Eugenia Ulasewicz
SIGNET JEWELERSAbout Eugenia Ulasewicz
Independent director of Signet Jewelers (SIG), age 71, serving since September 2013. Former President of Burberry Group plc’s Americas division (1998–2013; executive committee member from 2006) with prior senior roles at Saks, Galeries Lafayette, and Bloomingdale’s (Macy’s). Education: BS, University of Massachusetts; Doctor of Laws honoris causa, University of Mount Saint Vincent; NACD Leadership Fellow. Current committee assignments: Human Capital Management & Compensation (HCMC) and Corporate Citizenship & Sustainability (CCS); affirmed independent under NYSE standards.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burberry Group plc | President, Americas; Executive Committee member | 1998–Mar 2013 | Led multi-country retail operations; branding, marketing, omnichannel, global operations expertise |
| Saks, Inc. | Senior roles (details not specified) | Not disclosed | Retail operations and merchandising experience |
| Galeries Lafayette | Senior roles (details not specified) | Not disclosed | Luxury retail experience |
| Bloomingdale’s (Macy’s) | Senior roles (details not specified) | Not disclosed | Department store leadership, merchandising |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vince Holding Corp. | Director | Since Apr 2014 | Public company board |
| Avolta AG (fka Dufry Group) | Director | Since May 2021 | Public company board (travel retail/experience) |
| ASOS plc | Director | Apr 2020–Jan 2023 | Former public company board |
| Bunzl plc | Director | Apr 2011–Apr 2020 | Former public company board |
| Hudson Ltd. | Director | Feb 2018–Dec 2020 | Former public company board; merged into majority owner Dufry |
Board Governance
- Independence: All directors except the CEO are independent; Ulasewicz is listed as independent. All committee members (Audit, HCMC, Governance & Technology, CCS, Finance) are independent.
- Committee assignments: Ulasewicz serves on HCMC and CCS.
- Attendance: Board met 7 times in FY2025; incumbent directors averaged over 92% attendance; no director attended less than 75% except Mr. Seiffer (Ulasewicz met attendance requirements). Executive sessions of independent directors held at each regularly scheduled meeting.
- Tenure policy: Director Refreshment Policy includes a 12-year tenure limit absent Board determination to extend; Ulasewicz’s service began in 2013, placing her at this threshold.
- Annual elections and leadership: All directors elected annually; independent Chair separate from CEO.
- Overboarding: “No Directors are considered over-boarded.”
- Shareholder rights: Majority voting, robust stock ownership policies; no material related party transactions involving any Directors or the CEO.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Structure/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (policy) | $265,000 | $105,000 cash (quarterly) + $160,000 RSUs (one-year cliff vesting) |
| Committee Chair Fees (policy) | $20,000–$30,000 | Audit $30k; HCMC $25k; GT $20k; CCS $20k; Finance $20k; paid in cash (quarterly) |
| Meeting Fees | None | Not disclosed; program uses retainers |
FY2025 actuals for Ulasewicz:
| Fiscal Year | Cash Fees (USD) | Stock Awards Grant-Date FV (USD) | Total (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $105,000 | $147,001 (RSUs) | $252,001 |
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-based bonuses or PSUs; equity is time-based RSUs with one-year cliff vesting.
RSU grant details (FY2025):
| Grant Date | Vesting | Fair Value per RSU | RSUs (indicative) | Grant-Date FV (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 28, 2024 | One-year cliff | $89.13 per RSU | 1,641 RSUs may be acquired within 60 days (proxy measure) | $147,001 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| External Board | Sector | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Vince Holding Corp. | Luxury apparel | None disclosed with SIG; no material related party transactions involving directors |
| Avolta AG (fka Dufry) | Travel retail/experience | None disclosed with SIG; no material related party transactions involving directors |
| Former: ASOS, Bunzl, Hudson | E-commerce, distribution, travel retail | None disclosed with SIG; historical roles only |
RED FLAGS: None disclosed. The company states no material related-party transactions involving directors; Ulasewicz meets attendance thresholds and ownership guidelines. Tenure at ~12 years triggers refreshment policy review but is governed by Board discretion under the policy.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global retail operating leadership, fashion industry expertise, branding, marketing, omnichannel, and general management (Burberry Americas; prior roles at Saks, Galeries Lafayette, Bloomingdale’s).
- Board experience across multiple public companies; NACD Leadership Fellow; BS University of Massachusetts; Doctor of Laws honoris causa (University of Mount Saint Vincent).
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Shares Owned | Shares Acquirable within 60 Days | Total | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eugenia Ulasewicz | 21,111 | 1,641 | 22,752 | * (<1%) | No shares pledged; all owned directly |
Ownership alignment:
- Director Share Ownership Policy: Minimum holding of 3× annual share award within five years; all independent directors (except new appointee Sandra Cochran) met requirements as of May 19, 2025 (Ulasewicz compliant).
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Ulasewicz brings deep global retail, brand, and omnichannel expertise aligned with SIG’s consumer and omnichannel strategy; committees she serves on (HCMC and CCS) oversee human capital, inclusion, sustainability goals and disclosures—areas central to investor confidence in retail execution and ESG risk management.
- Independence and alignment: Independent status; strong attendance; compliance with ownership guidelines; no hedging/pledging allowed for directors; say‑on‑pay support at 99.3% in June 2024 underscores a constructive shareholder governance environment.
- Conflicts and related parties: No material related-party transactions involving directors or the CEO; routine related-party items disclosed involve former executives and significant shareholders, not Ulasewicz.
- Risk indicators: No Section 16 delinquency references for Ulasewicz; board holds executive sessions each regular meeting; annual evaluations (including external facilitation in FY2025) and formal refreshment policy mitigate entrenchment risk.
- Watchpoints: Tenure threshold at ~12 years invokes refreshment policy review—monitor future nominations for evidence of continued skills fit vs. board refresh momentum.