Matt Kaufman
RobloxAbout Matt Kaufman
Matt Kaufman is Chief Safety Officer at Roblox, age 54, serving in this role since July 2023; previously Chief Systems Officer (Feb 2021–July 2023) and VP, Product – Platform (Sept 2017–Feb 2021). He holds a BS in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering from UC Davis and an MS in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech . He joined Roblox via an August 31, 2017 offer letter (accepted Sept 3, 2017; start around Sept 18, 2017) . Company performance under his executive tenure: FY2024 GAAP revenue $3.6B, bookings $4.4B, operating cash flow $822.3M, and 73.5B hours engaged, reflecting scale and monetization trends .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crunchbase | President; later Head of Operations | 2013–2017 | Led product/operations for business information platform and marketplace evolution . |
| Oodle, Inc. | SVP, Product Development | 2008–2013 | Scaled online classifieds marketplace; product leadership through acquisition by QVC . |
| edgeio | Co-Founder | 2006–2008 | Built distributed classifieds/listings network leveraging web feeds . |
| There.com | VP, Product Development | 2003–2004 | Led product for large-scale multiplayer virtual environments . |
| RealNames | VP, Product Development | 1998–2002 | Managed product development for keyword navigation services . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archimedes Labs | Partner | 2011–2015 | Early-stage advisory/investment activities in consumer tech and marketplaces . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Value | Period | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary (initial hire) | $300,000 | Offer dated Aug 31, 2017; accepted Sept 3, 2017 | |
| Employment Type | At-will | 2017 offer letter |
Note: Matt Kaufman is not listed as a Named Executive Officer (NEO) in the 2025 proxy; current base salary, bonus targets, and individual equity grant values are not disclosed in DEF 14A .
Performance Compensation
RBLX executive program design (applies to NEOs; specific grants for Kaufman not disclosed):
- Time-based RSUs vest quarterly over three years (quarterly dates: Feb 20, May 20, Aug 20, Nov 20) .
- PSUs with a two-year performance period (2024–2025) tied to cumulative Bookings (80% weight) and Covenant Adjusted EBITDA (20%); 67% of earned PSUs vest at certification, 33% vest quarterly thereafter .
| Executive PSU Program (2023 Cycle) | Weighting | Target (Cumulative) | Actual | Payout Factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bookings | 80% | $7,518M | $7,890M | Combined PSU payout certified at 174.72% of target |
| Covenant Adjusted EBITDA | 20% | $596M | $1,239M | Combined PSU payout certified at 174.72% of target |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Date | Transaction | Shares | Price | Shares Beneficially Owned After | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2025 | Sale (Code S) | 13,928 | $80.61 | 332,316 | |
| May 20, 2025 | Sale (Code S) | 1,093 | $81.23 | 331,223 |
| Ownership Context | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Class A shares outstanding (record date Apr 11, 2025) | 629,950,536 | |
| Kaufman’s Class A shares after 5/20/2025 | 331,223 | |
| Ownership (% of Class A) | ~0.053% | Computed from above; sources as cited |
Additional alignment and trading policies:
- Executive officer stock ownership guidelines require 2× annual base salary in shares; counting directly owned, vested/deferred full-value awards; compliance deadline is later of May 11, 2027 or five-year anniversary in role .
- Hedging and pledging of company stock are prohibited for employees, officers, directors, consultants, and contractors .
- Compensation recovery (clawback) policy adopted per NYSE Rule 10D-1; recovers excess incentive-based compensation after restatements .
- Several Form 4 sales in late 2024–2025 were executed under a Rule 10b5-1 plan adopted Nov 1, 2024, indicating pre-scheduled trading activity .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employment start date | Offer dated Aug 31, 2017; accepted Sept 3, 2017; start around Sept 18, 2017 | |
| Contract form | At-will employment; confidentiality/invention assignment; arbitration | |
| Severance / Change-of-control | Not disclosed for Kaufman. Company’s change-in-control/severance provisions are detailed for NEOs only . | |
| Ownership guidelines | Exec officers must hold shares equal to 2× base salary; measurement includes certain vested/deferred full-value awards; timeline to comply by May 11, 2027 or 5 years in role . | |
| Clawback | NYSE Rule 10D-1 compliant clawback policy for incentive comp post-restatement . | |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for employees/officers/directors/consultants/contractors . |
Performance & Track Record
| Initiative | Date | Description | Reported Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentinel AI Early Warning (open-sourced) | Aug 7, 2025 | AI system to detect child endangerment/grooming communication patterns; blending AI with expert analyst review | ~1,200 reports of potential child exploitation attempts to NCMEC in H1 2025 . |
| Age Estimation & Trusted Connections | Jul 17, 2025 | Age estimation via video selfie; enables trusted connections and tailored safeguards for teens; enhanced parental insights | Broader safety suite; foundational safety investment emphasis . |
| IARC global ratings partnership | Sept 3, 2025 | Adopts IARC framework, mapping to ESRB/PEGI/GRAC/USK, replacing Roblox content maturity labels | Aligns with global standards; enhances parental clarity internationally . |
Proxy governance notes: NCGC oversees trust & safety programs and policies; ACC reviews cybersecurity risks—reinforcing executive focus on safety and civility .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Company-wide executive equity mix emphasizes at-risk pay (RSUs and PSUs). PSUs focus on Bookings (80%) and covenant adjusted EBITDA (20%) over two years, with capped payout at 200%—tight coupling of pay to scale and margin expansion .
- Vesting cadence of RSUs and post-certification PSUs on fixed quarterly dates (Feb 20, May 20, Aug 20, Nov 20) can create predictable windows for insider sales, often via 10b5-1 plans to mitigate information asymmetry .
Investment Implications
- Safety leadership and open-sourcing (Sentinel) suggest durable platform trust investments, supportive of engagement growth and bookings—core metrics that drive executive PSU payouts and long-term value creation .
- Insider selling pressure appears around quarterly vest dates; Kaufman’s sales in May 2025 and 10b5-1 plan adoption indicate routine liquidity rather than opportunistic timing—monitor Feb/May/Aug/Nov cycles and pre-announced plans .
- Alignment: No hedging/pledging permitted; executive ownership guidelines apply, but Kaufman’s current compliance status isn’t disclosed. His reported holdings (~0.053% of Class A) provide some skin-in-the-game; monitor future Form 4s for changes .
- Disclosure gaps: As a non-NEO, Kaufman’s cash/equity compensation specifics, severance/CIC terms, and performance award sizes are not in the proxy—limit conclusions to company-level program design and his observable trading/ownership behavior .