Christopher S. Guinta
About Christopher S. Guinta
Christopher S. Guinta is Chief Financial Officer of New Fortress Energy (NFE); he has served as CFO since August 2018 and previously as CFO of New Fortress Energy Holdings since April 2017 . He is 42 years old, with prior experience as CFO of Ranger Offshore (2011–2017), and investment banking and private equity roles at Citi Capital Markets and SunTx Capital Partners . Company performance disclosures show marked volatility during his tenure: Adjusted EBITDA rose from $33,322K in 2020 to $1,282,430K in 2023 before declining to $949,999K in 2024, while Net Income moved from a loss of $263,965K in 2020 to $548,876K in 2023 and back to a loss of $242,387K in 2024; total shareholder return (TSR) for an initial $100 investment measured $344.01 in 2020, $271.41 in 2023, and $109.61 in 2024 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Fortress Energy Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2018–present | Principal financial officer overseeing reporting, capital structure, and performance disclosures |
| New Fortress Energy Holdings | Chief Financial Officer | Apr 2017–present | Finance leadership at parent affiliate prior to NFE IPO |
| Ranger Offshore Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Nov 2011–Apr 2017 | Led finance for offshore services business |
| SunTx Capital Partners | Associate | Apr 2009–Nov 2011 | Private equity investment and portfolio support |
| Citi Capital Markets (Investment Banking) | Associate | Prior to 2009 | Transaction execution in capital markets |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $350,000 | $350,000 | $350,000 |
| Target Bonus (% of Salary) | 125% (per offer letter; applies generally) | 125% (per offer letter; applies generally) | 125% |
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Bonus
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual Payout | Basis | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus (2024) | Discretionary (no pre-set goals) | 125% of salary | $6,000,000 | Committee review of company and individual performance | Cash, immediate |
| Annual Cash Bonus (2023) | Discretionary | n/a | $1,650,000 | Discretionary review | Cash, immediate |
| Annual Cash Bonus (2022) | Discretionary | n/a | $1,650,000 | Discretionary review | Cash, immediate |
Equity Awards (RSUs)
| Grant Date | Type | Shares | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3/11/2024 | Time-vesting RSUs | 162,300 | 5,300,718 | 118,182 vest on 1/2/2025; 44,118 vest on 1/2/2026 | Granted for performance across 2021–2023 |
| Delivery/Value context | — | — | — | — | Market value of vested tranche (if delivered 4/21/2025 at $4.96) would be $805,008; company notes delivery outstanding for Guinta |
| Options | Not granted | — | — | — | Company does not grant stock options/SARs |
Outstanding Equity at FY-End
| Metric | 12/31/2024 |
|---|---|
| Unvested RSUs (units) | 162,300 |
| Market Value of Unvested RSUs ($) | $2,453,976 (based on $15.12/share) |
Pay Versus Performance Reference (Company-Level)
| Metric | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSR (Value of $100 investment) | 344.01 | 156.82 | 278.22 | 271.41 | 109.61 |
| Net Income (Loss) ($000s) | (263,965) | 92,711 | 184,786 | 548,876 | (242,387) |
| Adjusted EBITDA ($000s) | 33,322 | 604,560 | 1,071,309 | 1,282,430 | 949,999 |
Most important performance measures referenced: Adjusted EBITDA and Net Income (company-level) .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Ownership Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 206,653 |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | Less than 1.0% |
| RSU vesting events | 118,182 on 1/2/2025; 44,118 on 1/2/2026 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging, margining or pledging (limited exceptions) |
| Clawback | Adopted Dec 1, 2023 for executive officers |
| Stock ownership guidelines | Not disclosed in DEF 14A 2025 |
- Vested vs unvested context: As of 12/31/2024, 162,300 RSUs remained unvested; 118,182 vested on 1/2/2025 and delivery to Guinta was noted as pending, with illustrative market value $805,008 at $4.96 on 4/21/2025 .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Offer Letter date | March 14, 2017 (NFE Management, LLC) |
| Role start (NFE CFO) | August 2018 |
| Base salary | $350,000 (2024; unchanged from 2023) |
| Target bonus | 125% of salary |
| Non-compete / Non-solicit | In-term and 12 months post resignation or termination for cause |
| Severance (cash) | None; no cash severance or change-in-control cash plan |
| Change-in-control equity treatment | RSUs fully vest upon termination by Company without cause within 12 months following a change in control (no “good reason” in Guinta’s awards) |
| Estimated CIC acceleration (as of 12/31/2024) | $2,453,976 of RSUs would accelerate for Guinta if terminated without cause on the CIC date |
| Perquisites | None provided in 2024 |
| Deferred comp/Pension | None |
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Year-over-year mix shift: Guinta’s bonus rose to $6.0M in 2024 vs $1.65M in 2022–2023, while base salary remained flat; equity grant size rose to $5.3M in 2024 vs $0 in 2023 and $3.08M in 2022 .
- Discretionary bonus design: No pre-established performance goals; committee assesses company and individual performance holistically, which can weaken direct pay-for-performance linkage .
- Instruments: Company does not grant options/SARs—awards are predominately time-vesting RSUs .
- Governance signals: Clawback policy effective Dec 1, 2023; hedging/pledging broadly prohibited (limited exceptions) .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
| Year | Approval Result |
|---|---|
| 2024 | ~99.5% approval for NEO compensation |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Section 16(a) compliance: One late Form 4 transaction reported for Guinta in April 2024 (for March 2024 trade) .
- Pay vs performance optics: 2024 discretionary bonus paid ($6.0M) alongside company Net Income loss of $(242,387)K; bonuses are not formulaic and reflect committee discretion .
- Insider selling pressure: Next RSU vesting date 1/2/2026 (44,118 shares), which can create mechanical selling or tax-withholding flows near vest dates .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Guinta’s ownership is small (<1%), but ongoing RSU vesting provides incremental alignment; hedging/pledging restrictions and a formal clawback strengthen governance .
- Retention risk: No cash severance; equity acceleration is limited to termination without cause within 12 months post change-in-control (no “good reason”), suggesting retention relies on role continuity and future equity rather than contractual cash protections .
- Trading signals: Monitor 10b5-1 activity and vesting dates—next vest on 1/2/2026 (44,118 RSUs)—for potential supply around delivery/withholding events; confirm whether delivery timing mirrors the 1/2/2025 tranche .
- Pay-for-performance: Heavy discretionary bonus component with no pre-set goals increases reliance on committee judgment; investors should track Adjusted EBITDA and Net Income trajectories, as these are highlighted in pay-versus-performance disclosures, and engage on introducing clearer bonus scorecards .