Nick Khan
About Nick Khan
Nick Khan, 50, has served as a director of TKO since September 12, 2023 and is President of WWE (a TKO business) since September 2023; he previously served as WWE CEO (Jan–Sep 2023), Co‑CEO (Jul 2022–Jan 2023), and President & Chief Revenue Officer (Aug 2020–Jul 2022). Before WWE, Khan was Co‑Head of Television at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) (2012–2020) and earlier launched the Sports Media department at International Creative Management (ICM) (2006); he is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| TKO (Board) | Director | Sep 12, 2023 – Present | WWE Designee under Governance Agreement |
| WWE (TKO) | President | Sep 2023 – Present | Senior leadership of WWE operations |
| WWE (TKO) | Chief Executive Officer | Jan 2023 – Sep 2023 | CEO oversight |
| WWE (TKO) | Co‑Chief Executive Officer | Jul 2022 – Jan 2023 | Co‑CEO oversight |
| WWE (TKO) | President & Chief Revenue Officer | Aug 2020 – Jul 2022 | Commercial/media revenue leadership |
| CAA | Co‑Head, Television | 2012 – 2020 | Media rights packaging/representation |
| ICM | Launched Sports Media Department | 2006 – (prior to CAA) | Built agency sports media offering |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member (with Ariel Emanuel and Mark Shapiro; Shapiro is Chair) .
- Independence status: Not listed among TKO’s independent directors under NYSE/bylaws; independent directors are Bynoe, Keywell, Koonin, Kraft, Medina, Tellem, Wheeler. Controlled company structure allows non‑independent Nominating committee composition .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, all incumbent directors met at least 75% attendance thresholds, except Dwayne Johnson; the Nominating Committee did not meet in 2024 .
- Years of service on this board: Since September 12, 2023 .
- Lead Independent Director: Steven R. Koonin (appointed Feb 2024) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary (WWE President) | $2,000,000 | Employee compensation; not director fees |
| Director Cash Retainer | None | Mr. Khan did not receive director compensation in 2024 |
| Committee/Chair Fees | None disclosed for Khan | Special Committee fees applied to Bynoe, Koonin, Tellem, Wheeler; Khan not a member |
| Perquisites/Other | $11,640 | 401(k) match and life insurance payments |
Performance Compensation
- Annual Bonus Structure (2024): Target $3,000,000; actual payout $4,000,000, with WWE Adjusted EBITDA as the primary (but not only) consideration for determination .
| Metric | Target | Actual Payout | Performance Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus (WWE) | $3,000,000 | $4,000,000 | WWE Adjusted EBITDA primary consideration |
Equity Awards and Vesting
| Equity Type | Unvested Units Outstanding | Vesting Schedule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs | 205,885 | 80,804 vest on Jul 20, 2025; 22,630 vest on Jul 20, 2026; 102,451 vest in two equal annual installments beginning Dec 31, 2025 | Outstanding awards as of FY2024 year‑end |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Board designation | WWE designee; TKO board structured under Governance Agreement with WWE and Endeavor designation rights until Dec 31, 2025 (“Sunset Date”) |
| Interlocks/Environment | TKO is a “controlled company” under NYSE due to Endeavor’s >50% combined voting power; exemptions allow non‑independent Nominating committee; Audit and Compensation committees comprised of independent directors |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Extensive sports broadcasting/media dealmaking experience; senior commercial leadership across WWE .
- Agency leadership (CAA Co‑Head of Television) and creation of ICM Sports Media; former practicing attorney; UNLV graduate .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class A | Class B Shares | Combined Voting Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Khan | 116,795 | <1% | — | * | As of April 17, 2025; “*” denotes <1% |
- Vested vs. unvested breakdown: Unvested RSUs detailed above; vested holdings not separately disclosed beyond beneficial ownership .
- Pledging/Hedging: Company policy prohibits hedging transactions by directors and officers; no pledging disclosed for Khan .
- Ownership guidelines: Not specifically disclosed for directors in the proxy; corporate governance guidelines address director compensation generally .
Governance Assessment
- RED FLAG: Not independent and sits on a Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee composed entirely of non‑independent directors (CEO, President/COO, WWE President) under controlled company exemptions; reduces independent oversight of board composition .
- RED FLAG: Dual role as WWE President and TKO director elevates potential conflicts in nominations and strategic matters; however, TKO formed an independent Special Committee (Bynoe, Koonin, Tellem, Wheeler) to evaluate the Endeavor Asset Acquisition, and Khan was not a member—mitigating conflict on that transaction .
- Attendance signal: Met at least 75% threshold in 2024, indicating baseline engagement; Nominating Committee did not meet, limiting committee‑level activity data .
- Positive controls: Audit Committee (Wheeler—Chair, Tellem, Medina) and Compensation Committee (Koonin—Chair, Bynoe, Medina) are independent under NYSE standards; Lead Independent Director in place .
- Compensation alignment: As WWE President, cash bonus tied primarily to WWE Adjusted EBITDA, indicating operational performance linkage; significant unvested RSUs drive equity alignment, though exact performance conditions on equity are not disclosed in director section .