Laura Mullen
SSR MININGAbout Laura Mullen
Laura Mullen, age 64, was appointed as an independent director of SSR Mining effective February 15, 2025. She is a California CPA with nearly 40 years in KPMG’s audit practice, serving as lead partner for numerous public companies, and currently chairs the Audit Committee at Granite Construction. At SSR Mining, she serves on the Audit Committee and has been designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| KPMG | Audit practice leadership; Lead audit partner for public companies | Nearly 40 years | Led audits and advised on financial reporting and internal controls |
| Granite Construction (public company) | Director; Audit Committee Chair | Current | Chairs Audit Committee; oversight of external auditor and financial reporting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committee/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Construction, Inc. | Director; Audit Committee Chair | Current | Audit oversight; financial reporting leadership |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| SSRM Board appointment date | February 15, 2025 |
| Independence | Independent director (Board determined all nominees other than Executive Chairman are independent) |
| Committee assignments | Audit Committee member |
| “Audit committee financial expert” | Yes (Board determined Mullen qualifies) |
| 2024 attendance | N/A (appointed in 2025; attendance tracked in 2024 only for then-serving directors) |
| 2025 election vote | For: 123,567,430 (91.86%); Withheld: 10,945,656 (8.14%) |
| Board governance practices (context) | Majority voting policy; Lead Independent Director with executive sessions of independents; committee charters and annual reviews |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-executive directors) | $100,000 | Standard for SSRM non-executive directors |
| Annual equity retainer (DSUs) | $110,000 | Granted in DSUs; directors may elect to receive cash retainer in DSUs |
| Committee chair fees | $25,000 (Audit, TSS); $20,000 (Compensation); $15,000 (other) | Not applicable to Mullen unless chair role assigned |
| Lead Independent Director cash retainer | $35,000 | Not applicable to Mullen |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed; compensation structured via retainers (cash and DSUs) | |
| Director DSU Plan | Cash-settled on retirement; dividend equivalents; no cash alternative to equity retainer |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Structure | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Equity retainer (DSUs) | Fixed-value DSUs granted quarterly | None disclosed for directors; Company states “We do not grant options” and emphasizes governance controls over incentives |
| Option awards | None | Company does not grant options per compensation philosophy |
| Clawback/anti-hedging (company-level) | SEC-aligned clawback policy and robust anti-hedging policy | Applies to performance-based pay; anti-hedging prohibits derivatives use |
Emphasis: Director equity is retainer-based DSUs with no performance targets; SSRM’s compensation governance (clawback, anti-hedging) strengthens alignment and risk controls at the company level.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granite Construction, Inc. | Director; Audit Chair | Audit | SSRM director Alan P. Krusi also serves on Granite’s board (interlock within SSRM’s board network) |
- Potential monitoring point: Board-level interlock (Mullen and Krusi at Granite) may influence information flow; no related-party transactions between SSRM and Granite are disclosed in the proxy. SSRM has formal procedures for related person transactions via the Audit or disinterested Board members.
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA (California), member of AICPA; extensive audit leadership and public company financial reporting experience .
- Designated “audit committee financial expert” at SSRM; skills include risk management, financial reporting, IT/cybersecurity, and governance per Board matrix .
- Audit committee chair experience at Granite Construction; enhances oversight of external auditor independence and internal controls .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ownership guideline | 3× annual cash retainer to be held in Shares and/or DSUs |
| Compliance deadline | February 15, 2030 (five years from appointment) |
| As of Dec 31, 2024 | Not applicable (appointed in 2025; table shows placeholders for Mullen) |
- Anti-hedging policy prohibits derivatives; insider trading policy restricts trading on material non-public information. No pledging disclosures for directors; none indicated for Mullen.
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals: Strong shareholder support at election (91.86% For); independent status and designation as an audit committee financial expert; committee placement on Audit Committee supports board effectiveness in financial oversight.
- Alignment: Share ownership guidelines with five-year compliance window; DSU-based equity retainer aligns director pay with shareholder value over tenure.
- Controls: Robust majority voting policy, independent committee structures, executive sessions led by Lead Independent Director, and company-wide clawback and anti-hedging policies reduce governance risk.
- Monitoring items and potential red flags: Board interlock with Granite Construction (Mullen and Krusi) warrants continued monitoring for potential conflicts; SSRM outlines formal approval procedures for related person transactions, and no such transactions are disclosed involving Mullen. 2025 say‑on‑pay approval was 60.35%—relatively modest—indicating investor scrutiny of compensation governance broadly (though not specific to director pay).