Alan Goodson
About Alan Goodson
Alan Goodson (born 1974) serves as President of abrdn World Healthcare Fund (THW) and the affiliated abrdn healthcare closed-end funds, a role he has held since 2023. He is Director, Vice President, and Head of Product & Client Solutions—Americas at abrdn Inc., overseeing Product Management & Governance, Product Development, and Client Solutions across the U.S., Brazil, and Canada; he joined abrdn in 2000 . Officers of the Funds are employees of abrdn Inc. and do not receive compensation from the Funds; the proxy discloses no fund-level performance-linked compensation metrics for officers . As of April 1, 2025, Goodson beneficially owned between $1–$10,000 of HQH; the proxy does not disclose THW holdings for him, and officers/trustees collectively owned less than 1% of each Fund’s outstanding equity securities .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| abrdn Inc. | Director, Vice President, Head of Product & Client Solutions—Americas | 2000–present | Oversees Product Management & Governance, Product Development, and Client Solutions for registered/unregistered investment companies in U.S., Brazil, and Canada |
| abrdn World Healthcare Fund (THW) and related Funds | President | Since 2023 | Executive officer capacity for the Funds within the abrdn fund complex |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed in proxy | — | — | The proxy lists trustees’ other directorships but provides no external roles for Goodson (officer) |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Disclosure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fund-paid base salary | Not applicable | Officers are employees of and compensated by abrdn Inc.; no officer is paid by the Funds |
| Fund-paid annual bonus | Not applicable | None of the Funds have bonus, profit sharing, pension, or retirement plans |
| Fund-paid benefits/perquisites | Not applicable | No fund-level officer compensation programs disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed for officers | — | — | — | — | Funds disclose no performance-linked compensation plans for officers; officers are compensated by abrdn Inc. |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Goodson beneficial ownership (HQH) | $1–$10,000 | As of April 1, 2025; no THW-specific ownership disclosed for Goodson in proxy |
| Officers/trustees aggregate ownership | <1% of each Fund | As of April 1, 2025 |
| THW shares outstanding | 39,849,957.6 | Record Date April 7, 2025 |
| Section 16 reporting | Late Form 4 for Goodson (HQH purchase) | Indicates an open-market purchase; filing was late per proxy disclosure (administrative compliance note) |
Employment Terms
| Term Element | Provision | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Officer appointment | Officers are appointed annually at a meeting of the Fund Board | |
| Tenure mechanics | Officers hold their positions until a successor has been duly elected and qualifies | |
| Severance / Change-of-control | Not disclosed for officers in proxy | |
| Clawbacks / Tax gross-ups | Not disclosed for officers in proxy |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance visibility at the fund level is low for officers: compensation is set and paid by abrdn Inc., and the Funds disclose no officer-level cash or equity programs, metrics, or vesting tied to THW performance, limiting direct alignment signals from fund filings .
- Skin-in-the-game appears modest in the filings: Goodson’s disclosed beneficial ownership relates to HQH ($1–$10,000), while THW-specific ownership is not disclosed; officers and trustees collectively owned <1% of each Fund, suggesting limited direct ownership alignment via fund shares .
- Compliance note: a late Form 4 for Goodson on an HQH purchase indicates an administrative lapse rather than selling pressure; it does not signal insider selling in THW based on proxy disclosures .
- Retention risk looks contained: Goodson’s long tenure at abrdn (since 2000) and current senior product/client solutions responsibilities suggest organizational embeddedness, though employment contract economics (severance, change-of-control) are not disclosed by the Funds .