Gregory Knight
PENTAIRAbout Gregory E. Knight
Gregory E. Knight, age 57, is an independent director at Pentair plc (PNR) serving since 2021. He is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and brings deep experience in customer transformation, digital transformation, and cybersecurity from senior roles in energy utilities and as Senior Advisor, Digital Transformation at Boston Consulting Group since 2023 . He joined the board of Fortis Inc. as a director in January 2025, adding current public company board experience .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Consulting Group, Inc. | Senior Advisor, Digital Transformation | 2023–present | Digital transformation and cybersecurity expertise |
| CenterPoint Energy, Inc. | EVP, Customer Transformation & Business Services | 2020–2023 | Led customer and enterprise transformation |
| National Grid US | Chief Customer Officer, US Energy & Utilities | 2019–2020 | Customer experience leadership |
| CenterPoint Energy, Inc. | SVP & Chief Customer Officer (Utility & Commercial) | 2014–2019 | Customer and commercial business leadership |
| CenterPoint Energy, Inc. | Division VP, Customer Services | 2009–2014 | Customer operations |
| Ricoh Americas Corporation | Management positions | 2004–2009 | Sales/marketing/operations exposure |
| Reliant retail energy | Management positions | 2001–2004 | Retail energy experience |
| Allen Knight Inc. | Management position | 2000–2001 | Management experience |
| Verizon | Management positions | 1992–2000 | Telecommunications operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortis Inc. | Director | Jan 2025–present | Current public company directorship |
| Boston Consulting Group, Inc. | Senior Advisor, Digital Transformation | 2023–present | Advisory role (non-executive) |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Knight and all non-employee directors are independent under NYSE standards and company categorical standards; 9 of 10 directors are independent .
- Committee assignments: Audit & Finance Committee member; committee is composed solely of independent directors .
- Financial literacy: All Audit & Finance Committee members are financially literate; Doi and Speetzen qualify as “audit committee financial experts” .
- Attendance: In 2024, all current directors attended 100% of Board and committee meetings; independent directors met in executive session at each regular Board meeting .
- Meeting cadence: 2024 meetings—Board: 5; Audit & Finance: 8; Compensation: 4; Governance: 4 .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Board cash retainer | $95,000 | $105,000 |
| Audit & Finance Committee member retainer | $13,500 | $13,500 |
| Fees earned or paid in cash (Knight) | $108,500 | $118,500 |
| Committee chair fees | Not applicable to Knight (A&F Chair: Speetzen) | Not applicable to Knight (A&F Chair: Speetzen) |
| Meeting fees | None disclosed | None disclosed |
| All other compensation (Knight) | $49,513 (products/services program; tax equalization) | $38,385 (products/services program; tax equalization) |
Notes:
- Director compensation structure reviewed by Governance Committee with Aon; effective 2024, Board retainer increased to $105,000 and non-employee chair supplemental retainer to $175,000 ; 2025 chair retainer increased to $180,000 .
- Products and Services Program for Directors increased to a maximum of $50,000 annually in 2024 (from $20,000); company covers sales taxes; directors pay income taxes .
- Tax equalization payments provided to non-employee directors for certain U.K. taxes, lodging, and tax preparation related to meetings in the U.K. .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (value) | $150,000; granted Jan 3, 2023 (Doi Aug 31, 2023) | $160,000; granted Jan 2, 2024 | $165,000; granted Jan 2, 2025 |
| RSU vesting | RSUs vest on first anniversary of grant date; accrue dividend equivalents paid in shares upon vest | RSUs vest on first anniversary of grant date; accrue dividend equivalents paid in shares upon vest | RSUs vest on first anniversary of grant date; accrue dividend equivalents paid in shares upon vest |
| Unvested RSUs at year-end (Knight) | 3,367 units as of 12/31/2023 | 2,256 units as of 12/31/2024 | Not disclosed (grant date provided) |
| Option awards granted | None | None | Not disclosed |
Option holdings (as of year-end):
| Name | Outstanding Options |
|---|---|
| Gregory E. Knight | — |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role | Start | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fortis Inc. | Utilities | Director | Jan 2025 | PNR is water solutions; no disclosed related party transactions; overboarding policy allows up to four boards for non-executives; Knight is within limits |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Sales, brand, marketing, and customer experience across B2B and B2C in retail energy and utilities .
- Executive leadership in large-scale enterprise IT, digital transformation, and cybersecurity .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | 12/31/2023 | 12/31/2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Share ownership (incl. direct/indirect + unvested RSUs) | 7,527 shares | 8,479 shares |
| Market value basis | $72.71 closing price on 12/29/2023 | $100.64 closing price on 12/31/2024 |
| Market value | $547,288 | $853,327 |
| Director ownership guideline | 5× annual retainer ($475,000 in 2023) | 5× annual retainer ($525,000 in 2024) |
| Guideline compliance (Knight) | Yes | Yes |
Beneficial ownership (as of 3/8/2024):
| Item | Knight |
|---|---|
| Common stock | 6,198 |
| Share units | — |
| Right to acquire within 60 days | — |
| % of class | Not disclosed for individual; directors/executives group 1.28% |
Policies relevant to alignment:
- Hedging and pledging of Pentair securities are prohibited for directors and their family members; margin accounts and pledging are not allowed .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Knight adds utility customer transformation and digital expertise aligned with PNR’s strategy to “accelerate digital innovation and technology” . Independence is affirmed; Audit & Finance membership supports financial oversight; all directors had 100% attendance in 2024, indicating strong engagement .
- Compensation and alignment: Mix is balanced—cash retainers plus time-vested RSUs that vest annually; Knight had $118,500 cash fees and $159,996 equity grants in 2024, with no options granted, which aligns director incentives with long-term shareholder value .
- Ownership: Knight meets the 5× retainer ownership guideline; unvested RSUs provide continued alignment; no pledging permitted under policy .
- Conflicts/related parties: The company reports no related person transactions in 2024; Governance Committee reviews and must approve any related person transactions >$120,000 and will not approve transactions inconsistent with shareholder interests . Knight’s concurrent service at Fortis Inc. falls within PNR’s overboarding limits and no interlock conflicts are disclosed .
RED FLAGS and watch items:
- Perquisites and tax equalization: Directors may receive up to $50,000 of products/services annually and certain tax equalization payments; while modest in scale and disclosed, these are shareholder-scrutinized items. Knight’s “All Other Compensation” was $38,385 in 2024 and $49,513 in 2023—monitor levels and rationale .
- Time commitments: With one additional public board (Fortis Inc.), Knight remains within policy; continue monitoring overall commitments relative to Audit & Finance duties .
Overall signal: Strong independence and attendance, relevant industry/digital expertise, and compliant ownership support investor confidence. No disclosed conflicts or related-party exposure; perquisite/tax equalization items are visible but not atypical for an Irish-domiciled company’s board logistics .