Tradeweb Markets Inc.
For the period ended Mar 28, 2024. Filed Mar 28, 2024.
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Mar 28, 2024 · Filed Mar 28, 2024
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrantx
Filed by a Party other than the Registranto
Check the appropriate box:
o Preliminary Proxy Statement
o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
x Definitive Proxy Statement
o Definitive Additional Materials
o Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12
Tradeweb Markets Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
x No fee required
o Fee paid previously with preliminary materials
o Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11
NOTICE OF 2024
ANNUAL MEETING OF
STOCKHOLDERS AND
PROXY
STATEMENT
As a leader in building and operating
electronic marketplaces for rates, credit,
equities and money markets,
Tradeweb connects over 2,500
institutional, wholesale and retail clients
globally.
ABOUT TRADEWEB
FY23 Revenues
$1.3 B
(+12.6% YoY, +12.2% CC*)
FY23 Adjusted EBITDA Margin
52.4%
(+49 bps YoY)
FY23 Adjusted Net Income
$535.5 M
(+19.0% YoY)
FY23 Free Cash Flow
$684.3M
(+19.5% YoY)
- "CC" means constant currency. Growth information presented on a "constant currency" basis is a non-GAAP financial measure and reflects growth for the period
excluding the impact of foreign exchange currency fluctuations.
** Revenue growth on a constant currency basis, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted net income and free cash flow are non-GAAP financial measures used to
supplement information in our financial results. A reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures may be found in our Form 8-K filed with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission on February 6, 2024 and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for theyear ended December 31, 2023, filed with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission on February 9, 2024.
Dear Stockholder,
You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Tradeweb
Markets Inc., which will be held virtually at 9 a.m., Eastern Time, on Friday, May 10, 2024,
atwww.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TW2024.
The attached Notice of the Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement
describes the formal business that we will transact at the virtual Annual Meeting.
We are furnishing our proxy materials over the Internet in accordance with the rules of
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Accordingly, we are sending a
Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the "Notice"), rather than a full paper set
of the proxy materials, unless you previously requested to receive printed copies. The
Notice contains details regarding the date, time and location of the meeting and the business
to be conducted, as well as instructions on how to access our proxy materials on the Internet
and for voting over the Internet.
Whether or not you plan to virtually attend the Annual Meeting, please vote your shares
promptly by following the voting instructions that you have received. Your vote is
important regardless of the number of shares you own. Voting by proxy will not
prevent you from voting virtually at the Annual Meeting, but will assure that your
vote is counted if you cannot virtually attend.
On behalf of the Board of Directors and the employees of Tradeweb Markets Inc., we
thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at the virtual Annual
Meeting.
Sincerely yours,
BILLY HULT
Chief Executive Officer
March 28, 2024
Notice of 2024 Virtual Annual Meeting of Stockholders
To Our Stockholders:
We are pleased to invite you to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the "Annual Meeting") of Tradeweb Markets Inc.
("Tradeweb" or the "Company") that will be held virtually at 9 a.m., Eastern Time, on Friday, May 10, 2024, at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TW2024 for the following purposes:
- To elect thefour nominees for director named in the attached Proxy Statement as Class II directors, each to serve on the Board of
Directors for a three-year term until the 2027 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or their respective successors are elected and qualified
(Proposal 1);
- To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP ("Deloitte") as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal
year ending December 31, 2024 (Proposal 2);
To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers (Proposal 3);
To determine, on an advisory basis, the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers
(Proposal 4); and
- To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof.
The Board of Directors unanimously recommends that you vote (i) "FOR ALL" of the director nominees named in the attached
Proxy Statement, (ii) "FOR" the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte as our independent registered public accounting firm, (iii) "FOR"
the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation paid to our named executive officers and (iv) "1 YEAR" for the frequency of future
advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers.
The Board of Directors has fixed March 13, 2024 as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive notice of, and to
vote at, the virtual Annual Meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Only stockholders of record at the close of business on
that date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Holders of outstanding shares of Class A common stock, Class B
common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock vote together as a single class on all matters on which stockholders are
entitled to vote generally (except as may be required by law). Each share of Class A common stock and Class C common stock entitles its
holder to one vote on all matters presented to the Company’s stockholders generally. Each share of Class B common stock and Class D
common stock entitles its holder to ten votes on all matters presented to the Company’s stockholders generally.
The Board of Directors has again determined to hold the Annual Meeting virtually. We believe that this is the right choice for the
Company as it provides expanded stockholder access regardless of the size of the Annual Meeting or resources available to stockholders,
improves communication and allows participants to attend the Annual Meeting conveniently from any location at no additional cost. The
Company has endeavored to provide stockholders attending the Annual Meeting with the same rights and opportunities to participate as
they would at an in-person meeting.
You are cordially invited to virtually attend the Annual Meeting, conducted virtually via live audio webcast at
www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TW2024, to vote on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement, view the list of registered
stockholders on the Annual Meeting website and submit questions during the meeting. Your vote is important. Regardless of whether or not
you participate in the Annual Meeting, we hope that you vote as soon as possible. You may vote online or by phone, or, if you received
paper copies of the proxy materials by mail, you may also vote by mail by following the instructions on the proxy card or voting instruction
card. Voting online or by phone, written proxy or voting instruction card ensures your representation at the Annual Meeting regardless of
whether you attend online. For additional details, see "Voting and Attendance at the Annual Meeting" below. This Proxy Statement
provides detailed information about the Annual Meeting. We encourage you to read this Proxy Statement carefully and in its entirety.
By Order of the Board of Directors,
Douglas Friedman
General Counsel and Secretary
New York, New York
March 28, 2024
| 2 | TRADEWEB |
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY
MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE
HELD ONMAY 10, 2024
The Notice, the Proxy Statement and the Company’s 2023 Annual
Report are available atwww.proxyvote.com.
| 2024 PROXY SUMMARY | 3 |
|---|
This summary highlights information contained elsewhere
in this Proxy Statement. This summary does not contain
all the information you should consider in voting your
shares. Please read the complete Proxy Statement and
our Annual Report to Stockholders for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2023 carefully before voting.
PROXY SUMMARY
MEETING INFORMATION
| Date: | Friday, May 10, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Time: | 9 a.m., Eastern Time |
| Virtual Meeting: | www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/TW2024 |
| Record Date: | March 13, 2024 |
HOW TO VOTE
| 4 | TRADEWEB |
We first began sending our stockholders the Notice and made our proxy materials available on or about March 28,
PROPOSALS
Proposal 1
Election of
Directors
To elect thefour director nominees named in this Proxy Statement as Class II directors of the
Company, each to serve for a three-year term until the 2027 Annual Meeting or their respective
successors are elected and qualified.
ü Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote "FOR ALL" of the director nominees.
Proposal 2
Auditor
Ratification
To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public
accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.
ü Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote "FOR" ratification of the appointment of Deloitte
& Touche LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal 2024.
INTERNET
To vote before the meeting, visit
www.proxyvote.com.
To vote at the meeting, visit
www.virtualshareholdermeeting
.com/TW2024. You will need
the control number printed on
your notice, proxy card or voting
instruction form.
TELEPHONE
If you received a paper copy of the
proxy materials, dial toll-free
800-690-6903 or the
telephone number on your voting
instruction form. You will need
the control number printed on
your notice, proxy card or voting
instruction form.
If you received a paper copy of
the proxy materials, send your
completed and signed proxy card
or voting instruction form using the
enclosed postage-paid envelope.
Proposal 3
Advisory Vote
on Executive
Compensation
To approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers.
ü Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote, on an advisory basis, "FOR" the compensation
of our named executive officers as set forth in this Proxy Statement.
Proposal 4
Frequency of
Advisory Vote
on Executive
Compensation
To determine, on an advisory basis, the frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our
named executive officers.
ü Our Board unanimously recommends that you vote, on an advisory basis, "1 YEAR" for the
frequency of future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers.
Your vote is important. You may vote your shares in advance of the Annual Meeting via the Internet, by telephone or
by mail or during the meeting by attending and voting electronically. If you vote via the Internet, by telephone or
plan to vote electronically during the Annual Meeting, you do not need to mail in a proxy card.
Our Board of Directors
| Committee Membership | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | DirectorSince | Principal Occupation | Independent | AuditCommittee | CompensationCommittee | Nominatingand CorporateGovernanceCommittee | Other CurrentPublic CompanyBoards |
| Jacques Aigrain | 2022 | Director, Clearwater Analytics Chairman, Lyondell Basell Industries N.V. | ü | ü | 2 | ||
| Balbir Bakhshi · 2021 · Chief Risk Officer, London Stock Exchange Group plc | |||||||
| Steven Berns · 2020 · Former Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer · ü | |||||||
| Troy Dixon · 2023 · Founder and Chief Investment Officer, Hollis Park Partners LP · ü · ü | |||||||
| Scott Ganeles · 2019 · Senior Partner, WestCap Group, LLC · ü · ü · ü | |||||||
| Billy Hult · 2019 · Chief Executive Officer, Tradeweb Markets | |||||||
| Catherine Johnson · 2023 · Group General Counsel, London Stock Exchange Group plc | |||||||
| Paula B. Madoff | 2019 | Advisor, The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. | ü | ü | ü | 3 | |
| Lisa Opoku · 2024 · Former Chief Operating Officer · ü | |||||||
| Thomas Pluta · 2019 · President, Tradeweb Markets | |||||||
| Murray Roos · 2021 · Group Director, Capital Markets, London Stock Exchange Group plc | |||||||
| Rana Yared · 2022 · General Partner, Balderton Capital · ü · ü | |||||||
Denotes Chairperson
| TRADEWEB | 5 |
|---|
Our Board of Directors
BOARD SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
| 6 | TRADEWEB |
CAPITAL MARKETS/
FIXED INCOME
ELECTRONIC
TRADING
CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
RISK MANAGEMENT/
INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY & SYSTEMS
12 of 12 directors
8 of 12 directors
LEGAL &
REGULATORY
5 of 12 directors
GLOBAL LEADERSHIP/
HUMAN CAPITAL
12 of 12 directors
FINANCIAL
EXPERTISE
MERGERS &
ACQUISITIONS
BOARD INDEPENDENCE, AGE, DIVERSITY AND TENURE
58%
INDEPENDENT
54.7
AVERAGE AGE
AVERAGE
3.1
YEARS
33%
FEMALE
25%
DIVERSE
DIVERSITY
Gender
Race/Ethnicity
Non-independent
Independent
56+ years
<50 years
51-55 years
3+ years
0-3 years
Diverse
Other
Female
Male
INDEPENDENCE
AGE
TENURE
Executive Compensation Program Highlights
PHILOSOPHY AND OBJECTIVES
| Maintain a pay-for- performance culture | Annual pay opportunities emphasize variable performance-based compensation with metrics aligned to the Company’s financial results, stock price and business strategy, promoting a high degree of performance orientation in our executive compensation program. |
|---|---|
| Foster long-term alignment with stockholders | Outstanding equity awards in the form of annual time-vesting restricted stock units, performance-based restricted stock units and performance stock units directly tie pay outcomes to value creation, aligning executive and stockholder interest. |
| Attraction and retention | Our executive compensation program provides overall target compensation that is intended to attract and retain high-caliber talent. In addition, our long-term incentive awards are granted on varying vesting schedules, continually ensuring that a portion of previously granted equity remains unvested. |
| Reflect internal equity considerations | Compensation decisions are made in the context of individual factors and pay equity, fostering growth and motivation through a flexible compensation design. |
KEY ELEMENTS OF OURFISCAL YEAR 2023 COMPEN SATIONPROGRAM
| What We Do | What We Don’t Do |
|---|---|
| Pay-for-performance. Approximately 94% of our executive target compensation is at-risk variable compensation. 76% of target annual equity grants and cash bonuses made to the NEOs in March 2023 were tied directly to company performance. | Hedging/pledging of Company stock. We prohibit our officers and directors from hedging, margining, pledging, short-selling or publicly trading options in our stock. |
| Encourage long-term outlook. In 2023, the CEO received an annual grant and all other NEOs received a one-time grant of performance-vesting stock units ("PSUs") that are earned based on achievement of total shareholder return ("TSR") targets over a three-year performance period. In 2024, the Compensation Committee determined to grant PSUs to all NEOs on an annual basis as part of their overall equity mix. In addition, in 2024, the performance-based restricted stock units ("PRSUs") were restructured to vest based on achievement of three-year compound annual growth rate ("CAGR") targets for revenue and Adjusted EBITDA. Please see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Fiscal 2024 Compensation Decisions" below for more information. | Excise tax gross-ups. We do not pay excise tax gross-ups on change-in-control payments. |
| Rigorous performance goals. The Company establishes rigorous performance goals related to its incentive-based compensation plans. | Repricing or exchange of underwater options. Under our omnibus equity plan, we specifically prohibit share repricing without stockholder approval. |
| Clawback policy. In accordance with Exchange Act Rule 10D-1, we maintain a robust clawback policy that requires the clawback of incentive compensation from executive officers in the event of a material misstatement of the financials. In addition, the Compensation Committee has discretion to clawback, from both executive officers and other employees, other incentive-based compensation, including time-based short-term or long-term equity or other incentive awards. | Dividend equivalents on unearned equity awards. Dividend equivalent rights accrued on equity awards are not paid until the underlying award itself vests and becomes payable. |
| TRADEWEB | 7 |
|---|
94%
94%
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.