Neal Goldman
Weatherford InternationalAbout Neal P. Goldman
Neal P. Goldman (age 55) is an independent director of Weatherford International plc (WFRD), serving since December 2019. He chairs the Nominating and Governance Committee, is Vice Chair of the Audit Committee, and is a member of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee; the Board has designated him an “audit committee financial expert.” His background includes over 25 years in investing, restructuring, and board advisory; education includes a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from the University of Illinois .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAGE Capital Investments, LLC | Managing Member | Since 2013 | Independent board services, restructuring, strategic planning, transformations across energy/technology/media/retail/gaming/industrials |
| Och-Ziff Capital Management, LP | Managing Director | Not disclosed | Investment leadership |
| Brigade Capital Management, LLC | Founding Partner | Not disclosed | Helped build to >$12B AUM |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Talos Energy Inc. | Chairman of the Board | Current | Chairs Nominating and Governance Committee |
| iRobot Corporation | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Prior boards (selected) | Director | Prior | Diamond Offshore, KL Discovery, ModivCare, Core Scientific, Mallinckrodt, Redbox, Ultra Petroleum |
- Interlocks: Charles M. Sledge (independent Chair of WFRD’s board) also serves on Talos Energy’s board and chairs its Audit Committee, creating a shared external board linkage between WFRD directors at Talos .
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Board affirmed all non-employee directors (including Goldman) are independent under Nasdaq/SEC rules . |
| Committee assignments | Audit (Vice Chair), Compensation & Human Resources (member), Nominating & Governance (Chair) . |
| Audit financial expert | Board determined Goldman is an “audit committee financial expert” . |
| 2024 meetings | Board 11; Audit 8; Compensation 9; Nominating 5; SES 4 . |
| Attendance | All directors participated in ≥75% of Board/Committee meetings during their tenures; all directors attended the 2024 AGM . |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors meet regularly; executive sessions held at majority of Board meetings . |
| Ownership guidelines | Directors must own ≥8x annual cash retainer; five-year transition; Goldman noted as in early compliance as of record date . |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited for directors and executives . |
| Mandatory retirement | Non-employee directors retire at AGM following 70th birthday, with unanimous Board override option . |
| Related party transactions | Policy adopted; no related party transactions reviewed/approved in 2024 . |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board member cash retainer | $100,000 | Standard annual cash retainer . |
| Audit Committee member fee | $10,000 | Member (Vice Chair role does not change fee) . |
| Compensation Committee member fee | $7,500 | Member . |
| Nominating & Governance Committee chair fee | $10,000 | Chair . |
| Special Committee fee (inorganic growth oversight, dissolved Jan 2024) | $25,000 | One-time fee for 2024 . |
| Total cash fees (reported) | $152,500 | Matches director compensation table . |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element (2024) | Grant Detail | Vesting/Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual RSUs | 2,397 RSUs granted on Jan 18, 2024 at $94.50 grant-date fair value per share; total grant-date fair value $226,517 | RSUs vest on first anniversary (Jan 18, 2025); accelerated on death, disability, change-in-control, or failure to be re-elected; dividend equivalent rights accrue and are paid only upon vesting . |
| Cash settlement adjustment | Portion of director RSUs historically settled in cash to cover estimated taxes; January 2025 cash settlement caused loss of $(17,749) for Goldman . |
Performance metrics tied to director compensation: None disclosed. WFRD director equity is time-based RSUs; no performance-based director equity or options are disclosed .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to WFRD | Potential Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Talos Energy Inc. | E&P company; Goldman (Chairman), Sledge (WFRD Chair) is also a Talos director | Shared external board linkage may heighten information-flow sensitivity; WFRD’s related party transaction controls and independence standards mitigate risk (no related-party transactions in 2024) . |
| iRobot Corporation | Consumer robotics | No WFRD business overlap disclosed . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep investment and restructuring experience; built Brigade Capital to >$12B AUM; senior roles at Och-Ziff; independent board advisory at SAGE Capital .
- Governance and audit qualifications: chair of WFRD’s Nominating & Governance; audit committee financial expert; serves on audit/nominating roles externally .
- Education: BA (University of Michigan); MBA (University of Illinois) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Owned | % of Outstanding | RSUs Outstanding (12/31/2024) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neal P. Goldman | 13,311 | <1% (based on 72,556,148 shares) | 2,397 |
- Directors prohibited from hedging/pledging; ownership guidelines require ≥8x annual cash retainer; Goldman in early compliance as of the record date .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with dual governance expertise (Chair, Nominating & Governance; Audit Vice Chair) and “audit committee financial expert” designation, supporting board effectiveness and oversight .
- Solid engagement: Board/committee meeting cadence and minimum attendance thresholds met; AGM attendance confirmed .
- Alignment: Meaningful director equity via annual RSUs; ownership guideline early compliance; anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy .
- Controls: Formal related party transaction policy; no transactions approved in 2024; robust clawbacks and governance policies at company level .
-
Potential risks and monitoring points
- Interlock with Talos Energy (shared with WFRD Chair) may warrant attention if WFRD has material commercial relationships with Talos; current disclosures show no related-party transactions in 2024 and emphasize independence .
- Director compensation is predominantly cash + time-based RSUs; no performance equity for directors (common market practice), but investors should monitor equity sizing and retainer adjustments over time .
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Signals affecting investor confidence
- Committee leadership and financial expertise are positive signals for governance quality and risk oversight .
- Board policies (ownership, anti-hedging/pledging, mandatory retirement) align with best practice; attendance and AGM participation meet expectations .