Michelle Gonzalez
TaskUsAbout Michelle Gonzalez
Michelle Gonzalez is an independent director of TaskUs, serving since April 2022 and currently a Class II director with her term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting . She is Corporate Vice President and Global Head of M12, Microsoft’s venture capital fund, a role she has held since 2021 after joining Microsoft/M12 in 2019, bringing deep investing and operating experience in technology . Gonzalez holds a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and a J.D. from Yale Law School, and is 48 years old as of the March 24, 2025 record date . Her prior roles include leadership positions at Google’s Area 120, Comcast Ventures, IBM Ventures, and Apple, underscoring qualifications in AI, venture investing, and product leadership .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees / Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft M12 (Microsoft’s VC fund) | Corporate VP; Global Head of M12 | Joined 2019; Global Head since 2021 | Leads fund strategy, investment decisions, and portfolio management |
| Google Area 120 | Managing Partner | Prior to 2019 (dates not disclosed) | Led strategic transformation aligning incubator to Google-adjacent themes |
| Comcast Ventures | Entrepreneur-in-Residence; Investor | Prior to Google (dates not disclosed) | Early-stage investing; product/market diligence |
| IBM Ventures | Partner | Dates not disclosed | Corporate venture investing and strategy |
| Apple | Senior product and business leader | Dates not disclosed | Product and business leadership in technology |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Databook | Director | Current (as of 2025) | Board service |
| SpyCloud | Director | Current (as of 2025) | Board service |
| CognitiveScale | Board Observer | As of Mar 2022 (status then) | Board observer role |
| Incorta | Board Observer | As of Mar 2022 (status then) | Board observer role |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Audit Committee; Member, Compensation Committee .
- Independence: Board determined Gonzalez is independent under Nasdaq and SEC standards; seven of nine directors classified as independent .
- Attendance and engagement: The board met five times in 2024; all incumbent directors except Amit Dixit attended at least 75% of board/committee meetings—indicating Gonzalez met the 75% threshold .
- Committee activity: 2024 meetings—Audit (8), Compensation (5), Nominating & ESG (4), evidencing active oversight cadence .
- Lead independent director: Role held by Jill Greenthal since March 2023 (Gonzalez is not LID) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy / Rate | 2024 Actual for Gonzalez |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $60,000 (increased from $50,000 in May 2024) | $73,441 cash fees earned (includes committee retainers; prorata as applicable) |
| Audit Committee Member Retainer | $10,000 annually | Included in cash total |
| Compensation Committee Member Retainer | $7,500 annually | Included in cash total |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant Type | Grant Date | Amount / Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Equity Retainer | RSUs | Typically annual; 2024 grant reflected | $205,664 grant-date fair value in 2024; vests on earliest of first anniversary or next annual meeting |
| At-Initial Election Grant | RSUs | At initial election (Apr 1, 2022) | 2,494 RSUs unvested as of 12/31/2024, scheduled to vest on Apr 1, 2025; initial grants vest annually over three years |
| 2024 Annual RSUs (Outstanding) | RSUs | May 23, 2024 | 14,342 RSUs unvested as of 12/31/2024, vest on May 22, 2025 |
- Director compensation equity is time-based RSUs; no performance metrics disclosed for directors’ equity awards (annual RSUs vest on time/event schedule, not KPI-based) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards | None reported |
| Committee roles at other companies | Not disclosed beyond director roles at Databook and SpyCloud |
| Interlocks / potential conflicts | Senior role at Microsoft M12 may intersect with technology ecosystems; TaskUs policy requires Audit Committee review for related person transactions >$120,000 and prohibits hedging/pledging, providing governance controls around potential conflicts |
| Related party transactions | At appointment, no direct or indirect material interest under Item 404(a) was disclosed for Gonzalez |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology and AI: Identified skill in Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Cybersecurity per Board skills matrix .
- Business Development and M&A: Identified skill in M&A and growth per Board skills matrix .
- Global business exposure: Recognized global experience per Board skills matrix .
- Venture/investing and operating credentials: Extensive VC leadership and operating roles across Microsoft M12, Google, Comcast Ventures, IBM Ventures, and Apple .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Class A) | 28,749 shares; less than 1% of Class A outstanding |
| Class B ownership | None; less than 1% |
| Unvested RSUs (as of 12/31/2024) | 2,494 RSUs (grant 4/1/2022; vest 4/1/2025); 14,342 RSUs (grant 5/23/2024; vest 5/22/2025) |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging by directors |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Gonzalez contributes AI and technology oversight and VC strategy to Audit and Compensation committees—valuable as TaskUs invests in agentic AI and complex services; her committee membership and the Audit Committee report signature indicate active engagement .
- Independence and attendance: Formally independent; met ≥75% attendance threshold in 2024, supporting investor confidence in director engagement .
- Pay and alignment: Director pay mix combines cash retainers with time-based RSUs; 2024 equity of $205,664 and cash of $73,441 reflects standard governance structure, with annual board retainer increased to $60,000 and annual equity retainer to ~$180,000 in 2024, aligning directors with shareholder outcomes without short-term bonuses .
- Conflicts/related party exposure: No Item 404(a) related party transactions disclosed for Gonzalez at appointment; company policies require related transaction review and prohibit hedging/pledging, mitigating alignment risks; nevertheless, her Microsoft M12 leadership warrants monitoring for potential ecosystem overlaps if TaskUs enters material transactions with Microsoft or M12 portfolio companies .
- Contextual governance environment: TaskUs is a “controlled company” under Nasdaq rules due to Blackstone and founder voting power; while a majority of directors are independent, controlled status permits exemptions from some Nasdaq governance requirements, a structural consideration for investors evaluating board independence and committee compositions .
RED FLAGS: None specifically identified for Gonzalez (no related-party transactions disclosed; attendance ≥75%; hedging/pledging prohibited). Structural governance risk persists at the company level due to controlled company status and sponsor rights, not attributable to Gonzalez individually .