Proxy Statement That Follow
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
September 24, 2020 TO OUR STOCKHOLDERS: On behalf of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of Coty Inc., I cordially invite you to the 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Coty Inc. to be held via live audio webcast over the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COTY2020, at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. In connection with changes during fiscal year 2020, the composition of the Board of Directors has evolved and several executive leadership changes have been made. On September 1, 2020, we welcomed a new Chief Executive Officer, Sue Nabi, a recognized global innovator and beauty industry entrepreneur, to lead Coty. Our ownership structure has changed as well. As a result of the purchase of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock by affiliates of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P., for $1 billion, in the event of the full conversion of the shares and no other changes in capitalization, the JAB Group would remain our largest stockholder with approximately 50% ownership in the Company and the Kohlberg Kravis Roberts affiliates would be the second largest stockholder with an approximate 17% stake, which also reflects its current voting power. I have been pleased to serve as Chairman of the Board since November 2018 and to work with Erhard Schoewel and Robert Singer who have served as our Lead Independent Director since September 2019 and June 2020, respectively. Details about the Annual Meeting, nominees for election to the Board of Directors and other matters to be acted on at the Annual Meeting are presented in the Notice of 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and Proxy Statement that follow. It is important that your stock be represented at the Annual Meeting regardless of the number of shares you hold. You are encouraged to specify your voting preferences by so marking and dating the enclosed proxy card or following the voting instruction accompanying these materials, as described below. If you wish to vote in accordance with directors’ recommendations, all you need to do is sign, date and return the card or voting instruction. Please vote over the Internet, by telephone or by completing and returning the proxy card in the enclosed envelope whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting. You may virtually attend the Annual Meeting by visiting www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COTY2020 on the meeting date. If you virtually attend the Annual Meeting and wish to vote at the Annual Meeting, you may do so by revoking your proxy at any time so long as you are the holder of record of your shares. If you are not the holder of record, you must follow your broker’s procedures for obtaining a legal proxy in order to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting. Thank you for your support. Sincerely, Peter Harf Chairman of the Board NOTICE OF 2020 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS AND PROXY STATEMENT September 24, 2020 To Coty Inc. Stockholders: The Annual Meeting of Coty Inc. (the “Company”) will be held via audio webcast over the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COTY2020 at 8:30 a.m., Eastern Time, on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 (the “Annual Meeting”). This means that you can attend the Annual Meeting online, vote your shares electronically and submit questions during the online meeting by visiting the above mentioned Internet site. The principal business of the Annual Meeting will be the consideration of the following matters: 1. To elect the twelve directors named in this proxy statement; 2. To approve the Amended and Restated Coty Inc. Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plan to increase the aggregate number of shares authorized for issuance thereunder; 3. To approve the Amended and Restated Coty Inc. Stock Plan for Directors; 4. To approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in this proxy statement; 5. To approve, on an advisory (non-binding) basis, the frequency of the vote on the Company’s named executive officer compensation; 6. To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP to serve as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021; and 7. To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting or any adjournment thereof. This proxy statement describes these items in more detail. We have not received notice of any other matters that may be properly presented at the Annual Meeting. The close of business on September 9, 2020 has been fixed as the date for determining the holders of shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock and Series B Convertible Preferred Stock entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment thereof. By order of the Board of Directors, Kristin Blazewicz Chief Legal Officer & Secretary WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO VIRTUALLY ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, YOU MAY VOTE AND SUBMIT YOUR PROXY. YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR PROXY ELECTRONICALLY, BY TELEPHONE OR BY REQUESTING A PRINTED COPY OF THE PROXY MATERIALS AND COMPLETING AND RETURNING BY MAIL THE PROXY CARD YOU WILL RECEIVE IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST. IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3, 2020: The Company’s Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting and the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020 are available at materials.proxyvote.com/222070. 1 Table of Contents Questions and Answers about the Proxy Materials and the Annual Meeting . 3 Corporate Governance . 9 Principles of Corporate Governance and Code of Business Conduct . 10 Structure of our Board . 10 Board Meetings . 12 Board Qualifications and Membership Criteria . 12 Director Nomination Process . 13 Director Independence . 13 Communications with our Board . 14 Our Board’s Role in Risk Oversight . 14 Board Attendance at the Annual Meeting . 15 Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation . 15 Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions . 15 Proposal No. 1: Election of Directors . 18 Director Nominees . 19 Director Compensation . 22 Executive Officers . 25 Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management . 26 Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports . 28 Proposal No. 2: Approval of the Amended and Restated Coty Inc. Equity and Long-Term Incentive Plan . 29 Proposal No. 3: Approval of the Amended and Restated Coty Inc. Stock Plan for Directors . 34 Proposal No. 4: Approval of Advisory Resolution on Named Executive Officer Compensation (Say-On-Pay) . 36 Executive Compensation . 37 Proposal No. 5: Advisory Resolution on the Frequency of the Vote on Named Executive Officer Compensation . 65 Proposal No. 6: Ratification of Appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm . 66 Audit Fees and Other Fees . 67 Audit and Finance Committee Report . 68 Stockholder Proposals for the 2021 Annual Meeting . 69 Other Matters . 69 2 COTY INC. 350 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10118 PROXY STATEMENT FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3, 2020 These proxy materials are being made available to you electronically or, if you have requested, printed versions of these materials, have been delivered to you by mail in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Coty Inc. (the “Company”, “we” or “us”), a Delaware corporation, for our 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 via the Internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/COTY2020. When used in these proxy materials, the term “includes” and “including” means, unless the context otherwise indicates, including without limitation. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND THE ANNUAL MEETING Proxy Materials and Voting Information 1. What are proxy materials? A proxy statement is a document which includes information that we are required to provide to you under Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules and is designed to assist you in voting your shares (your “shares”) of the Company’s Class A common stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Class A Common Stock”) and/or of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred stock, par value $0.01 per share (“Series B Preferred Stock”), at the Annual Meeting. The proxy materials include our proxy statement for the Annual Meeting (this “Proxy Statement”), our Annual Report to Stockholders (including our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020) (“Annual Report”), and the proxy card or a voting instruction card for the Annual Meeting. This Proxy Statement contains information about the Annual Meeting and was prepared by our management. We sent a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”), and made these proxy materials and the Notice available online, on or about September 24, 2020 to stockholders of record entitled to receive notice of the Annual Meeting. All stockholders may access the proxy materials online and download printable versions of the proxy materials or request a printed set of the proxy materials by following the instructions in the Notice. As a stockholder, you are invited to attend the virtual audio Annual Meeting online and are requested to vote on the items of business described in this Proxy Statement. 2. What is the difference between holding shares as a stockholder of record and as a beneficial owner? If your shares are registered directly in your name with the Company’s registrar and transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., you are considered a stockholder of record with respect to those shares. If your shares are held in a bank or brokerage account, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of those shares.