Jordan Smith
About Jordan Smith
Jordan Smith, age 38, is an independent Class I director of Savers Value Village (SVV) since February 2024 and serves on the Compensation Committee and the Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee. He is a Partner in the Ares Private Equity Group and previously was an Analyst at Lazard focused on M&A; he holds a B.S. with high honors from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ares Private Equity Group | Partner | 2011–present | Investment, capital markets and governance expertise |
| Lazard | Analyst (M&A) | Prior to 2011 | Transaction execution and advisory experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent entities of Cooper’s Hawk | Director | Private | Current directorship per SVV proxy |
| Parent entities of LaserAway | Director | Private | Current directorship |
| Parent entities of Virgin Voyages | Director | Private | Current directorship |
| Parent entities of WHP Global | Director | Private | Current directorship |
| Parent entities of DevaCurl | Former Director | Private | Prior directorship |
| Parent entities of Farrow & Ball | Former Director | Private | Prior directorship |
| Parent entities of Insight Global | Former Director | Private | Prior directorship |
| Parent entities of Valet Living | Former Director | Private | Prior directorship |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Mr. Smith is independent under NYSE rules .
- Committees: Compensation Committee member; Nominating, Governance & Sustainability Committee member .
- Attendance: Board held 5 meetings in fiscal 2024; each of Audit, Compensation, and Nominating committees met 4 times. All directors attended at least 75% of meetings and attended the annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session regularly .
- Controlled company: SVV uses NYSE “controlled company” exemptions; Audit must be independent, but Nominating and Compensation may include non-independent directors .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $0 | Ares-employed directors (including Mr. Smith) did not receive director compensation from SVV . |
| Committee chair fee (Compensation) | $0 | Chair is Aaron Rosen; Mr. Smith is a member, not chair . |
| Committee chair fee (Nominating) | $0 | Chair is Robyn Collver; Mr. Smith is a member . |
| Equity retainer (RSUs) | $0 | Ares-employed directors did not receive director equity . |
| Standard non-Ares policy (reference) | $80,000 cash; $130,000 RSUs | For non‑Ares non‑employee directors; RSUs vest by one year or next annual meeting . |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Plan linkage | FY2024 outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Director performance awards | None | Directors are compensated via retainers; no performance metrics apply, and Ares-employed directors received no director compensation . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Board skills matrix indicates Mr. Smith’s competencies include Strategic Planning & Growth and Financial & Capital/Debt Markets; he is also noted for Other Public Board Service experience in the matrix .
- Controlled company and Ares interlock: Ares funds beneficially own 85.29% of SVV shares and hold director designation and consent rights over major corporate actions under the Stockholders Agreement (e.g., M&A over thresholds, debt issuance, CEO changes) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Strategic and capital markets expertise through Ares Private Equity; early-career M&A at Lazard .
- Skills matrix: Strategic Planning & Growth; Financial & Capital/Debt Markets; and Other Public Board Service indicated for Mr. Smith .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Smith | — | <1%* | No beneficial ownership reported as of March 31, 2025 . |
| Director stock ownership guidelines | 5x annual cash retainer | Compliance required by 5th anniversary | Includes outright and unvested RSUs; excludes options and performance awards . |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | — | Directors are prohibited from hedging or pledging SVV stock . |
Governance Assessment
- Committee effectiveness: Mr. Smith sits on Compensation and Nominating committees—key levers for pay, board composition, and ESG oversight. Compensation Committee met 4 times in FY2024 and uses an independent consultant (FW Cook); no compensation interlocks identified, and apart from Duane Woods, members are not current or former SVV officers .
- Independence vs control: Although the Board deems Mr. Smith independent, Ares’ 85.29% ownership and significant consent rights create a controlled-governance dynamic that can limit minority shareholder influence on strategic transactions and leadership changes .
- Alignment: Mr. Smith received no SVV director cash or equity in FY2024 and reported no beneficial ownership, which may reduce direct financial alignment; guidelines allow five years to reach ownership targets .
- Engagement: All directors met attendance expectations and attended the annual meeting, supporting baseline engagement .
- Shareholder feedback signals: 2025 say‑on‑pay passed with 155,229,848 for vs. 778,088 against; Class II director elections received strong support, indicating general investor confidence in board oversight during the period .
Red flags
- Controlled company risk: Ares’ designation and consent rights across major actions can present conflicts or constrain board independence in practice despite formal independence determinations .
- Ownership alignment: Zero reported beneficial ownership by Mr. Smith and no SVV director compensation for Ares-affiliated directors reduce pay-for-performance alignment and skin-in-the-game in the near term, albeit with a five‑year compliance window for ownership guidelines .
Shareholder-friendly features
- Prohibitions on hedging and pledging for directors and executives .
- Independent compensation consultant and annual compensation risk assessment; clawback policy for executives in case of material restatements .