John T. Maeda
MILLERKNOLLAbout John T. Maeda
John T. Maeda (age 58) is an independent director of MillerKnoll (MLKN) since 2024. He is Vice President of Engineering, Head of Computational Design/AI Platform at Microsoft, and previously served as CTO of Everbridge (2020–2022), EVP & Chief Experience Officer at Publicis Sapient (2019–2020), and Head of Computational Design & Inclusion at Automattic (2016–2019). He also served as the 16th President of the Rhode Island School of Design and led research at the MIT Media Lab, bringing deep expertise at the intersection of design and technology to the Board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | VP Engineering, Head of Computational Design/AI Platform | 2022–Present | Leads how developers use AI models to their fullest |
| Everbridge | Chief Technology Officer | 2020–2022 | Technology leadership in risk management |
| Publicis Sapient | EVP & Chief Experience Officer | 2019–2020 | Customer experience leadership |
| Automattic | Head of Computational Design & Inclusion | 2016–2019 | Computational design leadership |
| Rhode Island School of Design | President (16th) | Not disclosed | Academic leadership |
| MIT Media Lab | Research leader | Not disclosed | Led research programs |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonos, Inc. | Director | 2012–2020 | Former public company board experience |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; the Audit Committee met 8 times in FY2025; Audit Chair is Lisa A. Kro (Audit members all independent) .
- Independence: The Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent; Maeda is independent .
- Attendance: During FY2025 the Board held four meetings; each director attended >80% of Board and committee meetings; independent directors met in executive sessions after each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Tenure: Director since 2024 .
- Shareholder support: Re-elected October 13, 2025 with 54,078,851 votes For and 5,171,233 Withheld; broker non-votes 4,664,217 .
| 2025 Director Election (Oct 13, 2025) | Votes For | Votes Withheld | Broker Non-votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| John T. Maeda | 54,078,851 | 5,171,233 | 4,664,217 |
Fixed Compensation
- Standard structure (FY2025): Annual director compensation $240,000; Chair premiums: Audit Chair +$25,000; Compensation/Governance Chairs +$20,000; at least 50% of Annual Fee must be elected in equity (shares, deferred stock units, or stock options). Directors may defer fees; options, if elected, are generally fully vested at grant and have 10-year term .
- Structure (FY2024, prior year reference): Annual director compensation $230,000; Chair premiums: Audit +$20,000; Compensation/Governance +$15,000; minimum 50% in equity .
| Director Pay Structure | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Standard annual director compensation ($) | 230,000 | 240,000 |
| Audit Chair premium ($) | 20,000 | 25,000 |
| Comp/Gov Chair premium ($) | 15,000 | 20,000 |
| Minimum equity component | ≥50% of Annual Fee | ≥50% of Annual Fee |
| John T. Maeda – FY2025 Director Compensation | Cash/Deferred ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Options ($) | All Other ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amounts | 134,333 | 201,500 | — | — | 335,833 |
Notes: FY2025 includes prorated 2024 service after joining in October 2024; at least 50% of Annual Fee must be in equity under policy .
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee directors do not receive performance-based incentives; equity for directors is retainer-based and not tied to operating metrics (options, if elected, are generally fully vested upon grant). No director performance metrics disclosed .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company boards: Sonos, Inc. (2012–2020) .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: Company disclosures report no related party relationships or interlocks requiring disclosure for Compensation Committee members; Maeda is not on the Compensation Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology and AI/ML: Leads Microsoft’s Computational Design/AI Platform for developers .
- Design leadership and academia: Former RISD President; led research at MIT Media Lab; author of five books on simplicity/leadership; globally exhibited artist .
- Board experience: Prior public company board service at Sonos .
Equity Ownership
| As of Record Date (Aug 15, 2025) | Beneficial Ownership (shares) | % of Class |
|---|---|---|
| John T. Maeda | 8,907 | <1% (asterisk in table) |
- Footnote detail: Beneficial ownership includes 8,907 deferred stock units credited in director deferred stock account; directors may elect deferred stock units; dividends credited as additional units; units paid in shares after deferral period .
- Ownership guidelines: Directors encouraged within five years to hold company equity valued at least 2.5× the standard annual director retainer; equity interest required after one year on the Board .
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits directors and executive officers from hedging or pledging MillerKnoll stock .
Governance Assessment
-
Positives
- Independent Audit Committee member with technology and design expertise aligned to MLKN’s strategy and risk oversight (including cybersecurity oversight at the Audit Committee) .
- Strong shareholder support for re-election (91.3% of votes cast For) and robust say-on-pay support in 2025 (For 56,495,979; Against 2,623,598; ~95.6% approval), signaling broad investor confidence in governance and pay programs .
- Director pay structure emphasizes equity alignment (policy minimum 50% in equity) and director stock ownership guidelines to promote long-term alignment .
-
Watch items
- Outside executive role at Microsoft could present theoretical related-party exposure if MLKN engages Microsoft for technology services; however, the company’s related-party policy requires review/approval and no related-party transactions involving Maeda are disclosed in the proxy .
- Individual meeting attendance rates are not disclosed by director; company states each director exceeded 80% overall in FY2025 .
-
RED FLAGS
None identified in filed disclosures: no related-party transactions involving Maeda; anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy in place; strong election and say-on-pay results; all committee members independent .