Ali El-Haj
ROGERSAbout Ali El-Haj
Ali El‑Haj is Rogers Corporation’s Interim President and CEO, appointed effective July 12, 2025; his employment is at‑will and intended to bridge the period to a permanent CEO appointment . He previously served as an independent management consultant to Rogers (March–July 2025), and before that as CEO and director of Techniplas (2020–2024), CEO of CAP‑CON Automotive Technologies (2007–2017), and President of Casco Products (2001–2007) . He holds a master’s degree in physics/quantum mechanics from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor’s in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Bridgeport . Under his interim leadership, Rogers’ sequential performance improved in Q2 and Q3 2025: net sales rose from $190.5M in Q1 to $202.8M in Q2 and $216.0M in Q3; adjusted EBITDA increased from $19.5M (Q1) to $23.9M (Q2) and $37.2M (Q3), with El‑Haj citing cost improvement initiatives and execution focus .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Corporation | Independent Management Consultant | Mar 2025–Jul 2025 | Supported transition; consulting agreement terminated upon CEO appointment . |
| Techniplas | Chief Executive Officer; Director | 2020–2024 | Led acquisitions and secured contracts with European OEMs; navigated COVID-19 supply chain complexities . |
| CAP‑CON Automotive Technologies | President & CEO | 2007–2017 | Expanded Casco Products into a global leader in sensor/connectivity systems . |
| Casco Products | President | 2001–2007 | Led operations in automotive components; foundation for later expansion . |
| ARC Automotive | Turnaround Leader (Concurrent) | Not dated | Led major turnaround at airbag inflator manufacturer . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Techniplas | Board member | 2020–2024 | Board governance and strategic oversight during acquisitions and growth phases . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base salary | $750,000 annually . |
| Target bonus % | 100% of base salary under AICP starting with 2026 performance year; not eligible for 2025 AICP . |
| Actual 2025 bonus | Not eligible for AICP in 2025 . |
| Sign‑on bonus | $350,000 cash; repayment required if voluntary resignation or termination for cause before Jan 1, 2026 . |
| Severance | Not entitled to severance benefits upon termination (explicit in offer letter) . |
| Perquisites/allowances | Not disclosed for El‑Haj; company provides executive physicals and standard benefits to NEOs generally . |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Incentive (AICP, 2025) | Not eligible | — | — | — | — | — . |
| Annual Incentive (Program metrics context) | Revenue; Gross margin; Adjusted EBITDA | Evenly weighted in 2024 program | Company‑set targets | 2024 actuals: Revenue $830.109M; GM 33.4%; Adj. EBITDA $118.758M | 24.14% payout for NEO group in 2024 | Cash (program context; not specific to El‑Haj) . |
| Long‑term equity (time‑based RSUs) | Time‑based RSUs (non‑performance) | N/A | $1,500,000 grant value | 21,598 RSUs granted on Jul 12, 2025 | N/A | 100% vests on one‑year anniversary of hire; accelerated upon death, disability, termination without cause (subject to release) . |
Notes: • The offer letter specifies one‑year cliff vest for the initial RSU award; no PSUs were disclosed for El‑Haj .
• Company LTIP generally uses RSUs and PSUs for NEOs; PSUs vest on relative TSR or financial goals (program context) .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 21,598 RSUs granted (reported as beneficially owned following transaction) . |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | ≈0.12% of 17,984,499 shares outstanding as of Oct 24, 2025 (21,598 ÷ 17,984,499) . |
| Vested vs unvested | Unvested: 21,598 RSUs; scheduled to vest Jul 12, 2026 per one‑year cliff . |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None disclosed . |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Prohibited for directors/executive officers under Insider Trading Policy (pledging/margin accounts barred) . |
| Hedging policy | Hedging transactions prohibited for directors/executive officers . |
| Stock ownership guidelines | CEO required to hold 3× base salary in company stock; five‑year transition period to attain compliance . |
| Compliance status | New executive—within five‑year transition period to meet guidelines (program policy) . |
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start date and tenure | Appointed Interim President & CEO effective July 12, 2025; interim period may be <12 months . |
| Employment type | At‑will; not an employment contract . |
| Contract term/expiration | Interim assignment; no fixed term; at‑will . |
| Non‑compete | Company executive agreements generally prohibit employment with competitors for two years post‑termination; El‑Haj required to enter Employment/Invention/Confidentiality/Non‑Compete Agreement . |
| Non‑solicit/Confidentiality | Required under Employment/Invention/Confidentiality agreement . |
| Garden leave | Not disclosed. |
| Severance | Not entitled to severance (explicitly excluded in offer letter) . |
| Change‑of‑control | Offer letter does not provide severance on termination; RSU acceleration terms limited to death, disability, termination without cause (subject to release). Company LTIP generally accelerates RSUs and targets PSUs at change‑of‑control for NEOs (program context) . |
| Clawback policy | Company compensation recovery policy applies to executive officers (no‑fault recoupment for restatements; discretionary for misconduct) . |
| Section 16 filings | Form 3 reported 0 common shares at appointment; Form 4 reported grant of 21,598 RSUs on July 12, 2025 . |
Investment Implications
- Pay‑for‑performance alignment: As interim CEO, El‑Haj’s 2025 compensation is primarily fixed cash plus a one‑year, time‑based RSU; he is not eligible for 2025 AICP, with variable pay beginning in 2026 tied to company metrics (historically revenue, gross margin, adjusted EBITDA), limiting near‑term payout volatility while anchoring 2026 incentives to performance .
- Retention and selling pressure: The $350k sign‑on clawback through Jan 1, 2026 and the one‑year RSU cliff vesting in July 2026 create retention hooks through mid‑2026; hedging/pledging are prohibited, and ownership guidelines impose a five‑year path to 3× salary holdings, which may moderate post‑vesting sales behavior prior to 2030 measurement dates .
- Severance/change‑of‑control economics: The absence of severance and a two‑year non‑compete standard increases personal downside in separation and reduces shareholder risk of golden parachutes; RSU acceleration is limited to death/disability/termination without cause, avoiding broad CIC windfalls specific to El‑Haj’s initial award .
- Execution track record: Early tenure communications emphasize cost reduction and operating discipline; sequential improvements in sales, gross margin, adjusted EPS, adjusted EBITDA, and free cash flow in Q2–Q3 2025 support the narrative of operational focus and end‑market recovery under his interim leadership .
Disclosures and sources: 8‑K appointment and offer letter terms ; press release biographical and education details ; Q2/Q3 results press releases and 8‑K ; Form 3/Form 4 insider filings ; policy context from 2025 DEF 14A ; shares outstanding from Q3 2025 10‑Q .