Julie J. Robertson
About Julie J. Robertson
Julie J. Robertson, age 69, is Chairman of the Board at Seadrill Limited and has served as a director since February 22, 2022; she is classified as independent under SEC and NYSE standards. She previously served more than 40 years at Noble Corporation plc, including as Executive Chairman (2020–2021) and President & CEO (2018–2020), holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin, and completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program in 1988 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noble Corporation plc (and predecessors) | Executive Chairman | 2020–2021 | Senior leadership of offshore driller; governance and strategic oversight |
| Noble Corporation plc (and predecessors) | President & CEO | 2018–2020 | Led operations and strategy; among highest-ranking female leaders in energy |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EOG Resources, Inc. | Director | 2019 | Public E&P; potential informational interlock with upstream customer base |
| Superior Energy Services, Inc. | Director | 2021 | Oilfield services; potential supplier/customer adjacency |
| Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. | Director | 2022 | Land drilling/services; adjacency to drilling value chain |
Board Governance
- Board independence: 100% of current directors, including Robertson, are independent under SEC and NYSE standards; the bye-laws require all directors to be independent .
- Board leadership: Seadrill separates the Chair and CEO roles; because all directors are independent, there is no separate lead independent director, and Robertson presides over executive sessions .
- Committee assignments: Robertson is a member of the Joint Nomination & Remuneration Committee and served as its Chair until March 10, 2025 (Andrew Schultz became Chair thereafter) .
- Committee activity: In 2024, the Joint Nomination & Remuneration Committee met 5 times; Audit & Risk met 9 times; Operational Excellence & Sustainability met 4 times; the Board met 21 times .
- Attendance and engagement: Each incumbent director attended at least 80% of Board and applicable committee meetings in 2024; all nine directors attended the 2024 AGM; executive sessions were held each quarterly Board meeting and other times .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $244,170 | Non-employee director cash fees, including retainer and any applicable committee chair fees |
| Stock awards (grant date fair value) | $149,978 | Time-vested RSUs (TRSUs) granted April 17, 2024 |
| Non-equity incentive plan compensation | $448,895 | One-time Incentive Fee payable to initial directors on Feb 22, 2024 |
| All other compensation | — | None disclosed for Robertson |
| Total | $843,043 | Sum of components |
| Director Compensation Structure (post-2024 AGM) | Cash Retainer (USD) | Annual Equity Award (USD) | Other Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Executive Chairman (Robertson) | $180,000 | ~$150,000 (TRSUs) | Committee chair: $25,000; >10 meetings: $1,500 per additional meeting |
| Other Non-Employee Directors | $140,000 | ~$120,000 (TRSUs) | Multiple committees (no chair): +$10,000/year |
Performance Compensation
| Item | Terms | Amount/Value |
|---|---|---|
| Incentive Fee (initial directors) | Earned at the two-year anniversary of emergence from Chapter 11 (Feb 22, 2024) or upon certain transformational events; approved by significant creditors during restructuring | $448,895 paid to Robertson (one-time) |
| TRSUs vesting | TRSUs vest at the earlier of one year post grant or next AGM, not less than 50 weeks from grant; 2024 grant date April 17, 2024 | Unvested TRSUs held: 3,011 as of Dec 31, 2024 |
Note: Director equity is time-based (TRSUs), not performance-based; no director options or director-specific performance metrics are disclosed for Robertson .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry Relationship to Seadrill | Potential Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| EOG Resources, Inc. | E&P customer segment (Seadrill targets ultra-deepwater; EOG largely onshore) | Low direct overlap; monitor information flow and any business dealings if they arise |
| Superior Energy Services, Inc. | Oilfield service supplier adjacency | Supplier/customer adjacency possible; no related-party transactions disclosed in 2024 |
| Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. | Land drilling; adjacent to offshore drilling value chain | Operational adjacency; no related-party transactions disclosed in 2024 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Recognized senior leader in offshore drilling with 40+ years at Noble; executive experience as CEO and Executive Chairman .
- Academic credentials: University of Texas at Austin (Journalism), Harvard Business School AMP (1988) .
- Geographic and sector breadth: Energy services and drilling; residence in Houston, TX aligns with Seadrill’s HQ relocation to Houston .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficially owned common shares (as of Mar 17, 2025) | 3,011 | Less than 1% of shares outstanding (62,163,028) |
| Unvested TRSUs (as of Dec 31, 2024) | 3,011 | Annual director grant in TRSUs; vests at one year or next AGM ≥50 weeks |
| Insider trading/hedging | Prohibits hedging, pledging, margin accounts for directors and officers | Alignment safeguard |
| Director ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer for non-employee directors within 5 years; TRSUs count toward compliance (unearned PRSUs do not) | Compliance status not disclosed |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Entirely independent Board; separation of Chair/CEO; robust committee structure; regular executive sessions; strong attendance; anti-hedging/anti-pledging policies; adoption of ownership guidelines for directors supports alignment .
- Compensation alignment: Post-2024 AGM shift to cash+equity mix for directors improves shareholder alignment via annual TRSU grants; modest meeting fees only beyond 10 meetings reduces per-meeting incentives .
- RED FLAGS to monitor: The one-time Incentive Fee ($448,895) to initial directors (including Robertson) is unusual for non-employee directors, though it was pre-approved by significant creditors during Chapter 11; consider investor perception and precedent risk for future board pay constructs .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related-party transactions reported in 2024; Robertson’s external boards (EOG, Superior, Patterson-UTI) are adjacent but no disclosed transactions with Seadrill; continue monitoring for interlocks or dealings .
- Engagement and transparency: Board and committees conduct annual evaluations; committee charters, governance guidelines, and Code of Conduct are publicly available; shareholder communication channels and IR engagement maintained .