Kandy Anand
WingstopAbout Krishnan (Kandy) Anand
Independent director of Wingstop since 2018; age 67. Current Wingstop roles: Chair of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and member of the Technology Committee. Background includes Chief Growth Officer at Molson Coors (2016–2019), President/CEO of Molson Coors International (2009–2016), senior leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company (2004–2009), and Unilever India (1980–1996). Currently CEO of Igniting Business Growth and Chairman/CEO of Igniting Consumer Growth Acquisition Company (SPAC). Serves on the board of British American Tobacco (since Feb 2022) and previously served on boards of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (2010–2017) and Empower Ltd (SPAC, 2020–2021) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molson Coors Brewing Company | Chief Growth Officer | 2016–2019 | Global growth, brand/marketing leadership |
| Molson Coors International LP | President & CEO | 2009–2016 | Led international operations and strategy |
| The Coca-Cola Company | VP Global Commercial Leadership; President, Coca-Cola Philippines; VP Global Brands Strategy | 2004–2009 | Commercial leadership and country P&L |
| Unilever (India) | Senior marketing strategy roles | 1980–1996 | Brand strategy, marketing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Igniting Business Growth | Chief Executive Officer | Current | Business consulting company |
| Igniting Consumer Growth Acquisition Company | Chairman & CEO | Current | Special purpose acquisition company |
| British American Tobacco (NYSE: BTI) | Director | Since Feb 2022 | Public company board |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (NASDAQ: PLKI) | Director | 2010–2017 | Restaurant industry board |
| Empower Ltd (NYSE: EMPW) | Director | Oct 2020–Jul 2021 | SPAC board |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board affirmatively determined Anand is independent under Nasdaq standards and a “non-employee director” for Rule 16b-3 .
- Committee assignments: Chair, Nominating and Corporate Governance; Member, Technology .
- Director class/term: Class I (term expired at 2025 AGM); nominee for re-election to term ending at 2028 AGM .
- Attendance: Board met six times in FY2024; each director participated in at least 75% of Board and respective committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Non-management directors met in executive session in 2024; independent Chair presided .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director cash retainer | 80,000 | |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair fee | 12,500 | |
| Technology Committee member fee | 5,000 | |
| Total cash fees earned (Anand) | 97,500 | (fn 5) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant (2024) | Grant Date | Instrument | Shares Granted | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual non-employee director equity | May 23, 2024 | Restricted Stock | 342 | 130,000 | Vests in full on first anniversary of grant; accrues dividend equivalents paid at vesting |
- Performance metrics: Director equity awards are time-based restricted stock; no performance metrics apply to director equity grants .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to Wingstop | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| British American Tobacco (BTI) | Unrelated industry (tobacco) | None disclosed; independence affirmed; no related-party transactions |
| Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (PLKI) | Restaurant industry (prior) | Prior board; no current Wingstop interlocks disclosed |
| Empower Ltd (EMPW) | SPAC (prior) | Prior role; no related-party transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills/experience: Corporate governance, executive management, international, marketing, operations, risk management, strategy .
- Director qualifications highlighted by Wingstop: Guidance on growth strategies, branding, operations, plus governance and compensation insights from public company board experience .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 4,547 | Includes 342 unvested restricted shares; directors may vote restricted shares but lack dispositive power until vest (fn 4) |
| Unvested restricted stock (as of Dec 28, 2024) | 342 | From May 23, 2024 grant |
| Percent of class | <1% | “Less than one percent” per proxy; 28,113,848 shares outstanding at Feb 28, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited | Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging and pledging for directors |
| Director stock ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer | Independent directors must hold 5x cash retainer in stock/derivatives |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Active chair of Nominating & Governance and Technology member reflect engagement in board composition, ESG oversight, and cyber/technology risk management; attendance met ≥75% threshold in FY2024 .
- Independence & conflicts: Independence reaffirmed; no related-party transactions since Jan 1, 2024; no family relationships among directors/executives .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mix is balanced—cash retainers tied to roles plus time-based equity vesting over one year; director equity capped by plan and accrues dividend equivalents only upon vesting .
- Risk indicators: Hedging/pledging prohibited; contingent resignation policy in uncontested elections supports accountability to shareholders .
- Shareholder signals: 2024 Say-on-Pay passed with 96.1% approval, indicating broad investor support for compensation governance (executive program) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed in proxy relating to related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, low attendance, or option repricing. Director’s external role on BTI board is outside Wingstop’s industry; company affirms independence and reports no related-party transactions .