Edwin Bennett
About Edwin Bennett
Independent director at Perella Weinberg Partners (PWP), appointed July 30, 2025 as a Class II director to serve until the 2026 annual meeting; the Board determined he is independent under Nasdaq and the Company’s guidelines . Bennett is a former Chief Operating Officer of Ernst & Young (2015–2021) with a long career as a partner and senior business leader, and he is a certified public accountant (CPA) . He holds a B.S. from the University of Georgia and completed executive leadership programs at Kellogg (Northwestern) and Harvard Business School .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ernst & Young (EY) | Chief Operating Officer; Partner and senior business leader | COO 2015–2021; long EY tenure | Oversight/operations leadership at Big Four auditor; relevant to audit/finance oversight |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmus Filtration Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: ATMU) | Director | Current | Public company directorship |
| Arkestro, Inc. | Strategic Advisor; Advisory Board Member | Current | Private company/technology exposure |
Board Governance
- Appointment and independence: Appointed to PWP’s Board effective July 30, 2025; deemed independent by the Board under Nasdaq and Company standards .
- Committee assignments: Appointed to both the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee upon joining the Board .
- Board structure and independence context: PWP is a “controlled company” under Nasdaq rules and does not maintain a majority of independent directors or a solely independent nominations committee; full Board handles nominations while complying with independent audit committee requirements .
- Auditor oversight context: PWP’s auditor is Ernst & Young LLP for FYE 2025 . Bennett previously served as EY’s COO (2015–2021), which enhances audit/controls expertise but presents a familiarity/perception risk that should be monitored; the Company reported no related-party transactions with Bennett .
- Attendance: 2024 attendance disclosure (pre‑appointment) notes all directors met at least 75% of meetings; Bennett’s attendance will be reportable in future proxies .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual base retainer | $200,000 | 50% cash, 50% RSUs for non-employee directors |
| One-time initial RSU grant | $50,000 | Granted upon initial Board appointment; vests in three equal annual installments |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $20,000 | Additional cash retainer for chair (not applicable to Bennett unless designated chair) |
| Compensation Committee Chair fee | $20,000 | Additional cash retainer for chair (not applicable to Bennett unless designated chair) |
| Annual RSU grant timing/vesting | — | Annual RSUs granted on/around the annual meeting and vest at the next annual meeting |
The Company disclosed Bennett “will participate in the Company’s non-employee director compensation program” described in the April 8, 2025 proxy; specific 2025 grant amounts for Bennett will appear in subsequent filings .
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee directors receive service-based RSUs—no performance metrics (no options/PSUs disclosed for directors) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Exchange/Ticker | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict with PWP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmus Filtration Technologies, Inc. | NYSE: ATMU | Director | None disclosed by PWP; 8-K states no Item 404(a) related-party transactions with Bennett |
| Arkestro, Inc. | Private | Strategic Advisor; Advisory Board Member | None disclosed by PWP; no related-party transactions reported |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA; extensive operating and financial controls experience from EY COO role (2015–2021) .
- Executive education: Kellogg School of Management Executive Leadership Program; Harvard Business School Global Executive Leadership Program .
- Public company board experience (ATMU) .
- Background aligns with oversight roles on Audit and Compensation Committees .
Equity Ownership
- Beneficial ownership: Not shown for Bennett in PWP’s March 17, 2025 beneficial ownership table (pre‑appointment); holdings will be reported in future Section 16/Proxy filings after his July 30, 2025 appointment .
- Ownership alignment policies: Non-employee directors must hold equity valued at ≥3x their annual cash retainer; anti‑hedging policy prohibits hedging by directors .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths for investor confidence
- Deep audit/controls and operational expertise (former EY COO) supports Audit Committee effectiveness; CPA credential strengthens financial oversight .
- Dual committee service (Audit and Compensation) increases engagement and influence on key oversight levers .
- No related-party transactions disclosed at appointment (reduces immediate conflict risk) .
- Director ownership guidelines and anti-hedging policy promote alignment; directors must reach ≥3x cash retainer in equity; hedging prohibited .
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Watch items / potential red flags
- Auditor familiarity risk: Company’s external auditor is EY (2025); Bennett’s prior senior leadership at EY may create perceived independence/familiarity concerns given his Audit Committee role, though Board determined he is independent and no related-party transactions were disclosed .
- Controlled company status: PWP relies on Nasdaq “controlled company” exemptions—no majority independent board and no fully independent nominations committee—potentially diluting minority shareholder influence over director selection and oversight .
- Committee load for a new appointee (Audit and Compensation simultaneously) warrants monitoring of attendance and contribution in forthcoming disclosures; 2024 attendance figures precede his tenure .
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Overall view: Bennett brings strong financial and operational governance credentials to the Board and key committees. The main governance risk is the appearance of auditor familiarity given his EY background and PWP’s continued use of EY, mitigated by independence determination and absence of related-party ties; ongoing monitoring of audit tendering and committee oversight quality is advisable .