Oliver Taudien
About Oliver Taudien
Oliver Taudien, age 53 as of April 4, 2025, serves as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Europe, a role he has held since October 2021. He previously served as CFO and Strategy Director for International Paper’s EMEA businesses, and has cross-functional leadership experience in finance, strategy, IT, and general management; he holds a Master of Business from the University of Cologne (Germany) . Company performance during his tenure has been strong: 2024 Adjusted EBITDA of $632 million (16.8% margin) and Free Cash Flow of $248 million, supported by cost-reduction and reinvestment initiatives; cumulative TSR improved substantially through 2024 versus the peer index, indicating alignment of incentives with shareholder value creation .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| International Paper | CFO & Strategy Director, EMEA | 2016–Oct 2021 | Led finance and strategy across EMEA, supporting business transformation and execution |
| International Paper | Business Analysis Director (Global HQ) | Not disclosed | Enterprise-level analytics and business planning leadership |
| International Paper | European Papers Finance Director | Not disclosed | Financial leadership for European papers business |
| International Paper | Finance Director, EMEA Packaging | Not disclosed | Finance leadership supporting EMEA packaging operations |
| International Paper | Information Technology Director | Not disclosed | Oversaw IT initiatives across regions |
| International Paper | General Manager, Corrugated Packaging (Italy) | Not disclosed | P&L and operational leadership in Italy |
External Roles
No external directorships or public board roles disclosed for Mr. Taudien in company filings .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | Fixed cash | Determined by role responsibilities, experience, and market median targeting; specific salary for Mr. Taudien not disclosed . |
| Stock Ownership Requirements | 3x base salary for SVPs | Must retain 50% of net shares from vesting until requirement is met; compliance reviewed annually by MDCC . |
| Clawback | AIP and LTIP performance-based awards | Applies to restatements and misconduct; broader forfeiture provisions introduced beginning in 2023 . |
| Non-Compete / Non-Solicit | Required under Executive Severance Plan | One-year non-compete and non-solicit covenants; violation may trigger forfeiture/clawback . |
| Hedging/Pledging Prohibition | Company-wide policy | Directors and executive officers prohibited from hedging, pledging, short sales, options trading, and certain monetization transactions . |
Performance Compensation
2024 Annual Incentive Plan (Company-wide metrics used for executive officers)
| 2024 AIP Performance Metrics | Metric Weight | Threshold Performance (Payout 50%) | Target Performance Range (Payout 100%) | Maximum Performance (Payout 200%) | Actual Performance Achieved | % of Target Award Earned | Company Performance Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adjusted EBITDA Margin | 50% | 13.0% | 14.5%–16.1% | 17.6% | 16.8% | 146.67% | 73.33% |
| Free Cash Flow ($ million) | 50% | $177.6 | $210.9–$233.1 | $266.4 | $248.0 | 144.74% | 72.37% |
| Total | 100% | — | — | — | — | — | 145.71% |
Long-Term Incentive Plan Design (2024 Grants)
| Component | Weighting | Metric(s) | Vesting / Settlement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSUs | 60% | 50% Absolute ROIC; 50% relative TSR vs S&P 600 Small Cap Materials | Settled Mar 1, 2027 based on 3-year performance | rTSR capped at 100% if TSR is negative over the period; DEUs accrue on unvested awards . |
| RSUs | 40% | Time-based | Vest in equal one-third tranches each Mar 1 over 3 years | DEUs accrue; time-based service requirement . |
2022 LTIP PSU Performance Achievement (3-year period ended Dec 31, 2024)
| Metric | Performance | Payout |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute ROIC | 26.56% | 89.28% |
| Relative TSR (vs S&P 600 Small Cap Materials) | 93rd percentile | 194.92% (capped due to 400% value limit) |
| Total PSU payout (ROIC + rTSR, with cap) | — | 142.1% |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- SVP ownership requirement: 3x base salary; executives must retain 50% of net shares from vesting until requirement met .
- Hedging and pledging of Sylvamo stock are prohibited; short sales and options trading are also prohibited for directors and executive officers .
- NEOs were in compliance with ownership requirements as of December 31, 2024; specific compliance status for Mr. Taudien is not disclosed .
Employment Terms
| Topic | Terms |
|---|---|
| Executive Severance Plan (ESP) coverage | ESP applies to U.S.-based executive officers (including NEOs); similar provisions provided via employment contracts for non-U.S.-based executive officers (relevant for Europe-based executives) . |
| Non-CIC severance (U.S.-based) | One times base salary for executives other than CEO . |
| CIC severance (double-trigger) | One-and-a-half times base salary plus target AIP for executives other than CEO; pro-rata AIP at target; 18 months medical/dental; replacement equity awards vest if provided upon CIC . |
| Change-in-control (CIC) definition | Includes 30%+ stock acquisition; majority Board change within two years (without two-thirds approval); merger/sale of substantially all assets; liquidation/dissolution . |
| Non-compete / Non-solicit | One-year non-compete and non-solicit covenants required under ESP; violation may result in forfeiture/clawback . |
| Clawback | Incentive compensation subject to recoupment upon restatement or misconduct; expanded forfeiture provisions in AIP/LTIP . |
Performance & Track Record (Company-level, relevant to incentive outcomes)
| Metric | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSR – Value of initial $100 investment | 84.52 | 148.12 | 154.36 | 254.22 |
| Net Income ($ million) | 62 | 118 | 253 | 302 |
| Free Cash Flow ($ million) | 117 (AIP definition) | 332 (AIP definition) | 294 | 248 |
Additional 2024 milestones: Adjusted EBITDA $632 million and 16.8% margin; capital spending of $221 million with targeted high-IRR projects; debt reduction of $154 million; Project Horizon cost savings exit run-rate exceeded target by $34 million .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Executive incentives are tightly linked to FCF, EBITDA margin, ROIC, and rTSR, with 2024 AIP/PSU metrics overachieving (AIP payout factor ~146% on metrics; 2022 LTIP PSU total payout 142.1%), signaling strong linkage between performance delivery and compensation outcomes .
- Selling pressure risk: RSUs vest in annual tranches (each March 1), but retention of 50% net shares until ownership guidelines are met, plus prohibitions on hedging/pledging and short sales/options, reduce near-term selling pressure and misalignment risks .
- Retention and CIC economics: Double-trigger CIC terms (1.5x base + target bonus, pro-rata bonus, benefits continuation) are market-standard; as a Europe-based executive, Mr. Taudien’s severance is structured via local employment contracts with similar provisions, supporting retention while avoiding single-trigger windfalls .
- Governance signals: Robust clawback policy, no option repricing, and high say-on-pay support (98% in 2024) suggest disciplined compensation governance and low shareholder controversy risk, reinforcing confidence in management’s execution and alignment .