Brian Ames
About Brian Ames
Brian Ames is an independent Class III director of Savers Value Village (SVV), appointed on August 25, 2025, with a term through the 2026 annual meeting. He serves on the Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee. The Board affirmatively determined he is independent and disclosed no related-party transactions or family relationships. Ames is a former Managing Director at Anthos Capital and previously served as President of Activision Blizzard Media; he holds a B.S. from MIT (Brain & Cognitive Sciences) and an M.B.A. from Stanford GSB .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthos Capital | Former Managing Director | Joined in 2021 (end date not disclosed) | Investor in emerging consumer/technology; strategic expertise |
| Activision Blizzard Media | President | Prior to 2021 (exact dates not disclosed) | Contributed to building global advertising and technology business |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| VRChat (parent entity) | Director | Not disclosed | Current board role |
| Breakthrough Energy Ventures (parent entity) | Director | Not disclosed | Current board role |
| MoldCo (parent entity) | Director | Not disclosed | Current board role |
| The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf | Director | 2016–2017 | Prior public/private company board |
Board Governance
- Board class and term: Class III director, term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting .
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee .
- Independence: Board determined Ames to be independent under NYSE and SEC rules .
- Related-party transactions: None requiring disclosure under Item 404(a); no family relationships with SVV directors/officers .
- Indemnification: Will enter the Company’s standard form indemnification agreement for directors and officers .
- Controlled company context: SVV operates under NYSE’s “controlled company” exemptions due to Ares’ control, which can allow non-majority independent board and mixed independence on nominating/compensation committees .
Fixed Compensation
Standard non-employee director compensation program (excludes Ares-affiliated directors):
| Component | Amount/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $80,000 (paid quarterly) | |
| Committee chair retainers | Audit Chair: $25,000; Compensation Chair: $15,000; Nominating/Gov/Sust. Chair: $12,000 | |
| Expense reimbursement | Customary expenses for Board/Committee meetings |
Note: As an independent, non-Ares-affiliated director, Ames would be covered by this program going forward per Company policy .
Performance Compensation
Directors receive time-based RSUs (no performance metrics):
| Equity Element | Amount/Terms | Vesting | Deferral |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual equity retainer (RSUs) | $130,000 grant-date fair value | Vest on earlier of 1-year from grant or next annual meeting | Directors may elect to defer settlement until Board separation |
There are no option grants to directors reported for fiscal 2024; RSUs were the director equity vehicle in 2024 .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Sector Relationship to SVV | Interlock/Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| VRChat (parent entity) | Social VR / consumer tech | No disclosed overlap with SVV’s thrift retail operations |
| Breakthrough Energy Ventures (parent entity) | Climate tech investing | No disclosed overlap with SVV’s operations |
| MoldCo (parent entity) | Not specified | No disclosed overlap with SVV’s operations |
| The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (2016–2017) | Retail F&B | Historical role; no current interlock at SVV |
The Company disclosed no related-party transactions with Ames under Item 404(a) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic expertise across consumer technology, gaming, media, climate tech, and venture capital; operating leadership in digital advertising (Activision Blizzard Media) .
- Education: B.S., MIT (Brain & Cognitive Sciences); M.B.A., Stanford GSB .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Initial beneficial ownership at appointment | 0 shares (Form 3 filed Aug 27, 2025) | |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 5× annual cash retainer; compliance by 5th anniversary of later of guideline adoption or appointment | |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors |
Implication: Initial zero ownership creates alignment runway; annual RSU grants and 5× guideline should increase ownership over time .
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Independent appointment with no related-party ties, adding digital/media and investing expertise; joins ESG-focused Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee; covered by ownership guidelines and anti-hedging/pledging policy, which support alignment .
- Watch items: As a new appointee, initial ownership is zero (Form 3); monitor equity accumulation against the 5× guideline and any future committee expansions (e.g., audit/comp) to assess board influence in a controlled company context .
Insider Filings and Trades
| Form | Filing/As-Of Date | Key Disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership) | Aug 27, 2025 | Reported no securities beneficially owned at appointment |
Appendix: Key Appointment Details
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment event | 8-K (Item 5.02) dated Aug 25, 2025: Ames appointed to fill vacancy created by resignation of Duane C. Woods; Class III director; appointed to Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee |
| Independence | Board determined independent under NYSE and SEC rules |
| Term | Through 2026 annual meeting |
| Indemnification | Will enter standard form indemnification agreement |