Navigating the Future of Executive Pay | Farient Briefings

October 9, 2025

Navigating the Future of Executive Pay:
Insights from Robin A. Ferracone and Lakecia Gunter

Magnetic compass on world map

 

The complexity of business is matched by the intricacies in today’s executive pay packages. During a recent Directors & Boards webinar, Farient CEO Robin A. Ferracone and IDEX Corporation Board Member Lakecia Gunter explored the future of best practices and how compensation committees are adapting.

“One of the biggest challenges compensation committees face is the collision course between governance standards and retaining great people,” Ferracone says. “You want to do what you promise shareholders, but then something unique comes along and you think you have to give a special award. Proxy advisors and investors don’t like those special awards, but sometimes they’re necessary.”


Retaining Mission-Critical Talent:
Strengthening C-suite Succession

Tracy Wittman staff spotlight banner

 

In advance of her participation as a featured panelist at the 2025 NACD Directors Summit next week, we recently talked to Farient Advisor Tracy Wittman about her career, her decision to join Farient, and what it takes to align compensation, talent management, and corporate governance in today’s ever-changing environment.

At Summit, Tracy will join Director Colleen B. Brown and KPMG’s Annalisa Barrett for a forward look at the challenges facing boards and the governance of compensation.

In the News

 

Say-on-Pay Support Stays Steady and Other Lessons from the 2025 Proxy SeasonIR Impact

The 2025 proxy season confirmed several steady trends in executive compensation, while also revealing shifts boards will need to navigate in the years ahead. Say-on-Pay (SOP) support held strong across the Russell 3000, but concerns around special awards, mega-grants, and pay-for-performance alignment continued to drive the few failed votes.

(For up-to-date Say on Pay results, visit Farient’s U.S. SOP Tracker and Farient’s U.K. Remuneration Voting Tracker.)

 

Read more


Where to Find Us

 

2025 NACD Directors Summit

Strengthening C-Suite Succession Planning

How can boards best prepare to mitigate leadership risks and secure mission-critical talent? Proactive strategies will be presented by Farient Principal Tracy Wittman, KPMG Senior Advisor Annalisa Barrett, and public company board director Colleen B. Brown during this Summit session on October 14, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.

National Harbor, Maryland

October 12-15, 2025

 

NACD Carolinas Chapter

Executive Perspectives on Top Risks

To thrive amid rapid change, knowledge is power. Farient Partner Jarret Sues leads a timely discussion on risks with Director Marcia Avedon, CHRO Janice Dupré, and Protiviti Managing Director Fran Maxwell. This in-person and virtual session will explore board-level strategies for sustaining leadership pipelines, culture, and values. For additional information on how to attend virtually, contact us at info@farient.com.

Quail Hollow Club

3700 Gleneagles Road

Charlotte, NC 28210

October 29, 2025

5 p.m.-7 p.m.

 

NACD Board Leadership Exchange

Compensation Committee Leader Exchange

This invitation-only, semi-annual directors’ forum allows candid off-the-record conversations and rare access to Fortune 500 board leaders tailored to various committee roles. Compensation Committee Chairs discuss the latest strategies for aligning compensation with performance, predicting turnover, building strong leadership pipelines, and more.

New York City

November 19, 2025

 

2025 Directorship 100 Gala

Celebrating Excellence in Board Leadership

Farient’s Robin A. Ferracone and R.J. Bannister will be among the 100 honorees recognized for outstanding leadership in governance and the boardroom.

Cipriani

25 Broadway, New York, NY 10004

December 11, 2025

6-10 p.m.

 

For additional information on any of these events, please send an email to info@farient.com.


Understanding Climate Incentives

 

Exclusive: Around the globe, the heat is on to combat climate change while some political regimes denounce the veracity between greenhouse gas emissions and a warming planet. Nevertheless, large corporations are reporting Scope 1, Scope 2, and, increasingly, Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions and linking reductions to executive compensation, according to Farient Advisors’ newly published 2025 Global Trends in Stakeholder Incentives: Climate Strategies and Incentives for Corporate Sustainability.

Learn more about how the world’s largest companies are setting and achieving climate goals by linking climate measures to executive incentives by sector and geography.

Download PDF


About Farient Advisors 

Farient Advisors LLC is an independent premier executive compensation, performance, and corporate governance consultancy. Farient provides a full array of services, linking business strategy to talent and compensation through a tailored, analytically rigorous, and collaborative approach. Farient has locations in Los Angeles, New York, Louisville, and London. Farient works with clients globally through its partnership in the Global Governance and Executive Compensation (GECN) Group. Farient is a certified diverse company and is recognized by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

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