Matthew Desch
VERISIGN INC/CAAbout Matthew J. Desch
Matthew J. Desch is a seasoned telecom and satellite executive, serving as CEO and a director of Iridium Communications since 2009 (CEO of Iridium’s predecessor 2006–2009), with prior CEO tenure at Telcordia Technologies and senior leadership at Nortel Networks; he was appointed a non‑employee director to VeriSign’s Board effective October 6, 2025 . He holds a BS in Computer Science from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Chicago; he serves on the U.S. President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) . Tenure on the VRSN board began October 6, 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iridium Communications (and predecessor Iridium Holdings LLC) | Chief Executive Officer; Director | CEO since 2009 (CEO of predecessor 2006–2009) | Led Iridium NEXT $3B constellation; drove subscriber and profitability growth |
| Telcordia Technologies (now part of Ericsson) | Chief Executive Officer | 2002–2005 | Led telecom software/services provider |
| Nortel Networks | President, Global Wireless Networks; President, Global Carriers | c. 1987–2000 (13 years) | Ran global wireless networks business |
| AT&T Bell Laboratories | Software development (early career) | Not disclosed | Technical foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) | Director; Chair, Compensation & Human Resources Committee | Director since 2019 | Compensation oversight; cybersecurity/human capital expertise |
| U.S. President’s NSTAC | Member | Since 2011 | National security telecom advisory |
| Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) | Trustee | Not disclosed | Aviation governance |
| Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum | Board member | Not disclosed | Museum governance |
Board Governance
- Appointment and status: Desch was appointed as a non‑employee director to VeriSign’s Board effective October 6, 2025; indemnity agreement executed per company’s standard form .
- Committees: No VRSN committee assignments were disclosed in the appointment 8‑K; board has Audit, Compensation, Corporate Governance & Nominating, and Cybersecurity committees, all populated by independent directors per proxy .
- Attendance: VRSN reported that in 2024 no director attended fewer than 90% of Board and committee meetings; Desch joined in October 2025, so no attendance disclosure yet .
- Lead Independent Director structure: VRSN maintains a Lead Independent Director (responsibilities include presiding over executive sessions, agenda approval and investor engagement) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $50,000 | Pro‑rated for 2025 service commencing Oct 6, 2025 |
| Annual RSU grant | $250,000 | RSUs granted to directors; pro‑rated for new directors based on appointment date |
| Committee chair fees | Audit $15,000; Compensation $10,000; Corporate Governance & Nominating $15,000; Cybersecurity $10,000 | Chair fees in addition to member fees |
| Committee member fees | Audit $25,000; Compensation $20,000; Corporate Governance & Nominating $10,000; Cybersecurity $20,000 | Paid per committee membership |
| Lead Independent Director retainer | $50,000 | If applicable (not Desch) |
| Safety & Security Council liaison retainer | $25,000 | If applicable |
- Equity vesting convention: Director RSUs vest immediately upon grant (no performance conditions) .
Performance Compensation
| Performance-based element | Structure | Metrics | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director equity awards | Time-based RSUs | None (immediate vesting) | Not performance‑based |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: Iridium (director) and Unisys (director; chairs Compensation & HR) .
- Internal network tie: Debra W. McCann (VRSN director since Oct 2024) is EVP & CFO of Unisys, where Desch serves on the board; potential information flow given shared affiliation, though VRSN discloses no related‑party transactions since Jan 1, 2024 .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Critical infrastructure and cybersecurity oversight experience from leading Iridium’s LEO satellite network and service to NSTAC .
- Deep telecom operations, M&A, finance and human capital governance background (Telcordia CEO; Nortel wireless president; Unisys Comp & HR chair) .
- Technical education and early career in software at AT&T Bell Labs underpinning technology fluency .
Equity Ownership
- Grant mechanics: New directors receive pro‑rated RSU grants valued off the standard $250,000 annual director grant; individual share counts depend on grant date price and were not disclosed in the 8‑K .
- Ownership policy: Directors must hold stock equal to 10x the annual retainer; must retain 50% of net shares until compliant and maintain through six months post‑service; no shorting, hedging or pledging allowed .
- Beneficial ownership: No VRSN beneficial ownership disclosure for Desch yet (appointed after the 2025 proxy) .
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Appointment adds domain expertise in mission‑critical infrastructure, cyber and risk oversight; compensation aligns with market median and includes immediate equity creating near‑term alignment; strong board policies (stock retention, no hedging/pledging) and committee independence bolster governance quality .
- Neutral/Watch items: Shared Unisys affiliation with VRSN director Debra McCann is a network tie to monitor for potential conflicts if VRSN or Unisys transact; VRSN reports no related‑party transactions under Item 404, and the Related Person Transaction Policy requires Audit Committee review for such items .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed—no related‑party transactions; no tax gross‑ups or single‑trigger benefits in executive policies; robust clawback and stock retention policies in place (company‑level governance signals supportive of board effectiveness) .