Debra Walton-Ruskin
SS&C Technologies HoldingsAbout Debra Walton-Ruskin
Independent director at SS&C since 2024; age 64; serves on the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee. Former Chief Revenue Officer at London Stock Exchange Group (2021–2022), with prior senior executive roles at Refinitiv/Thomson Reuters across product, data, and revenue leadership; previously a partner at Cantor Fitzgerald and a director at Tradeweb Markets (2016–2021). The Board has determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules and designated as an Audit Committee financial expert as part of the Audit Committee’s membership .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| London Stock Exchange Group | Chief Revenue Officer | 2021–2022 | Senior executive leading revenue functions |
| Refinitiv | Senior executive team member; roles incl. Global Head of Market Development, Chief Data Officer, Chief Product Officer, Chief Revenue Officer | 2018–2021 | Helped lead sale to Blackstone and subsequent sale to LSEG |
| Thomson Reuters / Refinitiv | C‑suite roles (as above) | 2008–2018 | Leadership across data, product, and revenue |
| Tradeweb Markets (public) | Director | 2016–2021 | Board service during Refinitiv/LSEG tenure |
| Cantor Fitzgerald | Partner | Prior to 2008 | Launched Cantor Financial Futures Exchange; board member of the exchange |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chef’s Warehouse, Inc. | Director | Public | Current public company board service |
| Springboard Enterprises | Director/Board member | Nonprofit | Focus on women entrepreneurs; ESG/leadership speaking |
Board Governance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Board class/term | Class II; term ends at 2027 annual meeting |
| Independence | Independent director under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) |
| Committees | Audit Committee (member); Nominating & Governance Committee (member) |
| Committee chairs | Not a chair; Audit Chair: Smita Conjeevaram; N&G Chair: David A. Varsano |
| Audit expertise | All Audit Committee members (including Walton‑Ruskin) designated “audit committee financial experts” under SEC rules |
| Meetings in 2024 | Board: 4; Audit: 8; Nominating & Governance: 5; Compensation: 5 |
| Attendance | Each current director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | SS&C Director Program (policy) | Debra Walton‑Ruskin 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $90,000; plus chair premia (Lead Independent $50k; Audit Chair $30k; Comp Chair $25k; N&G Chair $20k) | $126,000 in cash fees (includes $26,000 pro‑rated annual retainer for 2024 appointment) |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed (no per‑meeting fees described) | Not disclosed |
| Expense reimbursement | Reasonable out-of-pocket reimbursed | Applicable to all directors |
2024 total director compensation: $426,069 (fees $126,000; RSU award $300,069) .
Performance Compensation
| Component | Structure | Debra Walton‑Ruskin 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity grant | RSUs with grant-date target value of $200,000; vest on earlier of first anniversary or next stockholder meeting date | Received $300,069 in stock awards in 2024 (includes new‑director initial RSU grant) |
| New director initial grant | Historical initial RSU of $100,000; vests on first anniversary of grant date | Appointed January 4, 2024; stock awards outstanding as of 12/31/24: 5,012 |
| Options/PSUs | Not part of non‑employee director program | No options disclosed outstanding for Walton‑Ruskin as of 12/31/24 (options outstanding listed for other directors) |
Vesting terms and grant mechanics are as per policy; specific grant dates for 2024 awards to Walton‑Ruskin were not disclosed in the proxy beyond values and outstanding awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Chef’s Warehouse, Inc. | Food distribution | Director | No SS&C-related interlock disclosed |
| Tradeweb Markets (prior) | Electronic markets | Director (2016–2021) | Prior board; no SS&C-related interlock disclosed |
No related-person transactions involving Walton‑Ruskin were disclosed; related-party disclosures in 2024/2025 were centered on the CEO (SILAC investment and services) and certain family employment relationships, none naming Walton‑Ruskin .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Fintech/data leadership with C‑suite roles spanning market data, product, and revenue across Refinitiv/Thomson Reuters/LSEG; prior brokerage/exchange innovation experience (Cantor) .
- Audit Committee financial expertise per SEC definition (as an Audit Committee member) .
- Board skills matrix highlights collective director capabilities in innovation/data/technology services, financial software, governance, client relations, and complex organization leadership; Walton‑Ruskin is presented within this skills framework and serves on committees aligned to governance and audit .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Policy/Status |
|---|---|
| Stock ownership guideline | Directors must hold stock equal to at least 5x annual board cash retainer |
| Guideline counting rules | Includes owned shares, certain trusts, vested deferred units, and 50% of unvested time-based RS/RSUs; excludes unvested/unearned performance awards and options; in‑the‑money portion of vested, unexercised options no longer counts (change made in 2024) |
| Compliance | As of Dec 31, 2024, all non‑employee directors were in compliance (includes Walton‑Ruskin) |
| Anti‑hedging/pledging | Company prohibits hedging and pledging by directors |
| Walton‑Ruskin awards outstanding | 5,012 stock awards outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024 |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths for investor confidence:
- Independent director with deep fintech and market‑infrastructure experience; sits on Audit and Nominating & Governance (core oversight committees) .
- Audit Committee “financial expert” designation; enhances financial reporting and risk oversight credibility .
- Strong director ownership alignment via 5x retainer guideline and anti‑hedging/pledging policy; board reports full compliance as of YE 2024 .
- Board reports all current directors met ≥75% attendance and attended the 2024 annual meeting; Audit and N&G were active (8 and 5 meetings, respectively) .
-
Compensation alignment signals:
- Director pay uses a balanced cash retainer plus time‑based RSUs; Walton‑Ruskin’s 2024 compensation comprised standard program elements (cash fees and RSUs, including initial new‑director grant) .
- Company‑wide pay governance incorporates dual clawbacks and prohibits option repricing; robust say‑on‑pay support of 88% in 2023 and 2024 (context for overall pay culture) .
-
Conflicts and red flags:
- No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Walton‑Ruskin; related‑party items in 2024/2025 (SILAC preferred investment/services; family employment) relate to the CEO and not to Walton‑Ruskin .
- Overboarding risk appears limited: company guideline caps independent directors at ≤4 public boards; Walton‑Ruskin disclosed one current public board (Chef’s Warehouse) in addition to SS&C .
- Anti‑hedging/pledging and ownership guidelines mitigate alignment risks .
Bottom line: Walton‑Ruskin brings relevant fintech and data/commercial leadership to SS&C’s board with audit/governance oversight responsibilities and independence. No disclosed conflicts or attendance concerns; director pay/ownership practices indicate alignment with shareholders .