanding RSUs (director) | 52,976 units | As of Dec 1, 2024 (includes vested-but-deferred and unvested) . |
| Stock ownership guideline | 5x retainer ($500k) | All current directors were in compliance as of Dec 1, 2024 . |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors under Insider Trading Policy | No hedging, pledging, short sales, or derivatives permitted . |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths for investor confidence:
- Independent, financially sophisticated director with deep operating and CFO experience at a global consumer brand; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Active on CHCC and NGCCC, aligning with board oversight of pay, succession, governance, and citizenship; committee membership is independent-only; executive sessions held each meeting .
- Strong engagement/attendance culture (≥75% meeting attendance; all attended 2024 AGM) and independent chair structure .
- Director pay structure is balanced (cash + time-based equity), with ownership guidelines and prohibitions on hedging/pledging; all directors in compliance .
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Potential watch items:
- Multiple external directorships (Harley-Davidson, Array Technologies) increase time commitments; no interlocks or LEVI-related party ties disclosed in FY2024 .
- Director equity award increased to $175,000 in 2025 (from $155,000 in 2024); magnitude is within typical ranges but raises equity mix YoY; monitor alignment as equity vests time-based (not performance-based) .
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Shareholder feedback context:
- 2024 Say-on-Pay support exceeded 99%, signaling broad investor support for LEVI’s compensation framework (useful backdrop for CHCC oversight where Alstead serves) .