Anders Gustafsson
About Anders Gustafsson
Anders Gustafsson (age 65) is an independent director of NetApp, serving since 2023. He is Chair of Zebra Technologies’ board (since May 2024), previously its Executive Chair (Mar 2023–May 2024) and CEO (2007–2023); earlier he was CEO of Spirent Communications (2004–2007) and held executive roles at Tellabs and Motorola. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology. His core credentials include executive leadership, financial oversight, strategy, technology, cybersecurity, and risk management .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Technologies | Chair of the Board | May 2024–present | Provides executive perspective; advancing transformation and growth |
| Zebra Technologies | Executive Chair | Mar 2023–May 2024 | Oversight of transition period following long CEO tenure |
| Zebra Technologies | Chief Executive Officer | Sep 2007–Mar 2023 | Led growth, culture, talent development; inclusive culture emphasis |
| Spirent Communications plc | Chief Executive Officer | 2004–2007 | Redirected growth strategy; divested non-core; integrated acquisitions; cost savings |
| Tellabs, Inc. | Executive positions | Prior to 2004 | Network technology executive roles |
| Motorola, Inc. | Executive positions | Prior to 2004 | Telecommunications executive roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zebra Technologies (NYSE: ZBRA) | Director; Chair of the Board | 2007–present; Chair since May 2024 | Board leadership; governance oversight |
| International Paper (NYSE: IP) | Director | 2019–present | Board service; sustainable packaging experience |
| Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY) | Director (past) | 2013–2020 | Board service during telecom infrastructure cycle |
| Shedd Aquarium | Trustee | N/A | Civic/community engagement |
| Commercial Club of Chicago | Civic Committee member | N/A | Business community engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee (member) and Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee (member); not a committee chair .
- Independence: Board determined he is independent; all members of Audit, Talent & Compensation, and CGN committees are independent .
- Attendance: Board held 5 meetings and committees held 25 in fiscal 2025; overall attendance 94.83%; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Years of service: Director since 2023; standing for annual election with one-year terms .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session as part of normal Board agendas .
- Audit Committee activity: 10 meetings in fiscal 2025; oversight of financial statements, internal controls, auditor independence, ERM, and disclosure compliance .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Fiscal 2025 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (Board + committees) | $97,500 | Paid quarterly in arrears; Board year spans annual meeting to next |
| Stock awards (RSUs, grant-date fair value) | $270,075 | Service-vested RSUs under 2021 Plan (ASC 718 valuation) |
| Options | — | No option awards held by non-employee directors as of Apr 25, 2025 |
| Total | $367,575 | Sum of cash fees and RSU grant value |
Director equity grant policy (non-employee): automatic RSUs at re-election with value $275,000 (Chair: $350,000); initial appointment RSUs $275,000 (before Feb) or $137,500 (Feb or later); vest the day immediately preceding next annual meeting. Effective as of the 2025 Annual Meeting, annual equity increased by $10,000 to $285,000 for directors and $360,000 for Chair to align with peer median (Meridian benchmarking) .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Performance-based equity awards (PBRSUs) | None for non-employee directors; director equity is service-vested RSUs with fixed value |
| Equity grant timing | Pre-determined grant dates; not timed around MNPI; no options granted |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to NTAP | Potential Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zebra Technologies | Technology company; possible market adjacency | NTAP policy allows up to four boards for non-employee directors; compliance affirmed; service must not materially interfere; conflicts reviewed by CGN Committee |
| International Paper | Packaging company | No related person transactions involving Gustafsson disclosed; CGN Committee oversees conflicts and related party approvals |
| Dycom Industries (past) | Telecom infrastructure | Past role; not current; no conflict disclosure |
- Limitation on other board service: non-employee directors should sit on no more than four public company boards; all directors are in compliance as of proxy date .
- Personal loans: Company does not provide personal loans or extend credit to directors .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills matrix indicates strengths in financial oversight, executive leadership, human capital, strategy, sales & marketing, cybersecurity, technology, and risk management .
- Qualifications: more than 30 years of senior leadership; transformation and growth execution; culture and talent development emphasis .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value | As-of Date |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares | 11,449 | July 16, 2025 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | ~0.0057% (11,449 / 200,098,883) | July 16, 2025 |
| Unvested RSUs (director) | 2,377 | Apr 25, 2025 |
| Latest director RSU grant date | Sep 11, 2024 | Automatic annual equity grant |
| Shares outstanding (reference) | 200,098,883 | July 16, 2025 |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited for all directors; anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies in place | |
| Ownership guidelines | Directors subject to minimum stock ownership guidelines (multiple of cash retainer); all directors (except Yang and Pelzer due to recent appointments) met guidelines as of fiscal 2025 |
Note: Ownership % is calculated from disclosed beneficial shares and total outstanding; table shows “<1%” in proxy for individual directors .
Insider Trades
| Date | Filing Note | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2025 | Late Form 4 | One transaction relating to a broker-initiated acquisition; late report noted by company |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with dual committee service (Audit; Corporate Governance & Nominating), enhancing oversight of financial reporting and conflicts .
- Board attendance robust (overall 94.83%); each director met ≥75% threshold; Audit Committee active with 10 meetings in fiscal 2025 .
- Equity ownership alignment: beneficial ownership plus unvested RSUs; compliance with director stock ownership guidelines; anti-hedging and anti-pledging enforced .
- Director compensation emphasizes equity; no performance-based equity for directors, no perquisites; external benchmarking by independent consultant (Meridian) and capped annual compensation under 2021 Plan .
- CGN Committee explicitly oversees conflicts and related-person transactions; no personal loans to directors .
-
Watch items / red flags
- Multiple outside commitments (Chair at Zebra; director at International Paper) require continued monitoring for time-commitment risk; company policy permits up to four boards and confirms compliance .
- Minor compliance lapse: one late Form 4 (broker-initiated acquisition) filed March 31, 2025; not uncommon but noted for tracking .
Overall, governance signals are constructive: independence, committee engagement, ownership alignment, robust policies (clawback, anti-hedge/pledge), and transparent director pay practices. No related-party conflicts involving Gustafsson are disclosed; oversight mechanisms appear strong .