Robert Friel
Lead Independent Director at WST
Board
About Robert Friel
Robert F. Friel (age 69) is Lead Independent Director (effective April 2025) of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. (WST); he joined the Board in 2020. He is the retired Chair, President & CEO of PerkinElmer, Inc. (now Revvity, Inc.), and previously served as COO and CFO there, bringing deep financial, tax, and global operating expertise to West. He holds a BA in economics (Lafayette College) and an MS in taxation (Fairleigh Dickinson University). The Board recognizes him as an Audit Committee Financial Expert and has appointed him Lead Independent Director to strengthen independent oversight.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerkinElmer, Inc. (now Revvity, Inc.) | Chair, President & CEO | 2009–2019 | Led a global diagnostics and life sciences manufacturer; earlier served as COO and CFO, adding deep finance/tax expertise and international leadership experience |
| PerkinElmer, Inc. | COO; CFO; other senior roles | 1999–2019 | Oversaw strategy, operational and financial risk; M&A and strategic partnerships; strengthened governance and board dynamics |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xylem, Inc. | Director | Current | Public company directorship |
| New York Life Insurance Company | Director | Current | One of the largest life insurers; non-public mutual insurer |
| NuVasive, Inc. | Director | Former (through 2023) | Prior public company board role |
| PerkinElmer, Inc. | Director | Former (through 2019) | Prior public company board role |
Board Governance
- Independence: All non‑employee directors, including Friel, are independent under West’s Independence Standards and NYSE rules.
- Role: Appointed Lead Independent Director effective April 2025; responsibilities include presiding over executive sessions, approving agendas/schedules, leading CEO evaluation and succession processes, and serving as principal liaison between independent directors and the Chair/CEO.
- Current Committees: Innovation & Technology; Nominating & Corporate Governance. Previously Chair of the Compensation Committee, with membership ending April 2025.
- Attendance: The Board met 15 times in 2024; virtually all directors attended 100% of combined Board and Committee meetings and all attended at least 90%. All then‑serving directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting.
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet regularly in executive session at Board and committee levels.
- Skills/financial oversight: Board affirms Friel as an Audit Committee Financial Expert (past committee member).
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer | $100,000 | Standard non‑employee director retainer |
| Compensation Committee Chair fee (2024) | $20,000 | Chair through April 2025; total cash fees reflected below |
| Total fees earned or paid in cash (2024) | $120,000 | As disclosed for Friel |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant-date FMV per share | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (2024) | Apr 23, 2024 | 564 | $390.20 | RSUs vest at the next Annual Meeting (May 6, 2025); Friel elected to defer |
| Outstanding director stock awards (12/31/2024) | — | Vested: 3,067 | — | Unvested: 565; Total: 3,632 |
No director stock options outstanding; equity is delivered via RSUs and deferred stock/stock‑settled units.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to West | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Xylem, Inc. | Unrelated sector (water technology) | No related‑party transactions disclosed; no interlock noted |
| New York Life Insurance Company | Insurance | No related‑party transactions disclosed; no interlock noted |
| NuVasive, Inc. (former) | Medical devices | Former board role; no West related‑party transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership: Former Chair/CEO/COO/CFO of a global life sciences/diagnostics company, with significant M&A and strategic partnership experience.
- Finance and tax: Advanced training with MS in taxation; Board-recognized Audit Committee Financial Expert.
- Healthcare/life sciences: Sector depth aligned to West’s end markets and regulatory landscape.
- Governance leadership: Experienced board chair; appointed Lead Independent Director to fortify independent oversight and board effectiveness.
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common stock, 2/28/2025) | 3,069 shares | As reported in beneficial ownership table |
| Director options outstanding | None | No directors have outstanding options |
| Deferred Compensation Plan balance (12/31/2024) | $1,189,849 | Vested units value: $1,004,755; Unvested deferred stock/RSUs: $185,094 |
| Ownership guideline | 5x annual retainer | Directors elected prior to 2022 meet the guideline; Friel (director since 2020) is in that cohort |
| Pledging/hedging | Prohibited | No exceptions or waivers ever granted |
Governance Assessment
- Signals of board effectiveness: Appointment as Lead Independent Director enhances independent oversight; Friel’s finance/tax expertise and prior CEO/Chair experience strengthen risk oversight, CEO evaluation, and succession processes.
- Independence and attendance: Independent director with strong attendance norms; Board met 15 times, and virtually all directors achieved 100% attendance of combined meetings in 2024.
- Director pay structure and alignment: Transparent cash retainer and committee chair fees; equity via annual RSUs with one-year vesting and optional deferral; no director options; robust anti‑hedging/pledging policy and 5x retainer ownership guideline.
- Shareholder support: Strong Say‑on‑Pay approval (95%+) indicates investor confidence in compensation governance.
- Conflicts/related‑party transactions: None required to be reported; NCGC oversees and pre‑approves categories of permissible related‑party transactions.
- Red flags: None disclosed in the proxy regarding attendance, related‑party dealings, hedging/pledging, or director compensation anomalies.