Robert S. Trauber

About Robert S. Trauber

Robert S. “Rob” Trauber is Chief Executive Officer of Johnny Was, Oxford Industries’ modern bohemian apparel brand, and has held that role since 2015; he joined Oxford upon its acquisition of Johnny Was in September 2022. He is 57 years old as of April 17, 2025 . Trauber’s background includes senior operating and finance roles across fashion brands (Trina Turk president; Juicy Couture CFO/COO; Cole Haan VP International & Licensing; J.Crew retail CFO) and an MBA from Harvard Business School with a BBA from Emory University . Under his leadership, Johnny Was delivered $202.9 million of net sales in fiscal 2023 with a 10.0% operating margin on an adjusted basis (Q4 2023: $52.2 million net sales, 4.9% operating margin) , and contributed $50 million of net sales in its first full quarter under Oxford ownership in Q4 fiscal 2022 . Oxford’s long‑term incentives emphasize relative TSR vs a comparator group; fiscal 2023 performance grants vest based on TSR percentile and cliff‑vest in May 2026 (0–200% payout schedule), aligning senior leaders to shareholder returns .

Past Roles

External Roles

No public company directorships or committee roles disclosed in Oxford Industries’ recent proxies for Trauber. Skip if not disclosed .

Fixed Compensation

Notes:

• Oxford’s 2022 LTIP service‑based RSUs for NEOs cliff‑vest after ~3 years (May 30, 2025), and fiscal 2023 awards cliff‑vest May 29, 2026; fiscal 2024 awards cliff‑vest May 28, 2027 (program design reference) . Trauber’s 12/2022 RSU vesting terms were not explicitly disclosed; typical LTIP service‑based awards are three‑year cliff vest .

Performance Compensation

Notes:

• Trauber’s specific cash bonus opportunities and payouts are not disclosed (not an NEO), but his performance equity alignment is through LTIP RSUs and company‑wide TSR design .
• For context, FY2023 NEO cash payouts were largely forfeited when thresholds weren’t met at Total Company/Lilly Pulitzer; Tommy Bahama paid ~49% of target. FY2024 paid 0% across NEOs (thresholds not met) .

Equity Ownership & Alignment

Employment Terms

• At‑will employment; Oxford discloses no employment or severance agreements for NEOs (indicative of broader practice) .
• Change‑of‑Control (CoC) treatment: “Double trigger” acceleration for outstanding equity (CoC plus termination without cause or for good reason); performance RSUs accelerate if awards are not assumed/continued, with vesting based on timing in the 3‑year performance period (target vest if CoC within first year; pro‑rata based on actual TSR vs peers thereafter) .
• Death/Disability: Accelerated vesting for performance‑ and service‑based RSUs; qualifying retirement (age 62 + 5 yrs employment) allows prorated vesting; noted NEO eligibility varies by year .
• Clawback: Company may recoup incentive‑based compensation upon a material financial restatement, at compensation committee discretion .
• Tax gross‑ups: Company states it does not provide excise or other tax gross‑ups to NEOs .

Performance & Track Record

Highlights and risks:

• Oxford recorded $111.1 million of Johnny Was impairment charges in FY2023 adjustments, signaling brand‑level valuation pressure during the year .
• Integration commentary highlights Johnny Was’s high gross margins (~68% FY2023 adjusted) and premium DTC mix, supporting structural profitability despite near‑term margin volatility .

Compensation Structure Analysis

• Shift toward equity and multi‑year TSR metrics: Performance RSUs with 0–200% payout tie long‑term compensation to relative returns, reducing discretionary one‑year EPS awards risk .
• Annual cash incentives guardrails: PBT thresholds led to zero payouts in FY2024 and limited payouts in FY2023—evidence of stringent performance gating; reduces windfall risk when macro slows .
• Governance protections: No employment/severance agreements; anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging; clawback policy—lower agency risk and selling pressure due to pledging .

Risk Indicators & Red Flags

• Late Form 4 filing for Trauber RSU grant (company miscommunication) flagged in 2023 proxy, a minor controls lapse but self‑reported .
• Material impairment charges at Johnny Was in FY2023 adjustments ($111.1mm) point to execution/valuation risk in brand performance .
• Insider trading policy prohibits hedging/pledging, which mitigates alignment violations common in retail governance issues .

Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback

• 2022 say‑on‑pay support ~99% of votes cast—strong endorsement of compensation framework .
• Compensation committee employs independent consultants (Mercer) and peer benchmarking; FY2024 peer set includes apparel/footwear retailers (e.g., Deckers, Columbia, Crocs, Steve Madden) .

Equity Ownership & Vesting Schedules (Dates)

Note: Trauber’s 12/5/2022 5,000 RSU grant is disclosed without a specific vest date; Oxford’s LTIP programs generally use ~3‑year cliff schedules as above .

Investment Implications

• Insider buying signal: Trauber’s open‑market purchase of 10,000 shares (June 18, 2025) increasing direct ownership to 13,364 shares suggests personal conviction and alignment, often a positive near‑term sentiment indicator in small/mid‑cap retail .
• Vesting calendar and potential selling pressure: Company‑wide cliff vest dates in 2025/2026/2027 can create episodic supply; anti‑pledging reduces forced selling risk, but monitoring Form 4s around vest dates is prudent .
• Execution risk at Johnny Was: FY2023 impairment and margin compression vs Q4 2022 highlight the importance of merchandising cadence and DTC productivity under Trauber; however, structural gross margins remain high, and adjusted operating margins at 10% FY2023 are supportive of value creation if growth resumes .
• Governance quality: No severance contracts for NEOs, clawback, and TSR‑linked LTIP indicate pay‑for‑performance discipline; high say‑on‑pay support reduces governance overhangs .