Equifax CEO Richard Smith announced his voluntary retirement yesterday, two months after the catastrophic breach that permanently leaked 140,000,000 Americans’ most compromising financial data.
Today, we learn what his exit package amounts to: $90,000,000.
Equifax (EFX, +0.43%) said Tuesday that as a condition of Smith’s retirement, he “irrevocably” forfeits any right to a bonus in 2017, an amount that under normal circumstances would have totaled more than $3 million—the bonus he received in 2016—according to the company’s retirement policy.But the CEO is still set to collect about $72 million this year alone (including nine months’ worth of his $1,450,000 salary), plus another $17.9 million over the next few years. That’s when the rest of Smith’s stock compensation hits a few important milestones or “vests,” allowing Smith to essentially put it in his bank account. Altogether, it adds up to a total potential paycheck of more than $90.1 million, according to Fortune’s calculations based on Equifax securities filings.
After all, the main benefit of Smith retiring from Equifax, as opposed to being fired for cause—besides preserving his dignity—is that he’ll get to continue earning his unvested stock compensation, including options and performance-based awards, as though he were still working at the company, according to Equifax policy. That perk, however, could still be revoked.
Equifax CEO Richard Smith Who Oversaw Breach to Collect $90 Million
[Jen Wieczner/Fortune]
(via Super Punch)