Kristina Salen
SIRIUS XM HOLDINGSAbout Kristina M. Salen
Kristina M. Salen, age 54, has served on Sirius XM’s board since July 2018 and was appointed Lead Independent Director in January 2025. She chairs the Audit Committee, is deemed independent under Nasdaq standards, and qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert.” Salen is currently Chief Financial Officer of Booksy Inc. (since January 2024) and previously held CFO roles at Greenhouse Software, WWE, Moda Operandi, and Etsy, with prior investment research and finance roles at Fidelity, Oppenheimer Capital, Merrill Lynch, Lazard, and SBC Warburg .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jan 2013 – Mar 2017 | Led finance transformation at a scaled marketplace |
| UnitedMasters | Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer | Jul 2017 – Oct 2018 | Early-stage operating leadership in artist services |
| Moda Operandi | Chief Financial Officer | Feb 2019 – May 2020 | Built finance discipline in online luxury retail |
| World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2020 – Nov 2021 | Public-company CFO; media monetization experience |
| Greenhouse Software | Chief Financial Officer | Dec 2022 – Aug 2023 | SaaS hiring software financial leadership |
| Fidelity Investments (FMR LLC) | Led Media/Internet/Telecom Research Group | Jan 2006 – Jan 2013 | Buy-side TMT coverage; capital markets expertise |
| Oppenheimer Capital | Financial/Executive Roles | Jun 2002 – Dec 2005 | Institutional investing |
| Merrill Lynch | Financial Services Roles | Jun 1997 – Jun 2001 | Investment banking experience |
| Lazard Freres | Analyst | Apr 1996 – Jun 1997 | Advisory foundations |
| SBC Warburg | Analyst | Dec 1994 – Apr 1996 | European capital markets exposure |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booksy Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jan 2024 – Present | Private company CFO; growth-stage SaaS |
| Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. | Director; Audit Committee Chair | Within past five years | Chaired audit; governance and financial oversight |
Board Governance
| Governance Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Independence | Determined independent under Nasdaq and company guidelines |
| Lead Independent Director | Appointed Jan 2025; chairs executive sessions; liaises with Chair/CEO |
| Committee Assignments | Audit Committee Chair; members include Hartenstein, Procope, Salen* (*Chair) |
| Financial Expertise | Audit committee financial expert (with Hartenstein) |
| Attendance & Engagement | Board met 8x in 2024; Audit 4x; each incumbent director attended ≥75% of meetings; independent director executive sessions chaired by Salen |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Annual Director Cash Retainer | $100,000 |
| Audit Committee Chair Fee | $30,000 |
| Meeting Fees | None disclosed (program based on retainers) |
| Total Cash Paid to Salen (2024) | $130,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Detail | Vesting | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU Grant | 64,103 RSUs (granted May 23, 2024) | Vests on first anniversary of grant | $175,001 grant date fair value |
| Options | Non-employee directors no longer receive annual option grants; Salen had 2,090 options outstanding at 12/31/2024 | Per award terms | N/A |
| Dividend Equivalent Units | Granted on declared cash dividends; same vesting as RSUs | Matches underlying RSUs | N/A |
| Performance Metrics | None attached to director equity; director RSUs are time-based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cornerstone OnDemand, Inc. | Former Director; Audit Chair | Prior public board; governance leadership |
| Related Party/Interlocks | None disclosed for Salen | Independence confirmed; board evaluated other directors’ ordinary-course transactions (Live Nation, Tubi/Fox, WBD) but no issues for Salen |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive CFO experience across media, internet, telecom, and SaaS, plus buy-side TMT research leadership at Fidelity .
- Audit committee financial expert designation; deep financial reporting and controls oversight .
- Independent leadership as Lead Independent Director, coordinating executive sessions and board functioning .
Equity Ownership
| Measure (as of Mar 31, 2025 unless noted) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (incl. exercisable within 60 days, RSUs, options, DEUs) | 19,212 shares; <1% of outstanding |
| Common Stock (company breakout) | 8,692 shares |
| Unvested RSUs + DEUs Outstanding (12/31/2024) | 6,524 units |
| Options Outstanding (12/31/2024) | 2,090 |
| Ownership Guidelines | Directors must hold ≥5x annual cash retainer; compliance due by later of 5 years from appointment or Sept 1, 2029 |
| Hedging/Pledging | Company prohibits hedging and pledging by officers/directors |
Recent Insider Transactions (2025)
| Date | Type | Shares | Price | Shares Owned After |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27, 2025 | Sale (open market) | 1,651 | $22.27 | 23,373 (after prior context) |
| Jun 3, 2025 | Sale (open market) | 1,651 | $21.28 | 21,722 |
| Nov 3, 2025 | Sale (open market; under Rule 10b5-1 plan adopted Aug 1, 2025) | 1,845 | $21.64 | 19,969 |
| Nov 3, 2025 | Form 144 notice of proposed sale | 1,845 | Aggregate ~$39,925.80 | N/A (notice) |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Salen’s elevation to Lead Independent Director and Audit Committee Chair strengthens independent oversight, financial reporting rigor, and executive session leadership—positive for investor confidence .
- Independence/Conflicts: Board’s 2025 independence review identified non-independent members (Witz, Maffei, Malone) but confirmed Salen’s independence; no related-party transactions involving Salen disclosed—low conflict risk .
- Compensation/Alignment: Director pay mix is balanced (cash retainer + time-based RSUs), with ownership guidelines requiring ≥5x retainer; annual RSUs vest after one year supporting long-term alignment without performance metric gaming for directors .
- Attendance/Engagement: ≥75% meeting attendance with active leadership of executive sessions indicates solid engagement and oversight .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Salen. Modest insider sales in 2025 under a 10b5-1 plan and with a Form 144 notice suggest planned diversification rather than opportunistic trading; hedging/pledging prohibited by policy .