Andy Stuart
LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS HOLDINGSAbout Andy Stuart
Andy Stuart, age 62, is an independent Class B director of Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. (LIND) who joined the Board in July 2024; his term runs to the 2026 annual meeting if re-elected . He spent 1988–2019 at Norwegian Cruise Line, culminating as President & CEO (appointed September 2015), with prior senior roles spanning president & COO, EVP global sales & passenger services, chief product officer, and earlier UK sales & marketing director; he holds a B.S. from Bournemouth University . Stuart currently serves on the board of Global Ports Holding (since 2024) and sits on its compensation committee; he is also Chairman of the Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade and previously chaired the Cruise Lines International Association .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Cruise Line | President & CEO | Appointed Sep 2015; tenure to 2019 | Led industry-leading financial results; brand-building and partner strategy | |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | President & COO | Not specified | Senior operating leadership | |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | EVP, Global Sales & Passenger Services | Not specified | Launched “Partners First” in 2011 to strengthen travel partner relationships | |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Chief Product Officer | Not specified | Delivered “Freedom and Flexibility” product positioning fleet-wide | |
| Norwegian Cruise Line (UK) | Sales & Marketing Director | 1988–Dec 1996 | UK commercial leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Ports Holding | Director; Compensation Committee member | Since 2024 | Compensation oversight | |
| Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade | Chairman of Board | Current | Community leadership | |
| Cruise Lines International Association | Chairman (prior) | Not specified | Industry leadership |
Board Governance
| Attribute | Details | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Independence | Nasdaq “independent” director | |
| Board Class/Term | Class B; term to 2026 if re-elected | |
| Committee Memberships | Audit Committee (Member); not on Compensation or Nominating | |
| Audit Committee Financial Expert | Yes (qualifies per SEC definition) | |
| Board Meetings Held (2024) | 8 | |
| Committee Meetings (2024) | Audit: 4; Compensation: 4 | |
| Attendance | Each director attended ≥80% of Board and committee meetings in 2024 | |
| Audit Committee Report Signatory | Listed as member in 2024 report |
Fixed Compensation
| Item (2024) | Amount | Notes | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash fees paid (Andy Stuart) | $31,957 | Pro rata given July 2024 start | |
| Equity (grant date fair value) | $109,999 | Annual restricted stock grant | |
| Option awards | $0 | No options granted to directors | |
| Total (Andy Stuart) | $141,956 | Cash + stock | |
| Standard Board Structure (non-employee director) | $70,000 cash retainer; $110,000 restricted stock | Chairs: Co-Chair +$80,000; Audit Chair +$25,000; Comp Chair +$20,000; Nominating Chair +$17,500 | |
| Annual Grant Mechanics | 14,647 restricted shares per director granted Aug 2024; vest Aug 2025 | Subject to continued service | |
| Director Expedition Policy | One expedition per year at no cost to director; family may join at company cost + airfare | Understanding business exposure | |
| Stock Ownership Guidelines | 5x cash retainer target within 5 years (adopted Oct 2024) | Applies to non-employee directors |
Performance Compensation
| Metric/Condition | Disclosure | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-conditioned director pay (PSUs/metrics) | None disclosed for directors; annual equity is time-vested restricted stock |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Type | Role | Interlock/Notes | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Global Ports Holding | Public | Director; Compensation Committee | Port infrastructure exposure; potential industry adjacency | |
| Company-wide Interlocks | — | — | No compensation committee interlocks reported for LIND (FY2024) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 30+ years cruise-industry leadership culminating as President & CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line; deep commercial and product expertise .
- Financial sophistication and designated audit committee financial expert status; strengthens oversight of reporting and controls .
- Community and industry leadership (Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade; prior CLIA chair) enhancing stakeholder perspective .
- Independent under Nasdaq standards, supporting board effectiveness .
Equity Ownership
| Category (as of Apr 8, 2025) | Amount | Notes | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned | 0 | Listed as “—” in beneficial ownership table | |
| Common % owned | * | Not material per table (“*”) | |
| Series A Preferred owned | 0 | Listed as “—” in table | |
| Series A Preferred % owned | * | Not material per table (“*”) | |
| Unvested restricted shares outstanding | 14,647 | Granted Aug 2024; scheduled to vest Aug 2025 | |
| Ownership guidelines | 5x cash retainer within 5 years (adopted Oct 2024) | Compliance status not disclosed |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with audit committee financial expert designation; active Audit Committee member and signatory on 2024 Audit Committee report; Board/committee attendance threshold met in 2024; structured director pay with equity grants and ownership guideline driving alignment .
- Pay mix and alignment: 2024 compensation skews to equity ($109,999 vs. $31,957 cash), plus 14,647 restricted shares vesting in Aug 2025; stock ownership guideline (5x retainer within 5 years) supports long-term alignment, though beneficial ownership showed 0 shares as of Apr 8, 2025 given early tenure .
- Potential conflicts and related-party exposure: Stuart serves on Global Ports Holding’s board and compensation committee; LIND’s Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing/approving any related-party transactions and prohibits participation by the related director; LIND disclosed no related-party transactions since Jan 1, 2024 other than a director family employment case unrelated to Stuart .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Andy Stuart: no related-party transactions, no attendance issues, no option repricing or director hedging/pledging disclosed .
- Watch item: External board at Global Ports Holding—monitor for any business dealings with LIND (e.g., port services) and confirm recusal/approval under Related Person Policy and Audit Committee oversight if such transactions arise .