Set-up of the compensation of the Board of Directors
Compensation set-up
Our remuneration approach is designed to engage qualified independent directors who possess the required balance of personal skills, competencies, and experience. To ensure that we provide a fair and competitive remuneration, we conduct regular benchmarking. It is market practice to review the remuneration of the Board of Directors against practices in the country of domicile, so the companies included in the Swiss Market Index (SMI) serve as the benchmark (excluding companies whose compensation levels are considered materially higher than the SMI companies). The fees set are below the median of the reference group.
The remuneration consists of a Base Fee and Committee Fees to ensure that the Board Members utilize their skills and competences to the maximum extent and to reflect the nature of their responsibilities and time spent. The Chair receives no fees concerning his participation in any Committee. To safeguard independence, fees are not linked to the achievement of any predefined individual or company performance targets. The fees for the Members of the Board of Directors are set and paid in CHF. To align the interests of the Board Members Directors with other stakeholders, half of the Base Fee is awarded in Restricted Share Units (RSUs), i.e., the right to receive a dsm-firmenich share at vesting. It is explicitly noted that RSUs are not tied to any individual or company performance targets. The grant of RSUs is subject to the following guidelines:
The number of RSUs granted is calculated considering the share price at grant date (i.e., the day after the AGM of that year)
RSUs do not carry voting rights and do not provide eligibility for dividend payments
Vesting and holding period: three years, starting at grant date
At the discretion of the Board Member, a sell-to-cover transaction may be selected to settle taxes due at vesting
Upon leaving the Board, all outstanding RSUs recorded as unvested at termination date shall vest, subject to a holding obligation of the vested shares of a minimum of one year
Annual fees of the Board of Directors
We pay employer contributions to social security systems in line with applicable regulations. These are not included in the maximum amount of remuneration of the Board as approved by the General Meeting. Other than mandatory contributions to the company pension plan (‘second pillar’) applicable because of Swiss regulations, the fees are not pensionable. No mandatory shareholding requirement applies for the Members of the Board, no loans will be provided to Members of the Board of Directors, and expenses incurred in fulfilling duties are reimbursed, paid on submission of a statement of expenses.
in CHF |
|
Base Fee |
|
Committee Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Chairman Board of Directors |
|
800,000 |
|
|
Vice-Chair Board of Directors |
|
245,000 |
|
|
Member Board of Directors |
|
200,000 |
|
|
Chair Audit & Risk Committee |
|
|
|
40,000 |
Chair other Committees |
|
|
|
30,000 |
Member Audit & Risk Committee |
|
|
|
25,000 |
Member other Committees |
|
|
|
20,000 |
Compensation Board of Directors in 2025
Assignment to Committees
All Members of the Board of Directors were re-elected at the 2025 AGM. The Members of the Board of Directors are assigned to the various Committees, as included in the table below.
|
|
|
Compensation |
|
Governance & Nomination |
|
Sustainability |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Leysen (Chairman) |
|
|
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
Patrick Firmenich (Vice-Chair) |
|
|
|
|
|
Chair |
|
|
Sze Cotte-Tan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Member |
Antoine Firmenich |
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
|
Chair |
Carla Mahieu |
|
|
|
Chair |
|
Member |
|
|
Erica Mann |
|
|
|
|
|
Member |
|
Member |
Frits van Paasschen |
|
Member |
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
André Pometta |
|
|
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
John Ramsay |
|
Chair |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard Ridinger |
|
|
|
|
|
Member |
|
|
Corien Wortmann |
|
Member |
|
|
|
|
|
Member |
Compensation provided to the Members of the Board of Directors in 2025
Considering the decision that 50% of the Base Fee will be awarded in cash and the remaining 50% in equity, the tables below provide an overview of the total cash remuneration and the RSU grant in 2025. The Company did not provide any loans to the Members of the Board of Directors, nor were payments made by subsidiaries of dsm-firmenich (except for payments regarding advisory roles observed by Members of the Board of Directors, including the Scientific Advisory Board, as included under ‘Other’). No loans/credit facilities were granted, nor were payments made (directly or indirectly) to persons closely connected to the Members of the Board of Directors (Closely Associated Persons). (Audited).
In € |
|
Year |
|
Base Fee in cash |
|
Committee Fees1 |
|
Other2 |
|
Number of RSUs granted |
|
Face value at grant3 |
|
Remuneration excl. social security contributions |
|
Social security contributions4 |
|
Total Remuneration |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Leysen (Chairman) |
|
2025 |
|
426,878 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
4,531 |
|
428,451 |
|
855,329 |
|
– |
|
855,329 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
419,752 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,857 |
|
409,036 |
|
828,788 |
|
– |
|
828,788 |
||||||||||||
Patrick Firmenich (Vice-Chair) |
|
2025 |
|
130,695 |
|
32,019 |
|
6,917 |
|
1,388 |
|
131,249 |
|
300,880 |
|
12,805 |
|
313,685 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
128,566 |
|
31,489 |
|
6,619 |
|
1,181 |
|
125,246 |
|
291,920 |
|
14,303 |
|
306,223 |
||||||||||||
Sze Cotte-Tan |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
21,346 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
235,178 |
|
10,115 |
|
245,293 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
20,993 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
228,186 |
|
11,294 |
|
239,480 |
||||||||||||
Antoine Firmenich |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
58,702 |
|
50,000 |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
322,534 |
|
12,987 |
|
335,521 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
57,731 |
|
41,667 |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
306,591 |
|
14,510 |
|
321,101 |
||||||||||||
Carla Mahieu |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
53,366 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
267,198 |
|
– |
|
267,198 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
52,482 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
259,675 |
|
– |
|
259,675 |
||||||||||||
Erica Mann |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
42,693 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
256,525 |
|
10,055 |
|
266,580 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
34,604 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
241,797 |
|
10,316 |
|
252,113 |
||||||||||||
Frits van Paasschen |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
48,029 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
261,861 |
|
– |
|
261,861 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
47,234 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
254,427 |
|
– |
|
254,427 |
||||||||||||
Pradeep Pant5 |
|
2025 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
36,911 |
|
7,382 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
44,293 |
|
13,332 |
|
57,625 |
||||||||||||
André Pometta |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
21,346 |
|
6,917 |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
242,095 |
|
10,115 |
|
252,210 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
20,993 |
|
6,619 |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
234,805 |
|
11,294 |
|
246,099 |
||||||||||||
John Ramsay |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
42,693 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
256,525 |
|
21,685 |
|
278,210 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
41,986 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
249,179 |
|
21,026 |
|
270,205 |
||||||||||||
Richard Ridinger |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
21,346 |
|
53,146 |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
288,324 |
|
7,118 |
|
295,442 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
20,993 |
|
41,667 |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
269,853 |
|
21,102 |
|
290,955 |
||||||||||||
Corien Wortmann |
|
2025 |
|
106,696 |
|
48,029 |
|
40,008 |
|
1,133 |
|
107,136 |
|
301,869 |
|
7,205 |
|
309,074 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
104,961 |
|
47,234 |
|
30,006 |
|
964 |
|
102,232 |
|
284,433 |
|
5,509 |
|
289,942 |
||||||||||||
Total |
|
2025 |
|
1,517,837 |
|
389,569 |
|
156,988 |
|
16,116 |
|
1,523,924 |
|
3,588,318 |
|
92,085 |
|
3,680,403 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
1,529,878 |
|
383,121 |
|
126,578 |
|
13,714 |
|
1,454,370 |
|
3,493,947 |
|
122,686 |
|
3,616,633 |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CHF Value |
|
Year |
|
Base Fee in cash |
|
Committee Fees1 |
|
Other2 |
|
Number of RSUs granted |
|
Face value at grant3 |
|
Remuneration excl. social security contributions |
|
Social security contributions4 |
|
Total Remuneration |
||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Leysen (Chairman) |
|
2025 |
|
397,594 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
4,531 |
|
399,060 |
|
796,654 |
|
– |
|
796,654 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
395,071 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,857 |
|
384,984 |
|
780,055 |
|
– |
|
780,055 |
||||||||||||
Patrick Firmenich (Vice-Chair) |
|
2025 |
|
121,729 |
|
29,822 |
|
6,442 |
|
1,388 |
|
122,246 |
|
280,239 |
|
11,927 |
|
292,166 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
121,006 |
|
29,637 |
|
6,230 |
|
1,181 |
|
117,881 |
|
274,754 |
|
13,462 |
|
288,216 |
||||||||||||
Sze Cotte-Tan |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
19,882 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
219,046 |
|
9,421 |
|
228,467 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
19,759 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
214,769 |
|
10,630 |
|
225,399 |
||||||||||||
Antoine Firmenich |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
54,675 |
|
46,570 |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
300,409 |
|
12,096 |
|
312,505 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
54,336 |
|
39,217 |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
288,563 |
|
13,657 |
|
302,220 |
||||||||||||
Carla Mahieu |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
49,705 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
248,869 |
|
– |
|
248,869 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
49,396 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
244,406 |
|
– |
|
244,406 |
||||||||||||
Erica Mann |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
39,764 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
238,928 |
|
9,365 |
|
248,293 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
32,569 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
227,579 |
|
9,709 |
|
237,288 |
||||||||||||
Frits van Paasschen |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
44,734 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
243,898 |
|
– |
|
243,898 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
44,457 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
239,467 |
|
– |
|
239,467 |
||||||||||||
Pradeep Pant5 |
|
2025 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
34,741 |
|
6,948 |
|
– |
|
– |
|
– |
|
41,689 |
|
12,548 |
|
54,237 |
||||||||||||
André Pometta |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
19,882 |
|
6,442 |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
225,488 |
|
9,421 |
|
234,909 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
19,759 |
|
6,230 |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
220,999 |
|
10,630 |
|
231,629 |
||||||||||||
John Ramsay |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
39,764 |
|
– |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
238,928 |
|
20,197 |
|
259,125 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
39,517 |
|
– |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
234,527 |
|
19,790 |
|
254,317 |
||||||||||||
Richard Ridinger |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
19,882 |
|
49,500 |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
268,546 |
|
6,630 |
|
275,176 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
19,759 |
|
39,217 |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
253,986 |
|
19,861 |
|
273,847 |
||||||||||||
Corien Wortmann |
|
2025 |
|
99,377 |
|
44,734 |
|
37,263 |
|
1,133 |
|
99,787 |
|
281,161 |
|
6,711 |
|
287,872 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
98,789 |
|
44,457 |
|
28,242 |
|
964 |
|
96,221 |
|
267,709 |
|
5,185 |
|
272,894 |
||||||||||||
Total |
|
2025 |
|
1,413,716 |
|
362,844 |
|
146,217 |
|
16,116 |
|
1,419,389 |
|
3,342,166 |
|
85,768 |
|
3,427,934 |
||||||||||||
|
|
2024 |
|
1,439,919 |
|
360,594 |
|
119,136 |
|
13,714 |
|
1,368,854 |
|
3,288,503 |
|
115,472 |
|
3,403,975 |
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Compensation voting
The General Meeting of DSM-Firmenich AG on May 6, 2025 approved (with 97.48% in favor) a maximum total amount of remuneration for the Board of Directors of €3,682,582 for the period starting May 7, 2025 until the 2026 AGM on May 7. The approved maximum amount was based on the following considerations:
The amount does not include the company-related part of social security contributions paid in line with applicable regulations
Exchange rate fluctuations are not included
Other than mandatory contributions to the company pension plan (‘second pillar’) applicable because of Swiss regulations, the fees are not pensionable
A sum was included to cover unforeseen circumstances
The table below provides an overview of the total maximum amount of remuneration as approved by the 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) for the period as of the 2025 AGM until the 2026 AGM and the actual remuneration (excluding social security contributions) awarded as of May 7, 2025 until year-end and the allocated amount to be paid over the period January 1, 2026 until May 7, 2026, thereby considering the Average Fx rate that applied for 2025.
|
|
Approved maximum remuneration excluding social security contributions |
|
Actual/allocated remuneration excluding social security contributions |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x thousand |
|
€ |
|
CHF |
|
€ |
|
CHF |
|
3,683 |
|
3,536 |
|
3,508 |
|
3,368 |
|
Total Remuneration Average Fx rate |
|
3,773 |
|
3,536 |
|
3,594 |
|
3,368 |
The total remuneration provided in 2025 to the Members of the Board of Directors amounted to €3,588,318 (€3,493,947 in 2024), excluding social security charges for the account of the company. This includes the value of the RSU grant: €1,523,924 (€1,454,370 in 2024) based on the face value (i.e., opening price) at the grant date. Because the fee structure has not changed, the differences between 2025 and 2024 are almost exclusively due to the difference in exchange rate between the Swiss Franc and the euro.
It is estimated that the total remuneration for the Board of Directors for the period January 1, 2026 until May 7, 2026 will amount to €724,983. Added to the remuneration provided in 2025 (May 7–December 31, 2025), the total amount of €3,594,456 remains within the approved maximum amount.
In the 2024 Compensation report, it was confirmed that the Board of Directors’ compensation in 2024 and the remuneration allocated at the time for the period January 1 until the 2025 AGM was expected to remain within the approved envelope as approved by the General Meeting. Considering the payments actually made between January 1 and May 6, 2025 (AGM), this is reconfirmed.
Shareholding
By the end of 2025, the Members of the Board of Directors, including Closely Associated Persons, held 16,078,913 (end 2024: 16,078,913) ordinary shares and 46,871 (2024: 30,755) RSUs. The table below provides an overview, detailing:
The number of ordinary shares held by each individual Member of the Board of Directors on December 31 of the relevant year
The number of outstanding RSUs held by each individual Member of the Board of Directors on December 31 of the relevant year
|
|
Number of |
|
Number of |
|
Number of |
|
Number of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thomas Leysen (Chairman) |
|
20,035 |
|
20,035 |
|
13,179 |
|
8,648 |
Patrick Firmenich (Vice-Chair) |
|
4,548,829 |
|
4,548,829 |
|
4,037 |
|
2,649 |
Sze Cotte-Tan |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Antoine Firmenich |
|
3,519,236 |
|
3,519,236 |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Carla Mahieu |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Erica Mann |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Frits van Paasschen |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
André Pometta |
|
7,985,012 |
|
7,985,012 |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
John Ramsay |
|
1,801 |
|
1,801 |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Richard Ridinger |
|
4,000 |
|
4,000 |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Corien Wortmann |
|
– |
|
– |
|
3,295 |
|
2,162 |
Total |
|
16,078,913 |
|
16,078,913 |
|
46,871 |
|
30,755 |