John Slater
About John Slater
John Slater (age 52) is Thryv’s Class III director and has served as Lead Independent Director since December 2021; he has been on Thryv’s board since 2016 and previously served 2013–2015 . He is Chief Investment Officer at Hum Capital Inc. (since September 2021) and was formerly a partner at Paulson & Co. and MD/Head of Credit at GPI Capital; he holds BA/MA degrees from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD . The board affirmatively determined Slater is independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hum Capital Inc. | Chief Investment Officer | Sep 2021–present | Capital allocation, credit/investment oversight |
| GPI Capital L.P. | Managing Director, Head of Credit | Jan 2020–Dec 2020 | Credit leadership; structured investments |
| Paulson & Co. Inc. | Partner (media/telecom/tech) | 2009–Nov 2019 | Sector investing; capital markets |
| Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. | Vice President, Global Trading Strategies | Prior to Paulson (dates not specified) | Trading strategies; finance |
| NextSet Software, Inc. | Senior Director of Finance | Prior to Lehman (dates not specified) | Finance operations |
| Thryv Holdings, Inc. | Director | 2013–2015; 2016–present | Board oversight |
External Roles
| Organization | Type | Role | Committee Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed (public company boards) | Public | — | — |
No other current public company directorships are disclosed for Slater in the 2025 proxy .
Board Governance
- Lead Independent Director responsibilities: presides over executive sessions, liaises with non-management directors, and consults on board information/agenda/schedule; non-management directors meet regularly in executive session .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee member; designated “audit committee financial expert” .
- Independence: board determined Slater is independent under SEC/Nasdaq standards .
- Meetings and attendance: Board met 5x (2024); Audit 4x; Compensation 6x; Nominating 4x; every director attended at least 75% of aggregate meetings; all directors except Heather Zynczak attended the 2024 annual meeting (Slater attended) .
| Governance Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent director |
| Lead Independent Director | Since Dec 2021; duties as described |
| Committees | Audit (Chair, Financial Expert); Compensation (Member) |
| 2024 Meetings | Board 5; Audit 4; Compensation 6; Nominating 4 |
| Attendance | ≥75% for all directors; Slater attended 2024 annual meeting |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy | Slater 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $100,000 | Included in cash fees |
| Lead Independent Director fee | +$35,000 | Included in cash fees |
| Committee Chair fee | +$20,000 per chair | Audit Chair fee included |
| Additional fee (2+ committees, non-chair) | +$10,000 (if applicable; not paid to chairs) | Not applicable as chair |
| Total Fees Earned (cash) 2024 | — | $155,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Units | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (annual director grant) | Jun 13, 2024 | 7,364 RSUs (derived from $140,000 ÷ $19.01; also shown as outstanding) | $140,000 | Vest in full on 1-year anniversary of grant |
| Stock Options (outstanding) | Prior grants (date/terms not disclosed in director section) | 55,556 options outstanding | N/A | Terms not disclosed in director section |
On Jun 13, 2024 the closing price was $19.01; directors received RSUs with $140,000 grant-date fair value vesting after one year .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nominating stockholder affiliation | Slater was initially nominated by Paulson & Co. at the Oct 2020 direct listing; nomination rights have since expired |
| Significant holder linkage | Affiliates of Paulson own 4,280,000 shares (9.8% as of Apr 15, 2025) |
| Related-party transactions | 2024 New Term Loan: BlackRock held 40% of $350M facility; no Slater-specific transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit and financial expertise; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Extensive background in accounting, technology sector investing and operations, and capital markets; board-level experience .
- Education: BA/MA (University of Cambridge); MBA (INSEAD) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Direct Shares | Options Exercisable ≤60 Days | RSUs Vesting ≤60 Days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Slater | 13,471 | 55,556 | 7,364 | 76,391 | <1% |
- Shares outstanding: 43,731,034 (Apr 15, 2025 record date) .
- Ownership/retention guidelines: non-employee directors expected to own 3x annual retainer within five years; only 50% of compensatory equity can be sold until guideline met .
- Anti-hedging/anti-pledging: company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of Thryv securities by directors and specified employees .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Slater strengthens independent oversight as Lead Independent Director, chairs Audit, and is designated financial expert—supports robust financial reporting and risk oversight; attendance and annual meeting participation bolster engagement .
- Alignment and pay structure: Director pay is standard—cash retainers plus time-based RSUs; 2024 equity vests after one year, aligning incentives with shareholders without complex performance conditions that could distract board independence .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: Historical linkage to Paulson (significant holder) and initial nomination are noteworthy, but formal nomination rights have expired and the board affirms independence; no Slater-specific related-party transactions are disclosed—monitor ongoing independence in context of holder relationships .
- Policies: Strong anti-hedging/pledging and ownership guidelines support investor alignment and risk discipline .
RED FLAGS
- None disclosed specific to Slater (no hedging/pledging, no attendance shortfalls, no related-party transactions identified). Watch item: prior affiliation with Paulson, which remains a 9.8% holder; continue to monitor for potential perceived influence despite independence determination and expired nomination rights .