Elaine Paul
MarqetaAbout Elaine Paul
Elaine Paul (age 57) joined Marqeta’s Board in April 2025 as an independent Class III director; she serves on the Audit Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee and is designated an Audit Committee financial expert . She brings CFO and strategic finance experience from Lyft, Amazon Studios, Hulu, and Disney; she holds a BA from Stanford and an MBA from Harvard Business School . The Board has affirmatively determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyft, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | 2022–2023 | Senior executive finance leadership for a public company |
| Amazon Studios (Amazon.com, Inc.) | CFO & VP Finance | 2019–2021 | Studio finance, planning, and strategy at scale |
| Hulu, LLC | Chief Financial Officer | 2013–2019 | Growth finance leadership in streaming media |
| The Walt Disney Company | SVP, Corporate Strategy, Business Development & Technology (various senior roles) | 1994–2013 | M&A, strategy, and corporate development expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR) | Director | Since 2024 | Current public company directorship |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee; Nominating & Governance Committee; Audit Committee financial expert .
- Independence: Board determined Elaine Paul is independent under Nasdaq standards .
- Board/committee activity context: In 2024 the Board met 13 times; Audit met 13; Nominating & Governance met 4. All incumbent directors met ≥75% attendance in 2024 (Paul joined in 2025, so no prior-year attendance data) .
- Board structure and practices: Independent Chair; executive sessions of independent directors; annual self-assessments; no poison pill .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Amount/Terms | Vesting/Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $50,000 | For non-employee directors |
| Initial Equity Grant (RSUs) | $400,000 | Vests in three equal annual installments from grant date, service-based |
| Annual Equity Grant (RSUs) | $200,000 | Vests in full by next AGM or first anniversary of grant, service-based |
| Chair Retainers (cash) | Audit Chair: $20,000; Comp Chair: $15,000; N&G Chair: $10,000 | Annual cash retainers for committee chairs |
| Chair Retainers (equity) | Board Chair Equity Retainer: $50,000 | Same vesting as annual grant |
| Payments Innovation Committee Chair | $50,000 equity | Annual, same vesting terms |
| Expenses | Reimbursed | Meeting-related and approved education |
Notes:
- Directors may elect cash in lieu of the annual/chair equity only after 5+ years of service and after meeting ownership guidelines; paid on same vesting schedule .
- Hedging, short sales, derivatives, margin, and pledging of MQ stock are prohibited by policy .
- Director stock ownership guideline: 5x annual board retainer (to be met within 5 years of joining the Board) .
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee director pay is not performance-based; grants are time-based RSUs (no director PSUs or performance metrics disclosed) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public board: Sabre (NASDAQ: SABR) since 2024 .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: Company discloses no interlocks among its Compensation Committee members and other issuers’ executive officers; Paul is not on MQ’s Compensation Committee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial expertise: Designated Audit Committee financial expert; deep CFO and strategic finance background .
- Transaction/M&A strategy: Corporate strategy and business development leadership at Disney and Hulu .
- Industry breadth: Technology, media/streaming, consumer platforms; global operating experience .
- Education: BA, Stanford; MBA, Harvard Business School .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Total Beneficial Ownership | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elaine Paul | 0 shares reported as of April 21, 2025 | No Class A or Class B beneficial ownership listed; initial director RSU eligibility per policy, but RSUs vesting >60 days are not counted in beneficial ownership table . |
Additional alignment controls:
- Ownership guideline: 5x board retainer within 5 years of joining .
- Prohibition on hedging/pledging/short sales/derivatives/margin .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with CFO credentials and designated Audit Committee financial expert, reinforcing oversight of financial reporting, controls, and risk (AI/cyber also discussed within Audit remit) .
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Elaine Paul; Board affirmed independence .
- Robust director ownership guideline (5x retainer) and strict anti-hedging/pledging policy support alignment with shareholders .
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Considerations
- New appointee (April 2025); beneficial ownership table shows 0 shares as of April 21, 2025, prior to seasoning of any initial RSU grant; alignment expected to build under guideline timetable .
- Company-level note: Past auditor change and 2023 material weaknesses (business combination accounting; IT general controls) heighten the importance of Audit Committee oversight; Paul’s financial expertise is relevant in remediation oversight .
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RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Elaine Paul (no related-party exposure; no Section 16(a) delinquencies noted) .