Laura Lang
V FAbout Laura W. Lang
Laura W. Lang (age 69) is an independent director of VF Corporation, serving since 2011. She is Managing Director of Narragansett Ventures, LLC and a Senior Advisor at L Catterton, with prior CEO roles at Time Inc. (2012–2013) and Digitas (2008–2012). Her core credentials center on digital marketing, data/analytics, direct-to-consumer strategy, and capital allocation; she currently serves on VF’s Talent & Compensation and Finance Committees .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Inc. (division of Time Warner) | Chief Executive Officer | 2012–2013 | Led a publicly traded media company; experience in brand management and digital strategy |
| Digitas, Inc. (Publicis Groupe) | Chief Executive Officer; led Publicis’ pure-play digital agencies (Razorfish, Big Fuel, Denuo, Phonevalley) | 2008–2012 | Digital marketing, technology, data-driven consumer connection; talent attraction/retention for digital roles |
| Narragansett Ventures, LLC | Managing Director (Founder) | 2014–Present | Investment advisory focused on digital business transformation and growth investing |
| L Catterton | Senior Advisor | 2018–Present | Private equity advisor focused on building consumer brands; finance and portfolio insights |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Health, Inc. | Director | 2022–Present | Current public company directorship |
| Vroom, Inc. | Director | 2020–Present | Current public company directorship |
| Care.com, Inc. | Director (former) | 2014–2016 | Former public company board role |
| NutriSystem, Inc. | Director (former) | 2010–2012 | Former public company board role |
| Benchmark Electronics, Inc. | Director (former) | 2005–2011 | Former public company board role |
Board Governance
- Independence and tenure: The Board determined Laura Lang is independent under NYSE and VF categorical standards; director since 2011 .
- Committee assignments (FY2025): Talent & Compensation Committee (member); Finance Committee (member). She is not a committee chair .
- Meetings and attendance: In FY2025, the Board met 9 times; committees met as follows—Audit (9), Talent & Compensation (5), Governance & Corporate Responsibility (7), Finance (4). All directors attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings and the July 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive session at each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Board leadership: VF separates Chair and CEO; Richard T. Carucci is independent Chair .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $100,000 | |
| Committee chair fees (only for chairs) | Audit and Talent & Compensation: $35,000; Governance & Corporate Responsibility and Finance: $25,000 | |
| FY2025 cash received by Laura Lang | $100,000 | |
| Stock ownership guideline (directors) | 5× annual retainer; Lang is among directors who have met the guideline (exceptions were Grossman, Cho, Edwards, Tanner within 5-year window) | |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Directors prohibited from hedging or pledging VF stock |
Notes:
- Compensation mix FY2025 (Lang): $100,000 cash and $210,586 equity (DSUs + options), totaling $310,586; equity ≈ 68% of total (values from table) .
Performance Compensation
Directors do not have performance-based pay metrics; equity is time-structured. FY2025 equity details for Laura Lang:
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Quantity/Terms | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting/Settlement | Exercise Price/Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Stock Units (DSUs) | May 28, 2024 | 7,288 DSUs | $118,576 total; valued at $16.27 per DSU (computed as of July 23, 2024 due to shareholder approval timing) | Vested and non-forfeitable at grant; settled in shares 1 year after grant unless deferred (Lang elected to defer 2024 DSUs; also elected to defer 2025 DSUs) | N/A |
| Nonqualified Stock Options | May 28, 2024 | 18,256 options | $92,010 total; $5.04 per option | Become exercisable 1 year after grant; outstanding options have 10-year term; post-separation exercisable 36 months (not beyond expiry) | $12.35 per share |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: Oscar Health, Inc. (since 2022); Vroom, Inc. (since 2020) .
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None—VF discloses no interlocks/insider participation for the Compensation Committee; committee uses Meridian Compensation Partners as independent consultant .
- Overboarding policy: Directors should not serve on >4 public company boards (including VF); VF discloses this policy in its Corporate Governance Principles .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Digital and data: Experience leading digital agencies and advising on digital business transformation; expertise in data insights and DTC technology .
- Brand/marketing: >20 years in marketing/media with focus on consumer connection and brand management .
- Finance/portfolio: Capital allocation, capital markets, and portfolio evaluation from CEO roles, Narragansett Ventures, and L Catterton .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (as of May 27, 2025) | 111,580 shares |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | <1% for each named person; directors/officers as a group 1.1% |
| Options exercisable within 60 days of 5/27/25 | 75,923 options |
| Phantom shares (DSP) | 7,484 VF stock-equivalent units (no voting/dispositive power) |
| DSUs outstanding from FY2025 grant | 7,288 DSUs outstanding at 3/29/25 (vested; subject to settlement/deferment) |
| Pledged shares | Hedging/pledging prohibited by policy |
| Ownership guideline compliance | Met (exceptions named did not include Lang) |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence, strong attendance, and participation on key oversight committees (Finance; Talent & Compensation) support board effectiveness .
- High equity component of director pay (~68%) and DSU deferral elections enhance alignment with shareholders; ownership guideline met .
- No related-party transactions reported involving directors; hedging/pledging prohibited .
- Compensation Committee governance: no interlocks; independent advisor (Meridian) retained; 2024 Say-on-Pay approval >94% indicates broad investor support for pay programs overseen by the committee .
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Watch items
- Tenure: Director since 2011 (~14 years), which some investors monitor for independence; however, VF has ongoing board refreshment with four new independent directors since 2022, maintaining balance of perspectives .
- External commitments: Currently two other public boards (Oscar Health, Vroom), within VF’s overboarding policy (≤4 boards), but continued monitoring of time commitments is prudent .
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Signals for investor confidence
- Clear independence determination; consistent executive-session practice; strong shareholder engagement; and explicit stock ownership/anti-hedging policies are positive governance signals .