Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On August 4, 2022, James Platt, Aon plc’s (the “Company” or “Aon”) Chief Operating Officer since June 2021, was appointed to a new role as Chief Digital Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Platt, age 50, joined the Company in September 2014 as the Chief Executive Officer of Aon Inpoint and Head of Data & Analytics for Aon Risk Solutions and served in that role until December 2016. From January 2017 through June 2019, Mr. Platt served as the Chief Operating Officer of Aon Risk Solutions, and then from June 2019 through September 2020, as the Company’s Global Solution Lines Chief Operating Officer. From September 2020 to his appointment as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Platt served as the Company’s Business Chief Operating Officer.
On August 9, 2022, the Company announced Mindy Simon will join the Company as its Chief Operating Officer effective October 10, 2022. Ms. Simon, age 45, currently serves as Chief Information Officer for Conagra Brands, a North America branded food company, and has served in that role since June 2017. Prior to her role as Chief Information Officer, Ms. Simon held a variety of roles in finance and information technology with Conagra Brands since joining the company in 2000, including serving as VP Global Business Services from January 2016 to June 2017, and VP Information Technology from 2008 to 2016.
In connection with her appointment, Ms. Simon will be entitled to receive an annual base salary of $675,000 and, beginning in 2023, will be eligible to participate in the Company’s short-term annual incentive plan, with a target award of 100% of her annual base salary. In connection with foregone cash bonus compensation resulting from her transition to Aon, Ms. Simon will receive a sign-on cash award of $400,000, which she will be required to repay (i) in full should she voluntarily terminate her employment with the Company prior to the first anniversary of her start date and (ii) at 50% should she voluntarily terminate her employment with the Company after the first anniversary of her start date but prior to the second anniversary of her start date. In addition, and in connection with foregone equity compensation resulting from her transition to Aon, Ms. Simon will receive a sign-on equity award with a grant date fair value of $1,725,000, consisting of the Company’s restricted share units vesting one-third on each of the first through third anniversary of the grant date.
Additionally, effective in 2023, Ms. Simon will become eligible to participate in the Company’s Leadership Performance Program (“LPP”) under the Company’s 2011 Incentive Plan, as amended and restated. Ms. Simon is also eligible to participate in the compensation and benefit programs generally available to senior executives of the Company.
There is no arrangement between Ms. Simon and any other person pursuant to which she was selected as the Chief Operating Officer. There are no familial relationships or related party transactions with the Company that would require disclosure under Items 401(d) or 404(a) of Regulation S-K in connection with Ms. Simon’s appointment.
Prior to Ms. Simon’s start date, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Christa Davies, will assume responsibility for the operations functions previously reporting to Mr. Platt.