Ruzwana Bashir
SoFi TechnologiesAbout Ruzwana Bashir
Independent director at SoFi since June 2021; co‑founder and CEO of Peek.com (experiences booking software) since 2012. Earlier roles include Director of Marketing & Business Development at Artsy (2010–2011), Strategy & Business Development at Gilt Groupe (2010), analyst in Blackstone’s real estate private equity group (2006–2009), and investment banking at Goldman Sachs (2005). She holds a BA from the University of Oxford and an MBA from Harvard Business School .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peek.com | Co‑founder, CEO and board member | 2012–present | Leads technology marketplace; founder-operator perspective |
| Artsy | Director, Marketing & Business Development | 2010–2011 | Go-to-market and partnerships |
| Gilt Groupe | Strategy & Business Development | 2010 | Growth strategy |
| The Blackstone Group (Real Estate PE) | Analyst | 2006–2009 | Investment analysis (RE PE) |
| Goldman Sachs | Investment Banking | 2005 | Corporate finance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peek.com | CEO and board member | Private | Founder-led operating role |
The SoFi proxy biography does not list other public company directorships for Ms. Bashir .
Board Governance
- Committee assignments and chair roles:
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member (appointed October 2022; continues through 2024–2025). Chair is Tom Hutton; Bashir is a member (not chair) .
- Independence: Board determined Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee members (including Bashir) are independent under SEC and Nasdaq standards .
- Attendance/engagement: In 2021, all directors attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and applicable committee meetings (companywide disclosure) .
- Current standing: Listed nominee on the 2025 ballot for re‑election .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy (2024) | Ms. Bashir – 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $50,000 | $57,500 (incl. committee member fee) |
| Committee member fee – Nominating & Corporate Governance | $7,500 member / $15,000 chair | Included in fees above |
| Other committee retainers (for reference) | Audit: $12,500 member / $25,000 chair; Risk: $12,500 member / $25,000 chair; Compensation: $10,000 member / $20,000 chair | n/a |
Notes:
- Directors may defer up to 100% of cash retainers into deferred stock units (DSUs) under the Director Deferred Compensation Plan effective May 2023; distributions generally in SoFi common stock per plan rules. The proxy footnotes identify certain directors who elected deferrals in 2024 (Borden, Hutton, Green); Bashir is not listed among those electing in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Policy / Grant Mechanics | Ms. Bashir – 2024 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | $250,000 annual value; granted at the annual meeting; vests on the earlier of next annual meeting or 12 months | $222,466 grant-date fair value; 35,034 RSUs granted July 8, 2024; vest on earlier of next AGM or first anniversary (from July 14, 2024) |
| Vesting/Acceleration | Death: full acceleration; Disability: tenure-based acceleration (1 year for every 2 years of service) (policy adopted July 2024) | Applies to director RSUs including 2024 grant |
| Deferral (optional) | Directors can defer RSUs into DSUs; distribution per plan terms | Not disclosed as elected by Bashir for 2024 |
No performance metrics apply to non‑employee director equity; RSUs are service‑based and time‑vested per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Sponsor designation history: Ms. Bashir was originally designated by SCH Sponsor under the Shareholders’ Agreement; SCH Sponsor’s designation rights have since been waived/expired. QIA and Silver Lake continue to have designation rights tied to ownership thresholds .
- No other public company directorships disclosed in her SoFi biography .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Founder/CEO of a technology marketplace (Peek.com), bringing operating, product, and go‑to‑market experience; prior finance (IB and PE) and growth strategy roles (Gilt, Artsy). Education: Oxford BA; Harvard MBA .
- Board appropriately cites her qualification in business strategy and leading a technology company .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Unvested RSUs outstanding (12/31/2024) | 35,034 RSUs from July 8, 2024 grant (vesting by next AGM/1 year) |
Beneficial ownership totals for common stock by individual director were not detailed for Ms. Bashir in the cited sections; only RSU grant/vesting details are provided .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with continued service on Nominating & Corporate Governance; committee oversees board evaluations, governance guidelines, and related‑party reviews—relevant for governance quality .
- Equity‑heavy compensation (annual RSUs ~$250k policy) aligns director incentives with shareholder outcomes; 2024 grant valued at $222,466 with clear vesting cadence .
- Death/disability equity acceleration policy and director deferral program provide clarity on risk and alignment mechanics .
- Company‑level attendance disclosure indicates robust engagement historically (≥75% in 2021) .
- Watch‑items (not necessarily red flags):
- Initial nomination via SPAC sponsor (SCH Sponsor) could raise historical independence perception questions, though current independence and committee determinations are clear and sponsor rights have been waived/expired .
- No disclosed other public company board experience; skillset is founder/operator and growth‑stage technology rather than regulated bank oversight—mitigated by presence of other directors with bank supervision and audit expertise on the Board .
Director Compensation – 2024 (Actual)
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruzwana Bashir | 57,500 | 222,466 | 279,966 |
Committee Timeline (Selected)
| Period | Committee | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2022 appointment | Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member |
| As of Apr 8, 2024 | Nominating & Corporate Governance (Chair: Tom Hutton) | Member |
| As of Apr 15, 2025 | Nominating & Corporate Governance (Chair: Tom Hutton) | Member |
RED FLAGS
- None identified in reviewed filings specific to Ms. Bashir (e.g., no disclosures of related‑party transactions or pledging/hedging specific to her in the cited sections). Governance committee has explicit responsibility for related‑party oversight .
Sources: SoFi DEF 14A 2025 (Apr 15, 2025), DEF 14A 2024 (Apr 8, 2024), DEF/PROXY filings 2022–2023 as cited above.