Angela A. Sun
About Angela A. Sun
Angela A. Sun, age 50, is an independent director of The Western Union Company since 2018. She is an early-stage investor and former COO & Partner at Alpha Edison, with prior senior roles in strategy, corporate development, and operations at Bloomberg L.P. and public-sector experience in the Bloomberg Administration, plus advisory and finance roles at McKinsey and J.P. Morgan . She serves on Western Union’s Audit Committee and Compensation & Benefits Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Edison (VC) | Chief Operations Officer & Partner | 2019–2021 | Led firm operations; prior experience as early-stage investor . |
| Bloomberg L.P. | Global Head of Strategy & Corporate Development | 2014–2017 | Led new business development, acquisitions and commercial partnerships across media and financial products . |
| Bloomberg L.P. | Chief-of-Staff to former CEO | 2008–2014 | Supported CEO; cross-Company strategic and operational initiatives . |
| Bloomberg Administration (NYC) | Senior Policy Advisor | n/a | Oversaw citywide economic development agencies; led urban planning and real estate projects . |
| McKinsey & Company | Management Consultant (Financial Services & Healthcare) | 2001–2005 | Strategic projects across FS and healthcare sectors . |
| J.P. Morgan | Investment Banker | 1996–1998 | Corporate finance experience . |
| Henry L. Stimson Center | Visiting Associate | 2001 | International security/defense analysis work . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cushman & Wakefield plc | Director | Current | Public real estate services company; current external directorship . |
| Apollo Strategic Growth Capital II | Director | 2021–2023 | SPAC board service concluded in 2023 . |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee and Compensation & Benefits Committee (member; not chair) .
- Independence: Board determined Ms. Sun is independent under NYSE and Company categorical standards .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 Annual Meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent non-executive Chair; executive sessions of non-management directors are presided over by the Chair .
- Key oversight context: Audit Committee held 8 meetings in 2024; Compensation & Benefits Committee held 5 meetings .
- Prohibition on hedging/pledging: Directors prohibited from pledging and hedging Company stock .
- Director stock ownership guidelines: 5x annual cash retainer; all outside directors have met or are expected to meet within the period .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $115,000 |
| Equity – stock awards (stock units; one-year vest) | $200,000 |
| Option awards | $0 |
| All other compensation (charitable gift matching) | $25,000 |
| Total | $340,000 |
- Program structure: 2024 cash retainer $85,000; committee member fees $20,000 (Audit) and $10,000 (other committees); non-chair member fee increases adopted in December 2023 to align with market .
- Equity policy: Outside director annual equity grant value $200,000 (one-year vest); directors could choose mix of RSUs and options (various combinations) .
- Charitable matching: Company matched director contributions to eligible organizations up to $25,000; and matched contributions to Western Union Foundation at $2-for-$1 up to $100,000; matching contributions were made on behalf of Ms. Sun in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
- Directors do not receive performance-conditioned equity; grants are time-based stock units (one-year vest) and/or options with graded vesting over four years, per director election .
- No cash bonus, PSUs, or TSR-linked metrics are used for director pay (those are for executives) .
| Equity Element | Grant Mechanics | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Units (Director annual grant) | Settled in common stock | One-year vest; pro-rata vesting on qualifying departure | Annual value $200,000 for outside directors (excluding Non-Exec Chair) . |
| Stock Options (if elected) | Exercise price at grant FMV; 10-year term | 25% per year over 4 years | Directors could elect mix of RSUs/options; Ms. Sun took stock units in 2024 (no option award) . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship to WU | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cushman & Wakefield plc | Unrelated industry (real estate services) | No related-person transactions with WU in 2024; independence affirmed . |
| Apollo Strategic Growth Capital II | SPAC; service ended 2023 | No 2024 related-person transactions; policy requires Board committee review if any arise . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills matrix: Financial literacy; Regulated industry/government; Emerging markets; Global operational experience .
- Qualitative: Substantial operations management, technology industry insight, strategic and government experience; financial services exposure via McKinsey and J.P. Morgan .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 29,312; less than 1% outstanding . |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 22,620 . |
| Stock units outstanding (incl. fully vested deferred stock units) | 49,900 . |
| Pledged shares | Prohibited by Company policy . |
| Director ownership guideline | 5x annual cash retainer; all outside directors have met or are expected to meet . |
Governance Assessment
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Board effectiveness: Active Audit and Compensation committee memberships position Ms. Sun in core financial reporting, risk, and pay oversight; both committees are fully independent .
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Independence & conflicts: Independent status; no related-person transactions in 2024; prohibition on hedging/pledging reinforces alignment .
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Engagement: Board met 6 times; all directors ≥75% attendance and attended the annual meeting, supporting engagement .
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Compensation alignment: Director pay mix is predominantly equity (annual stock units) with clear ownership guidelines; philanthropic matching appears within policy and not excessive .
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Signals to investors: Strong governance practices (majority voting with resignation policy, proxy access, independent chair, committee authority to retain advisors) likely support investor confidence; 2024 say-on-pay support ~91% indicates broad approval of compensation governance framework (executive program) .
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RED FLAGS: None evident for Ms. Sun—no attendance issues disclosed, no pledging/hedging, no related-party transactions, no committee overboarding conflicts noted .