Juan Figuereo
WESTERN ALLIANCE BANCORPORATIONAbout Juan R. Figuereo
Independent director (since 2020), age 69, and Audit Committee Financial Expert; currently chairs Western Alliance’s Audit Committee and serves on the Finance & Investment and Governance Committees. Education: B.B.A. in Public Accounting from Florida International University; career includes multiple public-company CFO roles and senior audit experience at Arthur Andersen.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revlon, Inc. | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | 2016–2017 | Led finance during restructuring phases |
| NII Holdings, Inc. | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | 2012–2015 | Oversaw finance in telecommunications |
| Newell Brands | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | 2009–2012 | Transformation/portfolio initiatives |
| Primo Water Corp. (f/k/a Cott) | EVP & Chief Financial Officer | 2007–2009 | Consumer products finance leadership |
| Wal-Mart International | Vice President, M&A | 2003–2007 | Led global transactions and integration |
| Frito-Lay | Multiple VP roles incl. CFO South Europe; VP Business Integration Europe; Managing Director (Dominicana) | 1997–2003 | Regional leadership and integration execution |
| Pepsi-Cola Latin America | VP & Chief Financial Officer | 1994–1996 | Regional CFO; board roles at GEU (BMV: CULTIBAB) and Buenos Aires Embotelladoras |
| Pepsi-Cola Bottling | VP & Chief Financial Officer | 1996–1997 | Bottling finance leadership |
| Arthur Andersen & Co. | Senior Audit Manager | 1981–1988 | Audit and controls expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deckers Outdoor Corporation | Director; Audit Committee Chair | 2020–present | Audit oversight; public company governance |
| Diversey Holdings, Ltd. | Director; Audit Committee Chair | 2021–2023 | Audit leadership in industrial/chemicals |
| PVH Corp. | Director; Audit & Risk Management Committee Chair | 2011–2020 | Risk and audit oversight in apparel |
| Florida International University Foundation | Board Member | 2015–2024 | Non-profit fiduciary role |
| Ocean Azul Partners | Venture Partner | 2018–present | Early-stage investing (private fund) |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Committee assignments | Audit (Chair); Finance & Investment; Governance |
| Independence | Board determined all nominees independent except CEO; Audit Committee members independent and financially literate; Figuereo designated “audit committee financial expert” |
| Attendance | Board held 9 meetings in 2024; each current director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; 15 of 16 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting |
| Executive sessions | 5 executive sessions of independent directors in 2024, presided over by independent Chair |
| Committee meeting cadence (2024) | Audit: 11; Governance: 7; Finance & Investment: 7; Compensation: 8; Risk: 8 |
| Audit Committee report | Audit Committee (chaired by Figuereo) recommended inclusion of 2024 audited financials in Form 10-K; affirmed oversight scope per charter amended Feb 6, 2025 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Board service retainer | 50,000 | Standard non-employee director cash retainer |
| Audit Committee member | 20,000 | Committee service retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair | 10,000 | Chair retainer |
| Finance & Investment Committee member | 10,000 | Committee service retainer |
| Governance Committee member | 10,000 | Committee service retainer |
| Total cash fees | 100,000 | Sum aligns with disclosed fees |
| 2024 Director Compensation Summary | Fees Earned ($) | Stock Awards ($) | All Other ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juan R. Figuereo | 100,000 | 235,005 | 6,043 (dividends on unvested grants) | 341,048 |
Notes:
- Program design reviewed annually by Compensation Committee with Willis Towers Watson; 2024 kept cash levels at 2023 and increased share count to preserve grant value amid stock price change .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant Detail (Directors, 2024 cycle) | Value/Amount | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted stock shares | 4,056 shares | Granted Feb 6, 2024; vest Feb 6, 2025 (time-based) |
| Grant date fair value | 235,005 | Valued per FASB ASC 718 at closing price on grant date |
| Dividends on unvested RS | 6,043 | Reported under “All Other Compensation” |
Program signals:
- No performance-linked PSUs for directors; equity is time-based RS, aligning director incentives with long-term stock performance without metric gaming risk .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Industry | Role | Committee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deckers Outdoor Corporation | Footwear/Apparel | Director | Audit Chair |
| Diversey Holdings, Ltd. | Cleaning/Industrial | Director | Audit Chair (prior) |
| PVH Corp. | Apparel | Director | Audit & Risk Chair (prior) |
- No related-party transactions >$120,000 involving directors in 2024; normal-course loans to insiders complied with Regulation O and arm’s-length standards .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert; extensive executive management experience as public-company CFO; former Senior Audit Manager at Arthur Andersen .
- Public company governance expertise, including chairing audit and risk committees; proven strategic and M&A leadership (Wal-Mart International) .
- Finance and accounting depth with global operating experience across CPG and telecom sectors .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 19,269; less than 1% of class |
| Pledging/Hedging | Company prohibits hedging/pledging; exceptions grandfathered or with Governance Committee approval; ownership table flags pledge for CFO, but no pledging footnote for Figuereo |
| Director ownership guideline | Minimum value ≥5x annual cash compensation; 5-year transition for new directors; all directors were in compliance in 2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Figuereo chairs an active Audit Committee (11 meetings in 2024) with independent, financially literate members and multiple SEC-defined financial experts; he signed the committee report recommending inclusion of audited 2024 financials, evidencing oversight engagement .
- Independence and attendance: Board affirmed his independence under NYSE rules; directors met the ≥75% attendance threshold, with regular independent executive sessions (5 in 2024) supporting robust oversight culture .
- Compensation alignment: His pay is majority equity (restricted stock) with standard cash retainers tied to committee responsibilities; 2024 design preserved grant value via share count adjustment while maintaining cash at prior-year levels, consistent with market practices and overseen by an independent consultant (WTW) .
- Conflicts and red flags: No related-party transactions >$120,000 for directors in 2024; pledging/hedging prohibitions in place; ownership table does not flag pledging for Figuereo. External board roles (Deckers, prior PVH/Diversey) add audit depth without disclosed WAL interlocks—overall low conflict risk based on disclosed items .
Overall signal: Strong audit leadership, independence, and attendance, with equity-heavy director compensation and ownership guideline compliance—constructive for investor confidence in financial reporting oversight. Potential watchpoint is time commitment across board roles, though no attendance shortfall is disclosed in 2024.