Mark Hall
Monster BeverageAbout Mark Hall
Mark J. Hall (age 69) has served on Monster Beverage Corporation’s Board since January 2014; he is not independent and is an employee director currently serving as President of Beverage Alcohol (since May 2023) and previously led product ideation, design and development roles at Monster Energy Company (MEC) after joining in 1997 . In 2024, he did not meet the 75% attendance threshold for Board/committee meetings and did not attend the annual meeting due to illness (disclosed reason), while the Board held six meetings and independent directors met in executive session nine times . Mr. Hall beneficially owns 305,246 shares (<1% of outstanding), primarily held via the MJCF Hall Family Trust; he also holds options presently exercisable for 6,000 shares at $60.30 per share .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monster Energy Company (MEC) | President, Beverage Alcohol | May 2023 – present | Leads alcoholic beverage strategy and execution |
| MEC | Employee focusing on ideation, design and development of new products | May 2017 – May 2023 | Product development leadership |
| MEC | Chief Marketing Officer | Jan 2015 – May 2017 | Brand and marketing leadership |
| MEC | Chief Brand Officer | Jan 2014 – Dec 2014 | Brand strategy oversight |
| MEC | President, Monster Beverage Division | Jan 2007 – Dec 2013 | Division leadership during core growth period |
| MEC | Senior Vice President | 1997 – 2006 | Senior commercial leadership |
| Arizona Beverage Co. | Vice President of Sales | Pre-1997 | National distribution via beer distributors and soft drink bottlers |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | None disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: Not independent (employee director) .
- Committee assignments: None of the Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Corporate Governance committees list Mr. Hall as a member .
- Attendance: Board held six meetings in 2024; all directors except Mr. Hall attended ≥75% of Board/committee meetings and the annual meeting (Mr. Hall was unable due to illness) .
- Lead Independent Director: Mark S. Vidergauz; independent directors held nine executive sessions in 2024 .
- Non-employee director ownership policy exists but applies to non-employee directors; Mr. Hall is an employee director .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY 2024) | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | 870,000 | As MEC employee |
| Automobile Allowance | 12,272 | Cash perquisite |
| 401(k) Match | 8,154 | Company contribution |
| Benefits Premiums | 23,939 | Company-paid premiums |
| Personal Equipment Allowance | 598 | Cash allowance |
| Housing and Utilities Allowance | 50,537 | Cash allowance |
| Total “All Other Compensation” | 965,500 | Sum of above |
Mr. Hall received no director fees in 2024; his compensation is as an MEC employee .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Shares/Options (#) | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Strike Price ($) | Vesting Schedule | Outstanding at 12/31/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options | 2024 (under 2020 Omnibus Incentive Plan) | 60,000 | 1,390,536 | 60.30 (for options presently exercisable) | 10% yr 1; 15% yr 2; 20% yr 3; 25% yr 4; 30% yr 5, subject to continuous employment | 241,000 options outstanding |
- Performance metrics tied to compensation: None disclosed for Mr. Hall’s 2024 awards (time-based stock options) .
- Change-of-control, clawback, severance, or bonus targets: Not disclosed for Mr. Hall in the 2025 proxy; no director-specific cash bonus reported .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No public company directorships disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep beverage sector expertise spanning product ideation, marketing leadership, division presidency, and alcoholic beverage category management; previously VP Sales at Arizona Beverage Co. with national distributor network experience .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 305,246 | Includes 299,246 shares held by MJCF Hall Family Trust; Mr. Hall and spouse are trustees/beneficiaries |
| % of Shares Outstanding | <1% | As reported in beneficial ownership table |
| Options – Exercisable | 6,000 | Presently exercisable at $60.30 per share; granted Mar 14, 2024 |
| Options – Outstanding | 241,000 | As of Dec 31, 2024 |
| Pledged Shares | None disclosed | No pledge disclosure for Mr. Hall |
| Director Ownership Guidelines | Not applicable | Policy applies to non-employee directors |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Mr. Hall brings significant product and category expertise, but as an employee director he is not independent and holds no committee roles, limiting governance oversight contributions .
- Attendance/engagement: Attendance fell below 75% in 2024 and annual meeting participation was missed due to illness; while reason is provided, this is nonetheless a negative engagement signal for the year .
- Alignment: Meaningful equity exposure via trust holdings and options, but ownership is <1% and he is not subject to non-employee director ownership guidelines; compensation is heavily time-based options without disclosed performance metrics, offering limited direct pay-for-performance linkage .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure:
- In December 2018, Monster and Mr. Hall formed a 50-50 Kona, Hawaii coffee partnership; the Company recorded a $3.3 million loss in 2024 and loaned $3.9 million to the JV in October 2023 for a special distribution; Mr. Hall’s investment was negative ($1.6 million). The JV is consolidated as a VIE (aggregate financial impact not material), but the ongoing related-party nature is a governance sensitivity .
- The Company also discloses other related-party arrangements (promotional materials, aircraft charter) involving other directors; while not tied to Mr. Hall, they contribute to overall related-party risk context at MNST .
RED FLAGS
- Employee-director status (not independent) and no committee roles .
- Attendance shortfall and missed annual meeting (illness disclosed) .
- Ongoing related-party joint venture (Kona coffee) with Company loss, loan to JV, and negative personal investment position; consolidated VIE treatment mitigates financial materiality but remains a conflict risk .