Ronnie S. Hawkins
OMNICOM GROUPAbout Ronnie S. Hawkins
Independent director at Omnicom Group (OMC) since 2018; age 56. Partner at Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP)—a part of BlackRock—since April 2018, focusing on international infrastructure investments. Prior roles include Managing Director and Head of International Investments at EIG Global Energy Partners (2014–Apr 2018), Executive Vice President leading GE Energy Global Business Development (2009–2013), and 19 years in senior investment banking roles at Citigroup and Credit Suisse advising on M&A, financings, and restructurings across 50+ countries. Serves on Omnicom’s Compensation and Governance Committees; Board has determined he is independent under NYSE rules and Omnicom’s Governance Guidelines .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Infrastructure Partners (BlackRock) | Partner | Apr 2018–present | Focus on international infrastructure investments; brings international regulatory/compliance and transaction expertise to Omnicom . |
| EIG Global Energy Partners | Managing Director; Head of International Investments; Investment Committee member | 2014–Apr 2018 | Oversaw international investments; investment committee leadership experience . |
| General Electric (GE Energy) | Executive Vice President; Chair of GE Energy Investment Committee | 2009–2013 | Led GE Energy’s global business development, M&A/JV oversight . |
| Citigroup and Credit Suisse | Senior member, Investment Banking | ~19 years (pre-2009) | Led corporate financings and cross-border M&A; developed governance/compliance acumen . |
External Roles
| Company/Organization | Role | Public Company? | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | — |
- Omnicom’s proxy lists “Other Current Public Company Boards” for each nominee; Hawkins has none indicated (reduces overboarding risk) .
Board Governance
| Committee | 2024 Meetings | Hawkins’ Role |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation | 8 | Member |
| Governance | 6 | Member |
- Independence: Board determined all non-management directors, including Hawkins, are independent under NYSE rules and Omnicom’s guidelines .
- Attendance: 100% attendance at Board/committee meetings by directors as a group in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board cadence: Board met 11 times in 2024; independent directors held six executive sessions, led by the Lead Independent Director .
- Committee integrity: Compensation Committee comprised solely of independent directors; no interlocks or Item 404 relationships in 2024 .
- Overboarding policy: Non-employee directors capped at three other public boards; all directors in compliance (Hawkins serves on none) .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 140,000 | 175,000 | 315,000 | $90k annual retainer; $2k per Board/committee meeting; quarterly fully vested common stock grants ($43,750 per quarter). Directors received no other compensation or pension; stock awards fully vested by 12/31/2024 . |
| 2023 | 136,000 | 175,000 | 311,000 | Same structure; quarterly stock $43,750; no other compensation/pension; fully vested by 12/31/2023 . |
- Program updates effective 1/1/2025: Quarterly director stock increased to $51,250; Lead Independent Director fee to $50k; committee chair fees to $30k .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Metric(s) | Payout Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director equity grants | N/A (time/fully vested) | Quarterly fully vested stock (not performance-conditioned) | No performance metrics tied to director pay; all director stock grants are fully vested at grant; no other variable or pension elements . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company directorships | None disclosed for Hawkins . |
| Interlocks (Comp Committee) | None; no relationships requiring Item 404 disclosure for any Comp Committee member in 2024 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- International transactions and regulation: Extensive cross-border M&A and investment leadership; adds international regulatory/compliance oversight experience to the Board .
- Corporate finance and strategic planning: 19 years senior investment banking plus GE Energy executive experience; strengthens strategic evaluation and capital allocation oversight .
- Governance/compliance: Developed expertise in corporate compliance best practices; additive to Governance Committee risk oversight .
Equity Ownership
| As of | Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | Deferred Shares Included | % Outstanding | Ownership Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 2025 | 17,430 | 10,137 deferred shares credited under director equity plan | <1% | Directors must own ≥5x annual cash retainer within five years; as of 12/31/2024, all directors with ≥5 years’ service (incl. Hawkins, director since 2018) are in compliance . |
- Deferral elections: In 2024, each director other than Ms. Rice elected to defer all quarterly stock; Hawkins’ deferred holdings are reflected above .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths (supportive of investor confidence)
- Proven independence with no Item 404 related-party transactions and no committee interlocks; Compensation Committee composed solely of independents .
- High engagement: 100% attendance; active roles on Compensation and Governance Committees; Board held 11 meetings; robust executive sessions (six) .
- Pay alignment: Director pay weighted toward equity (2024: ~56% stock, 44% cash), with deferral elections increasing long-term alignment; fully vested stock avoids complexity and promotes transparency .
- Ownership alignment: In compliance with stringent 5x retainer guideline within five years; holds 17,430 shares including 10,137 deferred .
- Committee oversight quality: Say-on-pay support exceeded 90% in 2024, signaling broad shareholder support for compensation practices overseen by the committee on which Hawkins serves .
-
Potential risk indicators (to monitor)
- Shareholder-affiliation optics: Hawkins is a Partner at GIP, a part of BlackRock; BlackRock owns 9.2% of Omnicom, which could present perceived influence considerations even though the Board has affirmed independence under NYSE standards .
- Transactional workload: With Omnicom’s pending IPG acquisition and active Board agenda, continued monitoring of director time commitments remains prudent (Hawkins currently has no other public boards, mitigating overboarding risk) .
No red flags identified related to attendance, related-party transactions, or compensation anomalies for Hawkins in the latest proxy disclosures .