Adam T. Berlew
STIFEL FINANCIALAbout Adam T. Berlew
Independent director since 2019 (age 58), Adam T. Berlew is a marketing and technology executive with deep cloud/AI, telecom, and go‑to‑market expertise. He is Chief Marketing Officer at Equinix (2023–present), previously held senior roles at Atlassian and Google (including Google Cloud AI & Industry Solutions), and earlier led marketing roles at Brocade, Equinix, and Dell. He holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from Brown, and serves on the Compensation and Risk Management Committees. The Board has determined he is independent under NYSE/SEC rules.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equinix, Inc. | Chief Marketing Officer | 2023–present | Global marketing leadership for digital infrastructure leader |
| Atlassian | Vice President | 2022–2023 | Commercial go‑to‑market leadership |
| Executive Director, Cloud AI & Industry Solutions; Americas Cloud Marketing | 2017–2022 | Led Cloud AI industry solutions (2021–2022) and regional cloud marketing (2017–2021) | |
| Brocade Communications Systems | VP, Global Customer Engagement Marketing | 2015–2017 | Customer engagement strategy |
| Equinix (prior tenure) | VP, Global Marketing and Americas Field Marketing | 2012–2015 | Regional/global marketing leadership |
| Triumphant, Inc. | SVP, Strategy & Corporate Development | 2009–2012 | Strategy/M&A leadership |
| Dell, Inc. | Director, Sales & Marketing | 2002–2008 | Sales/marketing leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lazard Growth Acquisition Corp. I (NASDAQ: LGACU) | Director (within past 5 years) | Not specified | Prior public company directorship |
| Council on Foreign Relations | Member | Not specified | Policy/geo expertise network |
| Gridline Communications Corp. | Technology Advisory Board | Not specified | Technology advisory role |
| U.S. Luge Olympic Committee | Board Member | 2014–present | Non‑profit governance |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee (member) and Risk Management Committee (member) .
- Committee activity (2024): Compensation Committee met 6 times (Chair: David A. Peacock; all members independent, no interlocks); Risk Management Committee met 6 times (Chair: Robert E. Grady; annual dedicated cybersecurity session; oversight of ERM, capital and liquidity) .
- Independence and service: Board determined Berlew is independent under NYSE/SEC rules; director since 2019 .
- Board leadership and process: Lead Independent Director is David A. Peacock; executive sessions of independent directors occurred quarterly in 2024 .
- Attendance: In 2024, incumbent continuing directors’ attendance at Board and committee meetings exceeded 80% (company discloses aggregate, not individual, attendance) .
- Say‑on‑pay context: 97%+ shareholder support in prior year; ongoing outreach to top holders .
Fixed Compensation (Non‑Employee Director, 2024)
| Component | Amount | Timing/Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $100,000 | Cash | Standard for non‑employee directors |
| Annual stock unit award (RSUs) | $150,000 | Granted 6/5/2024; vests quarterly over one year | Aggregate grant date fair value per ASC 718 |
| Committee chair or Lead Independent Director fees | $0 | N/A | Chairs and LID receive $30,000; not applicable to Berlew in 2024 |
| Total | $250,000 | — | Fees earned/paid in cash + stock unit award |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Performance Metrics | Vesting Schedule | 2024 Grant Design |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSUs | None (time‑based; no performance conditions) | Quarterly over one year | Annual equity retainer of $150,000 in stock units granted 6/5/2024 |
Notes: Performance‑conditioned PRSUs apply to executive officers; non‑employee director equity is time‑vested RSUs.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards (current) | None disclosed for Berlew; prior 5‑year directorship: Lazard Growth Acquisition Corp. I (LGACU) |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | None during 2024; no insider participation on the Compensation Committee |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Decades of cloud, tech, and telecom experience spanning market evaluation, marketing, M&A, product/portfolio management, process development, financial structuring, and talent development .
- Education: MBA, The Wharton School; BA, Brown University .
- Relevant governance/oversight exposure via Risk Management Committee (cybersecurity, ERM, capital/liquidity oversight) and Compensation Committee (pay design, risk review) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (4/7/2025) | 14,442 shares; <1% of outstanding common stock |
| Director RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 1,914 stock units not yet converted to shares (director grant) |
| Hedging/pledging | Policy prohibits hedging/short sales; new pledging requires approval; directors and executive officers hold no shares in margin accounts and have pledged no shares |
| Director ownership guideline | Non‑employee directors should reach ≥$400,000 in Stifel common shares by market value (policy) |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent director with current operator experience in digital infrastructure and prior leadership in cloud AI; skills map well to Risk Management (including cybersecurity) and Compensation oversight. Committee structures, independence determinations, and use of an independent compensation consultant (CAP) underpin governance quality; no Compensation Committee interlocks in 2024.
- Alignment and pay: Director pay mix balances cash and equity; RSUs vest over one year, supporting alignment without undue risk‑taking; anti‑hedging/pledging policy strengthens alignment. Director share ownership guideline set at $400,000 market value (compliance status for individual directors not disclosed).
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirms Berlew’s independence; related‑party transactions disclosed by the company do not identify Berlew specifically. Any director/officer loans by banking subsidiary are ordinary course on market terms; margin accounts/pledging not used by directors/officers.
- Attendance/engagement: Company reported aggregate attendance >80% and quarterly executive sessions; individual attendance not disclosed. Investors may monitor time/attention given his full‑time CMO role at Equinix; no individual attendance shortfalls are disclosed.
- Shareholder confidence signals: Strong say‑on‑pay support (>97%) and ongoing investor outreach indicate constructive governance/compensation dialogue context for the Board.