Alex Slusky
About Alex Slusky
Alex Slusky (58) is an independent director of Rocket Lab, serving since August 2021. He is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of Vector Capital (since 1997), with prior investing roles at Ziff Brothers Investments (1995–1997) and New Enterprise Associates (1992–1995). He holds an A.B. in Economics from Harvard University and an MBA from Harvard Business School . He is a Class I director nominee for re-election in 2025, to serve through 2028 if elected .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vector Capital | Managing Director & CIO | 1997–present | Leads technology private equity investing and portfolio oversight |
| Ziff Brothers Investments | Led technology equity practice | 1995–1997 | Managed public and private technology investments (practice later became Vector Capital) |
| New Enterprise Associates | Investor (software, communications, digital media) | 1992–1995 | Early-stage venture investing in tech sectors |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambium Networks Corp. | Director | 2011–present | Board director; committee roles not disclosed in RKLB proxy |
| Technicolor SA | Director | 2013–2016 | Board director |
| Vector Acquisition Corporation | Chairman of the Board (SPAC) | Since IPO (prior to RKLB merger) | Chaired the SPAC that merged with Rocket Lab in 2021 |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent; Slusky meets Nasdaq independence .
- Committee assignments: Not listed as a member of Audit, Compensation, Nominating & Governance, or Government Security Committees .
- Attendance: In 2024, each Board member attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors met in regular executive sessions; Lead Independent Director is Merline Saintil .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash (2024) | $56,776 | Actual cash compensation per director table |
| Policy: Annual Board retainer | $50,000 | Non-employee director compensation policy |
| Policy: Committee chair/member retainers | $20,000 / $10,000 (Audit, Comp, Gov Sec); $15,000 / $7,500 (Nom/Gov) | Not applicable to Slusky (no committee roles listed) |
| Policy: Lead independent director retainer | $30,000 | Not applicable (role held by Merline Saintil) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Amount/Units | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Stock awards (2024 grant-date fair value) | $196,518 | RSUs granted to non-employee directors under policy; value varies with pricing mechanics |
| RSUs held (12/31/2024) | 42,353 | Director annual grant vests in full at earlier of 1-year or next annual meeting; initial grants vest over 3 years |
| Performance metrics linked to director pay | None disclosed | Director equity is time-based; no performance metric framework disclosed for directors |
- Compensation mix: Equity comprised ~77.6% of Slusky’s 2024 director compensation ($196,518 of $253,294), aligning incentives with shareholder value .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to RKLB | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Cambium Networks Corp. | External board by Slusky | No RKLB-related transactions disclosed; monitor for supplier/customer overlaps |
| Technicolor SA | Former external board | Historical role; no current exposure |
| Vector Capital | Slusky is MD & CIO | No related-party transactions disclosed with RKLB; Audit Committee reviews related-party transactions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Private equity and venture investing leader with deep technology company experience; prior roles at Ziff Brothers and NEA .
- Harvard AB Economics and Harvard MBA; seasoned governance experience across public tech boards .
- Brings capital allocation, M&A, and strategic oversight skills to RKLB’s board .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 654,564 shares | Includes 119,889 shares held directly and 534,675 by Abalone Cove LLLP |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | ~0.14% | 654,564 / 479,338,705 (shares outstanding 7/9/2025) |
| Unvested RSUs (12/31/2024) | 42,353 | Director RSUs per compensation table |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed for Slusky | Pledging requires Nominating & Governance Committee approval; CFO’s pledge noted separately |
Insider Trades & Compliance
| Item | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Section 16(a) compliance | One late Form 4 for Alex Slusky (transaction on 9/16/2024; filed 12/12/2024) | Company disclosed late filing; minor procedural red flag |
| Insider trading policies | Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policies applicable to directors | Transactions/pledges require committee approval |
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent status; adequate meeting attendance; equity-heavy director pay supporting alignment; robust anti-hedging/pledging and clawback frameworks at RKLB .
- Neutral: No committee assignments—limits direct committee-level oversight, but reduces conflict exposure given Vector Capital role .
- Watch items / RED FLAGS: Late Section 16 Form 4 in 2024 (procedural compliance issue); ongoing external PE leadership could present perceived conflicts—no related-party transactions disclosed to date; continue monitoring disclosures .
Context for investor confidence: RKLB’s 2024 say‑on‑pay received ~99% support, indicating broad shareholder alignment on compensation practices; while not director-specific, it signals governance credibility .