Adrian McDermott
About Adrian McDermott
Adrian McDermott is Chief Technology Officer at Zendesk and was appointed as an independent Class I director to Weave’s board effective August 1, 2025, with no related‑party transactions disclosed under Item 404(a) . He brings three decades of product and engineering leadership in AI‑enabled customer service, platform scalability, and M&A integration, having led Zendesk’s product and engineering since 2010 and previously served as CTO at Attributor, VP Engineering at BEA Systems, and the first engineer at Plumtree Software through its IPO and acquisition . McDermott studied Computer Science at De Montfort University (UK) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zendesk | Chief Technology Officer; previously President of Products; led PM, Engineering & Ops | 2010–present (CTO role since 2021) | Led integration of 12+ acquisitions; scaled platform to >$1B revenue; AI/customer service product leadership . |
| Attributor | Chief Technology Officer; ran video compliance business | Prior to Zendesk (c. 2007–2010) | Grew business unit from first sales to acquisition . |
| BEA Systems | Vice President, Engineering | Prior to 2007 | Engineering leadership post‑Plumtree acquisition . |
| Plumtree Software | First engineer; later VP Platform Engineering | Pre‑IPO through acquisition | Early engineering leader through IPO and sale to BEA . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Type | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandiant | Director (prior) | Public company board | Served until September 2022 . |
| Be My Eyes | Advisory Board Member | Non‑profit/tech advisory | Current (as disclosed) . |
| Street Soccer USA | Advisory Board Member | Non‑profit advisory | Current (as disclosed) . |
| Y Combinator (Continuity) | Advisor | Venture/advisory | 2018–2021 . |
Board Governance
- Appointment and classification: Appointed Class I director effective August 1, 2025; independent; no Item 404(a) related‑party transactions disclosed .
- Committee assignments: Not disclosed at appointment; existing committee compositions remain as of the 2025 proxy (Audit: Scanlon (Chair), Newton, Silverman; Compensation: Modersitzki (Chair), Newton, Tomlin; Nominating & Governance: Newton (Chair), Harvey, Silverman) .
- Board independence and structure: Majority independent; separate Chair (Stuart C. Harvey Jr.) and CEO (Brett White); independent committees per NYSE/SEC rules .
- Executive sessions: Non‑employee directors hold regular executive sessions presided over by the independent Chair .
- Attendance: For 2024, each incumbent director attended ≥75% of board and committee meetings; McDermott was not on the board in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Retainer (cash) | $60,000 | Effective April 1, 2024; McDermott to receive pro rata portion for 2025 from his August 1 start . |
| Chairperson Premium (cash) | $43,800 | In addition to member retainer (if applicable) . |
| Lead Independent Director Premium (cash) | $15,000 | In addition to member retainer (if applicable) . |
| Committee Fees (cash) | Audit: Chair $20,000; Member $10,000. Compensation: Chair $15,000; Member $7,000. N&G: Chair $8,000; Member $4,000 | Annualized; payable quarterly in arrears . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Grant Date Value | Vesting & Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSU grant (at first appointment) | $350,000 | Vests in three annual installments on 1st, 2nd, 3rd anniversaries, subject to service | Policy increased initial grant to $350k beginning 2025; McDermott entitled per 8‑K . |
| Annual RSU grant (continuing directors) | $183,000 | Vests in full on earlier of one‑year anniversary or next annual meeting, subject to service | Increased from $150k beginning 2025 . |
| Change‑in‑Control (non‑employee directors) | — | All director equity vests in full immediately prior to a change in control | Applies to director awards . |
| Deferral feature | — | Directors may elect to receive initial/annual grants as deferred stock units settled after board departure | Optional deferral . |
- No performance‑based metrics are tied to director equity; grants are time‑based RSUs under the policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to WEAV | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Mandiant (prior) | No disclosed WEAV relationship | Prior public board seat ended in 2022; no WEAV related‑party transactions disclosed for McDermott . |
| Zendesk (employer) | None disclosed | Full‑time CTO role; no WEAV related‑party transactions under Item 404(a) . |
| Be My Eyes; Street Soccer USA (advisory) | None disclosed | Advisory roles; no WEAV related‑party transactions disclosed . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology and AI: Deep expertise in AI‑powered customer service, platform scalability, and product development; integrated >12 acquired technologies at Zendesk .
- Large‑scale product leadership: Led global PM/Engineering/Ops at Zendesk since 2010 through >$1B revenue growth .
- M&A and integration: Track record integrating acquired technologies and leading product portfolios through growth and change .
- Education: Computer Science, De Montfort University (UK) .
Equity Ownership
| As Of | Shares Beneficially Owned | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Record date for 2025 proxy (Mar 24, 2025) | Not applicable | McDermott was appointed in June 2025 (effective Aug 1); thus not listed in 2025 beneficial ownership table . |
| Initial grant on appointment | RSU grant with $350,000 grant‑date value | Number of RSUs determined by plan formula at grant; disclosed as dollar value in 8‑K; standard indemnification applies . |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited (unless pledge pre‑approved) | Company insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging of company stock . |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment and independence: Equity‑heavy compensation (initial $350k RSU vs $60k cash retainer) aligns director incentives with shareholders; McDermott is independent with no related‑party transactions disclosed .
- Board effectiveness signal: Adds deep AI/product and platform‑scaling expertise directly relevant to Weave’s CX/payments software strategy, potentially strengthening technology oversight at the board level .
- Workload and capacity watch‑item: McDermott holds a full‑time CTO role at Zendesk; monitor committee assignments and attendance post‑appointment to ensure engagement, though no issues are disclosed to date .
- Compensation structure quality: Time‑based RSUs with clear vesting and full CoC acceleration are standard for non‑employee directors; no performance metrics, options, or tax gross‑ups disclosed; deferral available to enhance alignment .
RED FLAGS (none disclosed)
- Related‑party transactions: None reportable under Item 404(a) for McDermott at appointment .
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited by policy, reducing misalignment risk .
- Attendance: Not applicable yet; 2024 attendance thresholds met by incumbents .
- Option repricings/tax gross‑ups: None disclosed for directors .