Scott Benjamin
About Scott E. Benjamin
Scott E. Benjamin (year of birth: 1973) serves as an Interested Board Member (Class III) and Vice President of PGIM Short Duration High Yield Opportunities Fund (SDHY). He has held senior roles at PGIM Investments since 2003, including Executive Vice President (since 2009) and leadership of Global Product Management and Marketing (since 2006) . All current Board Members, including Mr. Benjamin, joined in October 2020; he was a Class III nominee/elected in 2024 and continues to serve as a Class III Trustee . Fund-level TSR/revenue/EBITDA performance metrics for his tenure are not disclosed in the proxy materials.
• Credentials: Executive Vice President, PGIM Investments LLC; Vice President roles across PGIM Retail and Alternatives Funds .
• Tenure: Board service since October 2020 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PGIM Investments LLC | Executive Vice President | Since May 2009 | Senior leadership for product strategy and distribution |
| AST Investment Services, Inc. | Executive Vice President | Since Sep 2009 | Senior leadership across affiliated funds |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Senior Vice President, Global Product Management & Marketing | Since Feb 2006 | Led global product management and marketing for retail funds |
| PGIM Investments LLC | Vice President, Product Development & Product Management | 2003–2006 | Product development and portfolio positioning |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prudential Investment Management Services LLC | Vice President | Since Jun 2012 | Affiliated broker-dealer |
| PGIM Retail Funds | Vice President | Since Mar 2010 | Vice President across PGIM retail funds |
| PGIM Alternatives Funds | Vice President | Since Mar 2022 | Alternatives platform governance |
| PGIM Private Credit Fund; PGIM Rock ETF Trust | Vice President | Since Sep 2023 | Additional fund governance roles |
| PGIM Private Real Estate Fund, Inc. | Vice President | Since Mar 2022 | Real estate fund governance |
Board Service, Committees, and Independence
- Board class and elections: Class III Trustee; elected in 2024; class assignment confirmed in 2025 proxy .
- Independence: “Interested person” under the 1940 Act due to affiliation with PGIM Investments (Manager); not independent .
- Committee membership: Audit, Nominating & Governance, Dryden Investment, and Compliance Committees are comprised of Independent Board Members; Mr. Benjamin is not listed as a member of these committees .
- Board leadership: The Board is chaired by an Independent Board Member; the chair serves ex‑officio on committees; meeting oversight structure emphasizes independence .
- Meeting attendance: During fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, the Board met eight times; “each Board Member” attended all meetings of the Board and committees of which he/she was a member (implies 100% attendance) .
Fixed Compensation
- Fund-level compensation: The Manager (PGIM Investments LLC) pays all compensation and expenses of officers and employees of the Fund as well as fees/expenses of all Interested Board Members. Interested Board Members, including Mr. Benjamin, do not receive compensation from PGIM Investments‑managed funds directly and are excluded from the Independent Board Member compensation table .
- Specifics such as base salary, target bonus, and actual bonus for Mr. Benjamin are not disclosed in SDHY proxy materials (paid by Manager) .
Performance Compensation
- Not disclosed at the fund level for Interested Board Members. The proxy does not provide performance metrics tied to Mr. Benjamin’s compensation, nor RSU/PSU/option details, vesting schedules, clawbacks, severance, or change‑of‑control terms for officers paid by the Manager .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | Value | As of | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dollar range of equity securities in SDHY | None | Dec 31, 2024 | No direct holdings in SDHY |
| Aggregate dollar range in all PGIM registered investment companies overseen | Over $100,000 | Dec 31, 2024 | Holdings across the fund complex (not specific to SDHY) |
- Pledging/hedging: Not disclosed for Mr. Benjamin in SDHY proxy materials .
- Ownership guidelines: Director/Officer ownership guidelines are not disclosed for interested Board Members in SDHY proxy materials .
Employment Terms
- Service start date: Joined SDHY Board in October 2020; Vice President of the Fund since inception .
- Contract/term: No set limit on the number of terms for Board Members; Board retirement policy mandates retirement at age 75 .
- Compensation source: Paid by Manager; fund does not disclose employment contract terms (non‑compete, non‑solicit, change‑of‑control) for officers .
- Board classification: Class III Trustee; vacancies can be filled by a majority of the remaining Board Members per Fund bylaws .
Director Compensation (Independent Trustees context; Mr. Benjamin excluded)
- Independent Board Members receive fees directly from the Fund and may defer fees; Mr. Benjamin is excluded as an Interested Board Member .
- Committee fees and chair roles are structured among Independent Board Members; committee memberships and meeting counts disclosed (Audit met 4x; Nominating met 3x; Dryden met 4x; Compliance met 4x) .
Board Activity and Scope
| Indicator | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portfolios overseen (Benjamin) | 95 | 97 | 128 | 150 |
- The increase in portfolios overseen reflects an expanding governance and oversight footprint across PGIM funds .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Dual role as Interested Board Member and Fund Vice President may present inherent conflicts relative to fund independence standards under the 1940 Act; the Board addresses this via independent chair and committee structures composed of Independent Board Members .
- Repricing of options, tax gross‑ups, related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging, or legal proceedings specific to Mr. Benjamin are not disclosed in SDHY proxy materials .
Compensation Peer Group, Say‑on‑Pay, and Shareholder Feedback
- Compensation peer group, target percentile, and say‑on‑pay results are not applicable/disclosed for SDHY’s Interested Board Members; SDHY’s proxy focuses on trustee elections and auditor ratification .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive fund governance across PGIM’s retail and alternatives complexes; senior product management and marketing background .
- Educational degrees are not disclosed in SDHY proxy materials .
Work History & Career Trajectory
- Progressive leadership within PGIM since 2003, advancing from VP roles in product management to Senior VP leading Global Product Management & Marketing, and ultimately EVP across PGIM Investments and AST Investment Services .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: No direct ownership in SDHY suggests limited personal economic alignment at the individual fund level; however, Mr. Benjamin holds over $100,000 aggregate across PGIM registered investment companies overseen, indicating broader complex‑level exposure .
- Governance: As an Interested Board Member and Fund officer, independence risks are structurally mitigated by an independent chair and independent committee membership; strong attendance supports oversight continuity .
- Compensation transparency: Because compensation is paid by the Manager and not disclosed at the fund level, pay‑for‑performance assessment specific to Mr. Benjamin cannot be performed from SDHY materials; absence of disclosed equity awards/vesting reduces visibility into potential selling pressure or retention incentives .
- Scope of influence: Growth in portfolios overseen underscores Mr. Benjamin’s widening governance remit across PGIM funds, which may enhance institutional continuity but also concentrates operational oversight demands .