fp0040823

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 (Amendment No. )

 

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Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

 

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April 18, 2019

 

Dear Fellow Shareholders:

 

You are invited to attend the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the 2019 Annual Meeting) of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (Jones Lang LaSalle, which may sometimes be referred to as JLL, the Company or as we, us, or our) which will take place on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, beginning at 9:00 a.m., local time, at the JLL office located at 8343 Douglas Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75225.

 

At this year’s meeting, we will vote on the following proposals:

 

 

Election of ten Directors identified in the Proxy Statement to serve one-year terms until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

 

Approval, by non-binding vote, of executive compensation (say-on-pay);

 

 

Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan; and

 

 

Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

 

Meeting Attendance and Voting

 

Your vote is very important to us. This year, we are again voluntarily furnishing proxy materials to our shareholders on the Internet rather than mailing printed copies to each shareholder. This serves our sustainability goals and also saves us significant postage, printing, and processing costs. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, please cast your vote, as instructed in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, over the Internet or by telephone, as promptly as possible. You may also request a paper proxy card to submit your vote by mail if you prefer. If you attend the Annual Meeting, you may vote your shares in person even if you have previously given your proxy.

 

We anticipate that we will mail the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials to our shareholders on or about April 18, 2019. The proxy materials we furnish on the Internet include our 2018 Annual Report, which includes our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

 

We appreciate your continued interest in JLL.

 

Sincerely,

 

Sheila A. Penrose
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Christian Ulbrich
Chief Executive Officer

 

 

 

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS AND PROXY STATEMENT

 

When:
Wednesday, May 29, 2019
9:00 a.m., local time

Where:
JLL Dallas Office
8343 Douglas Avenue, Suite 100
Dallas, Texas 75225

 

Items of Business

 

To vote on the following proposals:

 

 

1.

Election of the ten Director nominees identified in the Proxy Statement to serve one-year terms until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

 

2.

Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation (say-on-pay);

 

 

3.

Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan; and

 

 

4.

Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

 

Record Date

 

The Board of Directors has fixed the close of business on Friday, March 15, 2019, as the record date (the Record Date) for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. Only shareholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to receive notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. We will permit only shareholders, or persons holding proxies from shareholders, to attend the Annual Meeting.

 

By Order of the Board of Directors

 

Alan K. Tse
Corporate Secretary

 

April 18, 2019

 

YOUR VOTE IS VERY IMPORTANT. ANY SHAREHOLDER MAY ATTEND THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON. IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THE QUORUM NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING, WE ASK THAT SHAREHOLDERS WHO DO NOT INTEND TO BE PRESENT AT THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON GIVE THEIR PROXY OVER THE INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE. IF YOU PREFER, YOU MAY ALSO REQUEST A PAPER PROXY CARD TO SUBMIT YOUR VOTE BY MAIL. YOU MAY REVOKE ANY PROXY IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN THE ACCOMPANYING PROXY STATEMENT AT ANY TIME BEFORE IT HAS BEEN VOTED AT THE 2019 ANNUAL MEETING.

 

 

PROXY STATEMENT SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights certain information from our Proxy Statement for the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.
This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider, and you should read the entire Proxy Statement before voting your shares. For more complete information regarding the Company’s 2018 performance, please review our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

 

Shareholder Voting Matters and Recommendations

 

The following table summarizes the items that will be brought for a vote of our shareholders at the 2019 Annual Meeting, along with the voting recommendations of our Board of Directors (the Board) and the required vote for approval:

 

Proposal

Vote Required to
Adopt the Proposal

Board Recommends

Reasons for Recommendation

More
Information

1. Election of the ten Director nominees identified in the Proxy Statement to serve one-year terms until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified

Majority of votes cast with respect to each such nominee

FOR each nominee

The Board believes the ten Board nominees possess the skills, experience, and diversity to provide strong oversight for the Company’s long-term strategy and operations

See page 1

2. Approval, on an advisory basis, named executive officer compensation (say-on-pay)

Majority of votes cast

FOR

Our executive compensation programs demonstrate our pay-for-performance philosophy, and reflect the input of shareholders

See page 17

3. Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan

Majority of votes cast

FOR

Equity compensation helps to align the incentives of management and stockholders

See page 49

4. Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019

Majority of votes cast

FOR

Based on its assessment of KPMG’s qualifications and performance, the Audit Committee believes the retention of KPMG for fiscal year 2019 is in the best interests of the Company

See page 57

 

Our Board of Directors

 

Our current Board includes a diverse group of leaders in their respective fields. We believe their varied backgrounds, skills and experiences contribute to an effective and well-balanced Board that is able to provide valuable insight to, and effective oversight of, our senior executive team. Dame DeAnne Julius, who has served on the Board since November 2008, is not standing for re-election at the 2019 Annual Meeting. We thank Dame DeAnne for her service to the Company.

 

Director Nominees

 

You are being asked to vote on the election of these ten Director nominees, nine of whom are currently serving on the Board. The following table provides summary information about each of our Director nominees as well as their Committee memberships as of the date of this Proxy Statement. The table below also discloses the Board’s determination as to the independence of each nominee under the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the relevant rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC). Additional information about each Director’s background and experience can be found beginning on page 2.

 

Name

Age

Director
Since

Position

Independent

Audit
Committee

Compensation
Committee

Nominating
and
Governance
Committee

Other
Current
Public
Boards

Hugo Bagué

58

2011

Former Group Executive, Organisational Resources, Rio Tinto plc

Yes

Yes

Yes

Matthew Carter, Jr.

58

2018

Chief Executive Officer, Aryaka Networks, Inc.

Yes

Yes

No

Yes

2

 

S-1

Proxy Statement Summary

 

 

Name

Age

Director
Since

Position

Independent

Audit
Committee

Compensation
Committee

Nominating
and
Governance
Committee

Other
Current
Public
Boards

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

68

2015

Retired Global Chief Executive Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd.

Yes

Yes

Yes

3

Ming Lu

61

2009

Partner, KKR & Co., L.P.

Yes

Chairman

Yes

Bridget Macaskill

70

2016

Non-Executive Chairman, First Eagle Holdings, Inc.

Yes

Yes

Yes

2

Martin H. Nesbitt

56

2011

Co-Chief Executive Officer, The Vistria Group, LLC

Yes

Yes

Yes

2

Jeetendra (“Jeetu”) I. Patel

47

New Nominee

Chief Product Officer and Chief Strategy Officer, Box, Inc.

Yes

N/A

N/A

N/A

Sheila A. Penrose

73

2002; Chairman Since 2005

Chairman of the Board, JLL

Yes

Yes

Yes

Chairman

1

Ann Marie Petach

58

2015

Retired Chief Financial Officer, BlackRock, Inc.

Yes

Chairman

Yes

Christian Ulbrich

52

2016

Chief Executive Officer and President, JLL

No

1

 

Corporate Governance Highlights

 

Our mission as an organization is to deliver exceptional strategic, fully-integrated services, best practices, and innovative solutions for real estate owners, occupiers, investors, and developers worldwide. In order to achieve our mission, we realize we must establish and maintain an enterprise that will sustain itself over the long-term for the benefit of all of its stakeholders — clients, shareholders, employees, suppliers, and communities, among others. Accordingly, we have committed ourselves to effective corporate governance that reflects best practices and the highest level of business ethics. To that end, and as the result of our shareholder engagement efforts, over the past years we have adopted the following significant corporate governance policies and practices:

 

Corporate Governance Policies and Best Practices

Board Practices

Shareholder Practices

● All Non-Executive Directors are Independent Directors

● Separate Non-Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Roles

● Annual Board and Committee Self-Evaluation, Including by Outside Facilitator

● Highly Diverse Board (as to gender, ethnicity, and experience)

● Regular Evaluation of Director Compensation

● Significant Engagement with Employees, Senior Management and Clients at Board Meetings, Which Take Place Across our Major Offices Globally

● Annual Election of All Directors

● Directors Not “Over-Boarded”

● Two-Thirds of Board Stewardship Compensation is in Company Shares

● No Perquisites to Board Members

● Board Orientation/Education Program

● Company Code of Business Ethics Applicable to Directors

● Majority Voting in Director Elections

● Related Party Transactions Policy Requiring Approval by the Nominating and Governance Committee of any Related Party Transactions

● Regular Succession Planning for Both Management and Board

● Stewardship Compensation Program for Directors, with No Separate Meeting Fees

● Independent Directors Meet Without Management Present at Each In-Person Meeting

● Proxy Access Right

● Active Shareholder Engagement

● Right of Shareholders Owning 30% of Outstanding Shares to Call a Special Meeting of Shareholders for any Purpose

● Annual Shareholder “Say-on-Pay” Vote for Executive Compensation

 

Other Best Practices

 

● Annual Evaluation of Board Effectiveness by Senior Management

● Policy Against Pledging and Hedging Company Stock

● Disclosure Committee for Financial Reporting

● Increasingly Sophisticated Integrated Reporting and Corporate Sustainability Reporting

● Corporate Compliance Program

● Company Makes Negligible Political Contributions

 

Proxy Statement Summary

S-2

 

 

2018 Business Highlights

 

We believe we remain well-positioned to take advantage of the opportunities in a consolidating industry and to navigate successfully the dynamic markets in which we compete worldwide. We are proud to be a preferred provider of global real estate services, an employer of choice, a consistent winner of industry awards, and a valued partner to the largest and most successful companies and institutions in the global marketplace.

 

Among its financial and operational highlights for 2018, JLL:

 

Generated revenue and fee revenue of $16.3 billion and $6.5 billion, respectively, across our four business segments, representing increases of 13% and 13%, respectively, over 2017.

 

Maintained our investment-grade balance sheet for growth, reflecting the Company’s strong cash generation.

 

As of December 31, 2018, our investment-grade credit rating was BBB+ (Stable) with Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services (S&P) and Baa1 (Stable) with Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s).

 

As of December 31, 2018, our LaSalle Investment Management business had assets under management of $60.5 billion, an increase of 4% from 2017. LaSalle's significant revenue growth reflects record 2018 incentive fees earned on the disposition of real estate assets on behalf of clients, along with increased advisory fees for the full year.

 

Provided corporate facility management services for 1.4 billion square feet of clients’ real estate. Over the same period, the JLL Corporate Solutions business had 145 new business wins, 78 expansions of existing relationships, and 52 contract renewals.

 

Completed six strategic acquisitions that expanded our capabilities and increased our presence in key regional markets including Canada, England, and the Philippines, as well as in the United States.

 

Provided capital markets services for $179 billion in client transactions.

 

Completed approximately 16,100 agency leasing transactions for landlord and tenant clients, representing 250 million square feet of space.

 

Please refer to Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

S-3

Proxy Statement Summary

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

1

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

1

Nominations Process for Directors

4

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

6

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES AND BOARD MATTERS

8

Director Independence

8

Board Leadership Structure

9

The Audit Committee

10

The Compensation Committee

10

The Nominating and Governance Committee

11

Director Attendance

11

Director Orientation and Continuing Education

11

Annual Board Self-Assessments and Senior Management Assessments

11

The Board’s Role in Enterprise Risk Oversight

11

Shareholder Engagement

12

Communicating with Our Board of Directors

12

Corporate Sustainability

12

Review and Approval of Transactions with Interested Persons

13

Policy on Trading Stock; Policy Against Pledging or Hedging Stock

13

Non-Executive Director Compensation

13

Non-Executive Director Stock Ownership

16

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

17

Proposal 2 – Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation

17

Additional Information

44

SECURITY OWNERSHIP

46

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

48

CERTAIN RELATIONSHPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

48

EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

49

Proposal 3 – Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan

49

AUDIT MATTERS

57

Proposal 4 – Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

57

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUTING FIRM

57

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

59

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE PROXY MATERIALS AND OUR ANNUAL MEETING

60

ANNEX A RECONCILIATION OF GAAP AND NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

A-1

ANNEX B PAY RATIO EXCLUDED EMPLOYEES

B-1

ANNEX C 2019 STOCK AWARD AND INCENTIVE PLAN

C-1

 

 

 

 

 

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Proposal 1 – Election of Directors

 

Our Board is presenting ten nominees for election as Directors at our 2019 Annual Meeting. Dame DeAnne Julius, who has served on the Board since November 2008, is not standing for re-election at the 2019 Annual Meeting. We thank Dame DeAnne for her service to the Company.

 

Each nominee for Director currently serves as a Director of the Company except Mr. Jeetendra (“Jeetu”) I. Patel, who is a new nominee identified and recommended by an independent third-party search firm. In November 2018, Matthew Carter, Jr. was appointed to the Board.

 

Each Director elected will serve until the next annual meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected and qualified. Each Director nominee has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve as a Director if elected. Proxies cannot be voted for a greater number of Directors than the ten nominees identified in this Proxy Statement. If you sign and properly submit your proxy card, but do not give instructions with respect to voting for Directors, your shares will be voted for the ten persons recommended by the Board of Directors.

 

Our 2019 Director Nominees

 

A biography of each Director nominee, current as of March 15, 2019, setting forth his or her age, and describing his or her business experience during the past five years, including other prior relevant business experience is presented below.

 

Hugo Bagué

Age 58

Director since March 2011

JLL Board Committees

Compensation Committee (Chair)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Mr. Bagué is currently the Executive Director of Milvusmilvus Consulting GmbH, a consultancy company that he owns and runs. From 2007 until April 2017, Mr. Bagué was Organisational Resources Group Executive for Rio Tinto plc, a leading international mining and metals group that employs 60,000 people worldwide in over forty countries.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Bagué brings significant experience with employee relations, communications, safety, information technology, and compensation issues and perspectives on public relations, procurement, information systems, and corporate sustainability. His work for other multi-national companies provides insights into operating within different cultures, business environments, and legal systems, including in Continental Europe as well as emerging markets, and also within the technology and healthcare industries, both of which are important to the Company’s future growth strategy.

Matthew Carter, Jr.

Age 58

Director since November 2018

JLL Board Committees

Audit Committee (Member)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Mr. Carter, 58, has been a Director of JLL since November 2018. Currently, Mr. Carter is the Chief Executive Officer of Aryaka Networks, Inc., the leading provider of cloud and on-premises network applications. From 2015 to 2017, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Inteliquent, Inc., which provides wholesale voice services for carriers and service providers. Prior to that role, Mr. Carter held various roles at Sprint Corporation from 2006 to 2015, including President of Enterprise Solutions, Sprint’s $14 billion global communications technology business unit. He serves on the boards of NRG Energy, Inc. and USG Corporation, and previously served on the boards of Inteliquent, Inc. and Apollo Education Group, Inc.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Carter brings to the Board significant corporate leadership, brand management and technology experience, drawing from his executive roles at large companies, including his various roles at Sprint. His service on other boards, enhances our Board’s capabilities in the areas of management oversight, corporate governance and board dynamics.

 

Page | 1

Proxy Statement

 

 

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

Age 68

Director since May 2015

JLL Board Committees

Compensation Committee (Member)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Mr. Di Piazza retired as Global Chief Executive Office of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Ltd. in September 2009 after eight years of leading the largest professional services firm in the world. Over his 36 year career at PwC, as Chairman and Senior Partner, the Americas Tax Practice and was a member of the Global Leadership Team. After retiring from PwC, Mr. Di Piazza joined Citigroup, Inc., where he served as Vice Chairman of the Global Corporate and Investment Bank from 2011 until February 2014. Mr. Di Piazza currently serves on the Board of Directors of AT&T, Inc., having previously served as a Director of DirecTV, Inc. prior to its acquisition during 2015 by AT&T, as well as ProAssurance, Inc., a property and casualty insurance company, and Regions Financial Corporation, a bank and financial services company.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Di Piazza brings to the Board valuable insights and perspective regarding the management of a multi-cultural, complex organization providing services to diverse client types across the globe. Mr. Di Piazza also brings to the Board significant accounting experience, including managing a tax practice and as part of standards setting organizations. His service on the boards of other highly sophisticated organizations provides the Board with additional governance perspectives and experience with critical business issues, including cybersecurity.

Ming Lu

Age 61

Director since May 2009

JLL Board Committees

Compensation Committee (Member)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Mr. Lu is a partner of KKR & Co., LP, a leading global alternative asset manager sponsoring and managing funds that make investments in private equity, fixed income and other assets in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Mr. Lu joined KKR in 2006, and in 2018, was named Head of its Asia operation.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Lu brings to the Board extensive knowledge about overseeing the development and operations of companies in Asia, and particularly China, one of the most important regions for our future growth potential. He also brings to the Board his experience in evaluating emerging market dynamics and integrating acquisitions, executive compensation, accounting, investment banking and finance.

Bridget Macaskill

Age 70

Director since July 2016

JLL Board Committees

Audit Committee (Member)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Ms. Macaskill was formerly President and Chief Executive Officer of First Eagle, which she joined in 2009. Ms. Macaskill has served on a number of public company and not-for-profit boards and is currently on the boards of Jupiter Fund Management plc. and Close Brothers plc., a merchant banking firm.

Skills and Attributes

 

Ms. Macaskill brings to the Board her experience in the investment management, finance, accounting, shareholder relations, leadership, enterprise risk management, compliance, and operations within a highly regulated industry. Ms. Macaskill also brings to the Board experience in corporate social responsibility and diversity. Additionally, Ms. Macaskill brings perspectives on the English government and economy that will be useful as that country pursues its exit from the European Union.

Martin H. Nesbitt

Age 56

Director since March 2011

JLL Board Committees

Audit Committee (Member)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Since January 2013, Mr. Nesbitt has serviced as Co-Chief Executive Officer of The Vistria Group, LLC, a private equity investment firm. He is a member of the board of directors of Norfolk Southern Corporation, one of the premier rail transportation companies in the United States, and American Airlines Group, Inc., the holding company for American Airlines. He has previously been a member of the board of directors of the Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a real estate investment trust.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Nesbitt brings to the Board significant experience in real estate and investment management. As co-founder and chief executive officer of an entrepreneurial real estate venture, he brings to the Board experience in strategic development and marketing, as well as the execution of business plans. Additionally, Mr. Nesbitt’s urban, cultural, and community activities enrich the Board’s oversight of the Company’s corporate social responsibility and diversity initiatives.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 2

 

 

Jeetendra I. Patel

Age 47

New Nominee

JLL Board Committees

Professional Experience

 

In 2017, Mr. Patel became the Chief Product Officer and Chief Strategy Officer at Box, Inc. From 2015 to 2017, Mr. Patel was the Chief Strategy Officer and SVP of Platform at Box, Inc. where he led the creation of the Box Platform business unit, overseeing product strategy, marketing and developer relations. Before joining Box, from 2010 to 2015, Mr. Patel was General Manager and Chief Executive of EMC’s Syncplicity business unit.

Skills and Attributes

 

Mr. Patel brings chief executive and senior management expertise to our Board, together with marketing, brand management, strategic and strong technology-related experience.

Sheila A. Penrose

Age 73

Director since May 2002

JLL Board Committees

Nominating and Governance Committee (Chair)

Audit Committee (Member)

Compensation Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

Ms. Penrose has served Chairman of JLL’s Board since January 1, 2005. Ms. Penrose served as an Executive Advisor to The Boston Consulting Group from January 2001 to December 2007. Ms. Penrose is a member of the board of directors of McDonald’s Corporation, the world’s leading foodservice retailer. Ms. Penrose previously served on the board of directors of eFunds Corporation, a provider of integrated information and payment solutions, Nalco Chemical Corp., a specialty chemicals provider, and Entrust Datacard Group, a supplier of systems for secure identity and secure transaction solutions.

Skills and Attributes

 

Ms. Penrose provides our Board with a depth of experience in client relationship management, all aspects of corporate finance and banking relationships, enterprise risk management, executive compensation and international business transactions. Her experience with a management consulting firm enhances our Board’s oversight of strategic development activities, evaluation of M&A opportunities, and succession planning. Her other public company board experience enhances her contribution to our Board’s consideration of governance issues and the functioning of our Nominating and Governance Committee. Ms. Penrose’s role as the Company’s Non-Executive Chairman also gives her additional knowledge about our Company’s services and staff which is useful to our Board’s deliberations.

Ann Marie Petach

Age 58

Director since May 2015

JLL Board Committees

Audit Committee (Chair)

Nominating and Governance Committee (Member)

Professional Experience

 

From 2007 until 2014, Ms. Petach was a senior leader at BlackRock, Inc., the world’s largest investment management firm managing over $4.6 trillion of assets on behalf of governments, companies, foundations, and millions of individuals globally. Most recently, Ms. Petach was the co-head of US Client Solutions and prior to that she was the Chief Financial Officer of BlackRock. Beginning in 2017, she became an advisor at Google, Inc., working on special projects and became a full-time employee in the same capacity beginning October 2018.

Skills and Attributes

 

Ms. Petach brings to the Board financial acumen within the international arena, including with respect to currency exchange matters and with respect to relationships with banks and investment banks. She also brings strategic and operational perspectives, including with respect to client relationships, compliance, and the deployment of capital. Moreover, she has experience with corporate disclosure and investor relations that inform our Board’s oversight of the securities aspects of a public company and engagement with shareholders.

Christian Ulbrich

Age 52

Director since October 2016

JLL Board Committees

Professional Experience

 

Mr. Ulbrich, 52, has been the Chief Executive Officer and President of JLL since October 2016. He is the Chairman of our Global Executive Board. From June 2016 through September 2016, Mr. Ulbrich was President of JLL, having previously served as the Chief Executive Officer for our Europe, Middle East, and Africa business segment since January 2009. Mr. Ulbrich was first elected to our Board at the 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Mr. Ulbrich is a member of the board of directors of Vonovia SE, Germany’s largest residential real estate company.

Skills and Attributes

 

Our Board benefits from Mr. Ulbrich’s 13 years of experience at JLL, seven of which have been as the CEO of our EMEA business and as a member of our Global Executive Board, particularly with respect to the Company’s strategy, operations, the nature of its business and geographies, and its client relationships, as well as managing an integrated business in a multi-cultural environment. His previous chief executive and other management roles with financial institutions will provide important perspectives on organizational leadership and on client needs and perspectives. Mr. Ulbrich’s current service on the Board of a major German public company in the residential sector contributes comparative insights on corporate governance and organization.

 

The Board recommends a vote FOR the election of each of the named nominees as Directors.

 

Page | 3

Proxy Statement

 

 

Nominations Process for Directors

 

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees for Directors

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee employs a variety of methods to identify and evaluate nominees for Director. The Committee regularly assesses the appropriate size of the Board and whether any vacancies on the Board are expected due to retirement or otherwise. In the event that vacancies are anticipated or otherwise arise, the Committee would consider various potential candidates for Director. Candidates may come to the attention of the Committee through then current Board members, Company executives, shareholders, professional search firms, or other persons.

 

Director Qualifications; Diversity Considerations; Director Tenure

 

Our Board has adopted a Statement of Qualifications of Members of the Board of Directors, which is available on our website and contains the membership characteristics that apply to nominees to be recommended by the Nominating and Governance Committee. According to these characteristics, the Board should be composed of individuals who have demonstrated notable or significant achievements in business, education, or public service. In addition, the members of the Board should possess the acumen, education, and experience to make a significant contribution to the Board and bring a range of skills, diverse perspectives, and backgrounds to the deliberations of the Board. Importantly, the members of the Board must have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism, and a dedication to serving the interests of all the shareholders, and they must be able to make themselves readily available to the Board in the fulfillment of their duties.

 

For a number of years, our Nominating and Governance Committee has maintained an internal list of the more specific experiences and attributes that it seeks to have cumulatively reflected on the Board. While we do not expect each Director to necessarily contribute all of the desired criteria, we do seek to have the criteria represented on the Board as deeply as possible in their totality. Accordingly, when we are searching for a new Director, we seek to fill any relative gaps in the overall criteria that we may have identified at the time.

 

The desired Board composition criteria that the Committee has identified include, among others, the skills and qualifications described below:

 

Management and Leadership Experience

Skilled and Diverse Background

Integrity and Professionalism

A member of the Board must have extensive experience in business, education or public service. He or she should therefore hold or have held any of:

– a senior managerial position in a significant public corporation or a recognized privately held entity;

– a significant faculty or administrative position at a prominent educational institution;

– a senior position in a significant governmental position; or

– a senior position in a significant nonprofit organization.

A member of the Board should bring to the Board a diverse range of skills, perspectives and experience. The following attributes, among others that may be appropriate, should therefore be considered in assessing the contribution that an individual would make to the Board:

– an understanding of financial reporting and internal control principles or financial management experience;

– international and multi-cultural experience and understanding; and

– the aptitude and experience to fully appreciate the legal responsibilities of a director and the governance processes of a public company.

A member of the Board must have the highest ethical standards, a strong sense of professionalism and be prepared to serve the interests of the shareholders. Among other attributes that may be appropriate, a member of the Board should therefore exhibit:

– independence, objectivity and a commitment to the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines and its Code of Business Ethics;

– the personal qualities of intelligence, self-assuredness, inter-personal skills, commitment, communication skills, inquisitiveness, objectivity, practical wisdom and mature judgment;

– a willingness to commit, as well as have, sufficient time to discharge his or her duties to the Board; and

– the ability to be able to develop and maintain a good working relationship with the other members of the Board and with the senior management of the Company.

 

In terms of the Committee’s goal to have a diverse Board, the Committee believes that diversity of background and perspective, combined with relevant professional experience, benefits the Company and its shareholders. The Committee believes that the overall composition of the current Board reflects the desired criteria we describe above as well as a significant level of diversity from a number of different and important perspectives.

 

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The following charts reflect the tenure and independence of our 2019 Director nominees. Our Directors’ tenure is well-distributed to create a balanced Board, which contributes to a rich dialogue representing a range of perspectives. All of our Non-Executive Directors are independent.

 

 

Shareholder-Recommended Director Candidates

 

Any shareholder recommendations for individuals to be considered by the Committee as potential nominees should include the potential nominee’s name, age, business address, principal occupation and qualifications for Board membership and evidence of the consent of the proposed nominee to serve as a Director if elected. Shareholders must submit recommendations in writing to the attention of our Corporate Secretary at the address of our principal executive office set forth above. Shareholder recommendations for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting should be delivered to the Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office by no later than December 18, 2019. All candidates recommended by shareholders will be considered by the Committee in the same manner as any other candidate.

 

Proxy Access

 

In March 2018, our Board adopted a “Proxy Access for Director Nominations” bylaw after engaging with a number of our shareholders. The proxy access bylaw permits a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, owning at least 3% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock continuously for at least three years as of the date of the notice of nomination, to nominate and include in the Company’s proxy materials Director nominees constituting up to two individuals or 20% of the Board (whichever is greater), provided that the shareholder and nominee satisfy the requirements under Article III, Section 15 of the By-Laws. Shareholder nominations under the proxy access bylaw for election at the 2020 Annual Meeting must be delivered to the Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office by no later than December 18, 2019 and no earlier than November 18, 2019.

 

Majority Voting for Directors

 

Our By-Laws provide that, except with respect to vacancies, each Director shall be elected by a vote of the majority of the votes cast with respect to the Director at any meeting for the election of Directors at which a quorum is present. If, however, at least 14 days before the date we file our definitive Proxy Statement with the SEC, the number of nominees exceeds the number of Directors to be elected (a Contested Election), the Directors shall be elected by the vote of a plurality of the shares represented in person or by proxy at any such meeting and entitled to vote on the election of Directors. A majority of the votes cast means that the number of shares voted “for” a Director must exceed the number of votes cast “against” that Director (with abstentions and broker non-votes not counted as a vote cast either “for” or “against” that Director’s election).

 

In the event an incumbent Director fails to receive a majority of the votes cast in an election that is not a Contested Election, such incumbent Director must promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board. The Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board (or another Committee designated by the Board under the By-Laws) must make a recommendation to the Board as to whether to accept or reject the resignation of such incumbent Director, or whether other action should be taken. The Board must act on the resignation, taking into account the Committee’s recommendation, and publicly disclose (by a press release and filing an appropriate disclosure with the SEC) its decision regarding the resignation and, if such resignation is rejected, the rationale behind the decision, within 90 days following certification of the election results. The Committee in making its recommendations, and the Board in making its decision, may each consider any factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant. The Director who tenders his or her resignation will not participate in the recommendation of the Committee or the decision of the Board with respect to his or her resignation. If such incumbent Director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board, the Director will continue to serve until the next Annual Meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal.

 

If an incumbent Director’s resignation is accepted by the Board, or if a non-incumbent nominee for Director is not elected, then the Board, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy or may decrease the size of the Board.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

 

The following sets forth certain information about the Company’s executive officers as of March 15, 2019. Our executive officers are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, our Board. There are no family relationships among any of our Directors or executive officers.

 

Mary E. Bilbrey Ms. Bilbrey, 55, has been the Global Chief Human Resources Officer since February 2019. Ms. Bilbrey joined JLL in early 2016 as Chief Human Resources Officers for the Americas.

 

Richard Bloxam Mr. Bloxam, 47, has been Global Chief Executive Officer Capital Markets of JLL since October 2016. He is a member of our Global Executive Board and has additional oversight for Valuations and Research. Mr. Bloxam was formerly the head of Capital Markets for JLL in EMEA from 2012. Prior to that, Mr. Bloxam served in various capacities for JLL, including Head of Pan European Capital Markets, Head of Retail Capital Markets Central & Eastern Europe (Austria), and Head of Retail in Hungary.

 

Louis F. Bowers Mr. Bowers, 36, has been the Global Controller and Principal Accounting Officer of JLL since August 2015. He previously served as Director of Accounting Policy of the Company from September 2014. Prior to that, Mr. Bowers served in various positions, including Vice President and Controller at Retail Properties of America, Inc. from June 2011 to September 2014, and Manager — Audit, Real Estate at KPMG LLP from September 2005 to June 2011.

 

Grace T. Chang Ms. Chang, 46, has been the Managing Director of Global Corporate Finance and Investor Relations of JLL since November 2015.

 

Anthony Couse Mr. Couse, 53, has been the Chief Executive Officer for our Asia Pacific business since June 2016. He is a member of our Global Executive Board. Mr. Couse was previously the Managing Director of our Shanghai and East China business from January 2006. Prior to that, he was based in our Hong Kong business from 1993 where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including head of our Agency business for Asia. In 1989, Mr. Couse joined Jones Lang Wootton, one of the predecessor entities to JLL, based in the Company's London office.

 

Bryan J. Duncan Mr. Duncan, 49, has been the Global Treasurer of JLL since August 2015. He previously served as Assistant Treasurer of the Company from September 2005. Prior to that, Mr. Duncan served in various positions within the Treasury Department of the Company from September 1999.

 

John Forrest Mr. Forrest, 48, is the Global and Americas Chief Executive Officer for our Corporate Solutions business and Chairman of our Global Corporate Solutions Board. He is a member of our Global Executive Board. Mr. Forrest has spent his entire career with JLL, beginning as a management trainee in our Australia business and for more than 20 years has assumed roles of increasing responsibility in different locations globally, including within our corporate real estate services, tenant representation, property management, fund management, and workplace strategies businesses. Before re-locating to the United States for his current role, he was previously the Chief Executive Officer of our Corporate Solutions business in Asia Pacific.

 

Allan Frazier Mr. Frazier, 66, has been Global Chief Information Officer of JLL since September 1, 2017, and prior to that was Head of Data and Information Management and Chief Data Officer of JLL from January 2014.

 

Guy Grainger Mr. Grainger, 51, has been the Chief Executive Officer for our Europe, Middle East, and Africa business segment since June 2016. He is a member of our Global Executive Board. Mr. Grainger was previously the Chief Executive Officer of our UK business and prior to that the Lead Director of our UK Retail business. He joined JLL in 2008 following the acquisition of Churston Heard.

 

Jeff A. Jacobson Mr. Jacobson, 57, has been Chief Executive Officer of LaSalle Investment Management, JLL’s investment management business segment, since January 2007. He is a member of our Global Executive Board. From 2000 through 2006, he was Regional Chief Executive Officer of LaSalle Investment Management’s European operations. During the period between 1986 and 1998, he served in positions of increasing responsibility with LaSalle Partners, one of the predecessor corporations to JLL.

 

James S. Jasionowski Mr. Jasionowski, 60, has been Executive Vice President, Chief Tax Officer of JLL since January 2007. He was Executive Vice President, Director of Tax, from April 2002 to December 2006.

 

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Patricia Maxson Dr. Maxson, 60, joined JLL in 2012 bringing with her a wide variety of leadership experience. She currently serves as Chief Administrative Officer and served as Interim Chief Financial Officer from September 2018 through March 2019, while also maintaining her role as the Global Chief Human Resources Officer through February 2019. She is a member of our Global Executive Board.

 

Gregory P. O’Brien Mr. O’Brien, 57, has been the Chief Executive Officer for our Americas business segment since January 2014. He is a member of our Global Executive Board. Mr. O’Brien was previously the Chief Executive Officer of our Americas Markets Solutions business and prior to that the Chief Executive Officer of our Americas Brokerage business. He was the Chief Executive Officer of The Staubach Company prior to its merger with JLL in 2008.

 

Stephanie Plaines Ms. Plaines, 52, has been the Global Chief Financial Officer of JLL since March 2019. She is a member of our Global Executive Board.

 

Parikshat Suri Mr. Suri, 51, has been Executive Vice President, Chief Audit Executive of JLL since September 2014. He was CFO of JLL India from May 2008 to August 2014.

 

Judith I. Tempelman Ms. Tempelman, 41, has been Global Head of Corporate Development for JLL since November 2016. Previously, Ms. Tempelman was Chief Human Resources Officer for JLL in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Before that, she was based in the JLL Singapore office, where she was Asia Pacific Head of Organizational Development.

 

Alan K. Tse Mr. Tse, 47, has been Global Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for JLL since June 2018.

 

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES AND
BOARD MATTERS

 

We maintain a corporate governance section on our public website, www.jll.com, where we post our:

 

Articles of Incorporation;

 

By-Laws;

 

Corporate Governance Guidelines;

 

Charters for each of the three standing Committees of our Board of Directors described below;

 

Statement of Qualifications of Members of the Board of Directors; and

 

Code of Business Ethics.

 

We will make any of this information available in print to any shareholder who requests it in writing from our Corporate Secretary at the address of our principal executive office.

 

The Board of Directors regularly reviews corporate governance developments and modifies our By-Laws, Guidelines, and Committee Charters accordingly. Our Code of Business Ethics applies to all employees of the Company, including all of our executive officers, as well as to the members of our Board of Directors.

 

JLL is committed to the values of effective corporate governance and the highest ethical standards. We believe that these values will promote the best long-term performance and sustainability of the Company for the benefit of our shareholders, clients, staff, and other constituencies. To this end, over the past years we have adopted the following significant corporate governance policies and practices:

 

Annual elections of all Directors;

 

Annual “say-on-pay” votes by shareholders with respect to executive compensation;

 

Right of shareholders owning 30% of the outstanding shares of our Common Stock to call a special meeting of shareholders for any purpose;

 

Majority voting in Director elections;

 

Proxy Access for Director nominations;

 

Separation of the Chairman and CEO roles, with our Chairman serving as the Lead Independent Director;

 

Regular evaluation of Director compensation;

 

Required approval by the Nominating and Governance Committee of any related party transactions;

 

Executive session among the Non-Executive Directors at each in-person meeting;

 

Director orientation and continuing education program; and

 

Annual self-assessment by the Board and each of its Committees, periodically conducted by an outside consultant, and an annual assessment of the Board by senior management.

 

Director Independence

 

A majority of our Board consists of independent Directors. All of the members of the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating and Governance Committees of our Board are independent Directors.

 

Having an independent board is a core element of our governance philosophy. For a Director to be considered independent, the Board must determine that the Director does not have any direct or indirect material relationship with the Company. The Board observes all criteria for independence and experience established by the NYSE. The Board also observes all criteria from our Corporate Governance Guidelines, which provide that a substantial majority of our Directors will be independent.

 

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The Board has determined that each of our Non-Executive Directors, Messrs. Bagué, Carter, Jr., Di Piazza, Jr., Lu and Nesbitt, and Mses. Julius, Macaskill, Penrose and Petach, are independent according to the criteria we describe above. The Board has determined that Mr. Patel, our new Director nominee, is also independent under the same criteria. Further, Mr. Shailesh Rao, who stepped down from the Board on September 14, 2018, was independent during his service on the Board. These are the Directors we describe in this Proxy Statement as being Non-Executive Directors (meaning Directors we do not otherwise employ as Corporate Officers).

 

In connection with the independence determinations for each of our Non-Executive Directors, the Board considered transactions of the Company with entities with which such Directors are or were associated, as current or former Directors, officers, employees, partners and/or equity-holders, noting that each such transaction consists of services being provided by the Company in the ordinary course of business, with customary consideration being received by the Company in exchange therefor (and no consideration being received directly or indirectly by the Director). None of these transactions was considered a material relationship that impacted the applicable Director’s independence.

 

In particular, in determining that Ms. Petach is independent, the Board considered her service as director of certain companies affiliated with BlackRock, Inc. (Blackrock), which in the aggregate, constitute a significant shareholder of JLL. The Board determined that these relationships do not compromise Ms. Petach’s independence. Further, we have also put procedures in place, to which BlackRock has agreed, to avoid conflicts of interest with respect to information regarding JLL.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

Since January 1, 2005, Ms. Penrose, a Non-Executive Director, has held the role of the Chairman of the Board. The Board has determined that Ms. Penrose will also serve as the Lead Independent Director of the Board for purposes of the NYSE’s corporate governance rules.

 

In her role as Chairman of the Board, Ms. Penrose’s duties include the following:

 

Chair Board meetings and encourage constructive engagement and open communications;

 

Preside over regularly scheduled executive sessions of our Non-Executive Directors;

 

Coordinate the activities of, and facilitate communications among, our Non-Executive Directors;

 

Chair our annual shareholders’ meetings;

 

Establish each Board meeting agenda, consulting with the Chief Executive Officer and Global Chief Legal Officer, and ensure that the agenda and materials are complete, timely, and address the key priorities of the Company and its Board;

 

Represent the Company with clients and shareholders as required;

 

Act as a mentor and confidant to the Chief Executive Officer in support of his successful performance, attend internal Company meetings as required, and encourage direct communications between the Chief Executive Officer and individual members of the Board; and

 

Maintain regular and open dialogue with Board members between meetings.

 

The Board has determined that each person who serves as Chairman of the Board from time to time, if that person is independent, will automatically also serve as a member of each of the Board’s Committees, although not necessarily as its Chairman.

 

Our leadership structure separates our Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board positions. We believe this approach, is useful and appropriate for a complex and global organization such as ours, as it provides independent Board leadership and engagement while allowing our CEO to focus on his primary responsibility for managing the Company’s day-to-day operations.

 

Board Committees

 

Our Board of Directors has a standing Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Nominating and Governance Committee. The following table identifies:

 

The current members of each of the Committees, all of whom are independent Non-Executive Directors;

 

The Director who currently serves as the Chairman of each Committee; and

 

The number of meetings (including teleconference meetings) each Committee held during 2018.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

Director

Audit
Committee

Compensation
Committee

Nominating and
Governance
Committee

Hugo Bagué

Chairman*

Matthew Carter, Jr.

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

Dame DeAnne Julius

Ming Lu

Chairman*

Bridget Macaskill

Martin H. Nesbitt

Sheila A. Penrose

Chairman

Ann Marie Petach

Chairman

Number of Meetings During 2018

9

6

4

 

 

*

Mr. Lu served as Chairman of the Compensation Committee through September 12, 2018. Mr. Bagué was appointed Chairman of the Compensation Committee on September 12, 2018.

 

In order to get the benefit of their additional perspectives, we invite Non-Executive Directors who are not members of a given Committee to attend all meetings of each Committee, although they are not obligated to do so. We also provide them access to all Committee materials for their information.

 

Each Committee has authority to engage legal counsel or other advisors and consultants as it deems appropriate to carry out its responsibilities. Below is a description of each Committee’s responsibilities.

 

The Audit Committee

 

Ms. Petach (Chairman), Mses. Macaskill and Penrose, and Mr. Nesbitt served as members of our Audit Committee during the entire year of 2018. Mr. Carter has served as a member of the Audit Committee since November 2018.

 

Under the terms of its charter, the Audit Committee acts on behalf of the Board to monitor (1) the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, (2) the qualifications and independence of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, (3) the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and of its independent registered public accounting firm, and (4) compliance by the Company with certain legal and regulatory requirements.

 

See also the report of the Audit Committee set forth in the section headed “Audit Committee Report.”

 

Our Board has determined that each of the members of our Audit Committee is “financially literate” as required by the NYSE. Our Board has also determined that at least one of the members of the Committee, Ms. Petach, its Chairman, is qualified as an “audit committee financial expert” for purposes of the applicable SEC rule.

 

The Compensation Committee

 

Messrs. Bagué, Lu, and Di Piazza, and Mses. Julius and Penrose, served as members of the Compensation Committee during the entire year of 2018. Mr. Rao served on the Compensation Committee through September 2018. Mr. Lu served as Chairman of the Compensation Committee through September 2018 and Mr. Bagué took over as Chairman starting in September 2018.

 

Under the terms of its charter, the Compensation Committee acts on behalf of the Board to formulate, evaluate and approve the compensation of the Company’s executive officers and to oversee all compensation programs involving the use of the Company’s Common Stock.

 

See also the report of the Compensation Committee set forth in the section headed “Compensation Committee Report.”

 

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

 

There are no Compensation Committee interlocks, and there is no insider participation on the Compensation Committee. Certain executive officers attend meetings of the Compensation Committee in order to present information and answer questions of the members of the Compensation Committee.

 

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Relationship Between Compensation Design and Risk-Taking

 

We periodically consider whether our compensation policies may be reasonably expected to create incentives for our people to take risks that are likely to have a material adverse effect on either our short-term or longer-term financial results or operations. We continue to believe that they do not. We also have not identified historical situations where we believe that our compensation practices drove behaviors or actions that resulted in material adverse effects on our business or prospects.

 

The Nominating and Governance Committee

 

Mses. Penrose (Chairman), Julius, Macaskill and Petach, and Messrs. Bagué, Di Piazza, Lu, and Nesbitt served as members of the Nominating and Governance Committee during the entire year of 2018. Mr. Carter has served as member of the Nominating and Governance Committee since November 2018. As a policy matter, all of our Non-Executive Directors are automatically members of this Committee.

 

Under the terms of its charter, the Nominating and Governance Committee acts on behalf of the Board to (1) identify and recommend to the Board qualified candidates for Director nominees for each Annual Meeting of Shareholders and to fill vacancies on the Board occurring between such Annual Meetings, (2) recommend to the Board nominees for Directors to serve on each Committee of the Board, (3) develop and recommend to the Board the Corporate Governance Guidelines, and (4) lead the Board in its annual review of the Board’s performance.

 

Director Attendance

 

The full Board of Directors held four in-person meetings and six telephonic meetings during 2018. Each Director who held such position during 2018 attended, in aggregate, at least 75% of all meetings (including teleconferences) of the Board and of any Committee on which such Director served during the course of his or her membership on the Board or such Committee. Our Non-Executive Directors meet in executive session without management participation prior to or after every in-person Board meeting. Ms. Penrose, the Chairman of the Board, presides over these executive sessions.

 

We strongly encourage each member of our Board of Directors to attend each Annual Meeting of Shareholders. All of the members of our Board of Directors at the time were present at our previous Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on May 31, 2018.

 

Director Orientation and Continuing Education

 

We provide Directors who join our Board with an initial orientation about the Company, including our business operations, strategy, code of ethics, and policies, including those with regard to sustainability, integrated reporting, tax, audit, financial reporting, and governance. We then provide all of our Directors with resources and ongoing educational opportunities to assist them in staying current about developments in corporate governance and critical issues relating to the operation of public company boards and their committees. We actively participate in various professional organizations that provide training opportunities and information about best practices in corporate governance and business ethics. Our Board also visits Company offices in different cities as part of its regularly scheduled Board meetings, and typically this includes sessions with management, staff, and clients.

 

Annual Board Self-Assessments and Senior Management Assessments

 

Our Board annually conducts a self-evaluation to determine whether it and its Committees are functioning effectively and how they might enhance their effectiveness.

 

The Board alternates between written and interview approaches for its self-assessments. For the year ended 2018, the Board conducted its self-evaluation using interviews.

 

The Board’s Role in Enterprise Risk Oversight

 

Successful management of any organization’s enterprise risks is critical to its long-term sustainability. The Board and its Committees take active roles in overseeing management’s identification and mitigation of the Company’s enterprise risks. The Audit Committee focuses on the process by which management continuously identifies its enterprise risks and monitors the mitigation efforts that have been established. The Board focuses on substantive aspects of management’s evaluation of

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

the Company’s enterprise risks and the efforts it is taking to avoid and mitigate them, including with respect to cybersecurity. Each of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Governance Committee also monitors and discusses with management those risks that are inherent in the matters that are within each such Committee’s purview.

 

As a standing agenda item for its quarterly meetings, the Audit Committee discusses with management the process that has been followed in order to establish an enterprise risk management report. This report reflects (1) the then current most significant enterprise risks that management believes the Company is facing, (2) the efforts management is taking to avoid or mitigate the identified risks, and (3) how the Company’s internal audit function proposes to align its activities with the identified risks.

 

As a regular part of its establishment of executive compensation, the Compensation Committee considers how the structuring of our compensation programs will affect risk-taking and the extent to which it will drive alignment with the long-term success of the enterprise and the interests of our shareholders. The Compensation Committee comments on this aspect of our compensation program in the “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” that is a part of this Proxy Statement.

 

In the normal course of its activities, our Nominating and Governance Committee reviews emerging best practices in corporate governance and stays abreast of changes in laws and regulations that affect the way we conduct our corporate governance, which represents another important aspect of overall enterprise risk management.

 

Shareholder Engagement

 

We regularly engage with our shareholders to understand their perspectives on our Company, including our strategies, performance, issues of governance and corporate responsibility, and executive compensation. This ongoing dialogue, in which both members of management and Directors participate, has helped inform the Board's decision-making and ensure our interests remain well-aligned with those of our shareholders. In 2018, we met with shareholders representing 32% of our outstanding shares to learn their perspectives on the Company and governance-related topics. While a number of our shareholders did not request meetings, we believe it is a best practice to offer engagement to shareholders representing a majority of our shares outstanding. These efforts are in addition to normal course outreach conducted by our Investor Relations team and members of senior management with portfolio managers and analysts, which are primarily focused on strategy and Company performance. We also meet with shareholders at investor conferences held throughout the year.

 

Communicating with Our Board of Directors

 

We value the continued interest of and feedback from our shareholders and other parties, and are committed to maintaining our active dialogue with you to ensure the diversity of perspectives are considered. Shareholders and interested parties may communicate directly with our Board of Directors. If you wish to do so, please send an e-mail to boardofdirectors@am.jll.com, which our Corporate Secretary will forward to all Directors. If you wish to communicate only with our Non-Executive Directors, or specifically with any Director individually (including our Chairman of the Board, who serves as the Lead Independent Director, or the Chairman of any of our Committees), please so note in your e-mail. Alternatively, you may send a communication by mail to any or all of our Directors, or specifically to any or all of our Non-Executive Directors, care of our Corporate Secretary at the address of our principal executive office, and our Corporate Secretary will forward it unopened to the intended recipient(s).

 

Corporate Sustainability

 

Our vision is to make JLL a world-leading, sustainable professional services firm by creating spaces, buildings, and cities where everyone can thrive.

 

The world’s financial, social, and environmental challenges demand a bolder response from businesses around the globe. This is why we are committed to new ways of partnering with others to help achieve our shared ambitions for a sustainable future.

 

From serving our clients and engaging our people, to respecting natural resources in our workplaces and building community relationships, we are focused on what is good for business and for a sustainable future. This progressive approach leads to responsible investment decisions with healthier, safer, more engaged people, and increased value for all of our stakeholders. We are Building a Better Tomorrow everywhere we can.

 

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We believe there is a strong and direct correlation between our environmental, social and governance performance and the long-term health and success of our business. This belief is put in to action through Building a Better Tomorrow, our sustainability leadership ambition which aims to deliver transformative changes across the four pillars of the program: Clients, People, Workplaces and Communities. We are committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and transparency, and hold ourselves accountable for our performance.

 

We are committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and transparency, and hold ourselves accountable for our performance. We pursue our vision to lead the transformation of the real estate industry by making a positive impact both in and beyond our business. We also work to foster an environment that values the richness of our differences and reflects the diverse world in which we live and work. By cultivating a dynamic mix of people and ideas, we enrich our Company’s performance, the communities in which we operate, and the lives of our employees. We seek to recruit a diverse workforce, develop and promote exceptional talent, and embrace the varied, rich experiences of all our employees.

 

Our Global Sustainability Report is available at https://www.us.jll.com/content/dam/jll-com/documents/pdf/other/JLL-2017-Global-Sustainability-Report-interactive.pdf. Our latest report documents the Company’s achievements and challenges within our services and operations. Core to our journey is to embed sustainability deeply into our business. The report demonstrates how our approach aligns with our clients, adds value for shareholders, and benefits our workforce and the wider community. We use as guidance for our reporting the standards established by the Global Reporting Initiative, and the International Integrated Reporting Council, among others.

 

Review and Approval of Transactions with Interested Persons

 

We have adopted a conflict of interest policy as part of JLL’s Code of Business Ethics, which sets forth our expectation that all Directors, Corporate Officers, and employees of the Company will make business decisions and take actions based upon JLL’s best interests and not based upon personal relationships or benefits.

 

The Board has also adopted a formal written policy and procedures for the review and approval of any transaction, arrangement or relationship (or any series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships) (1) that involves a potential corporate opportunity or in which we were, are or will be a participant, (2) where the amount involved exceeds $120,000, and (3) in which any of the following persons had, has or will have a direct or indirect material interest:

 

Our Directors, nominees for Director, or Corporate Officers;

 

Any beneficial owner of more than 5% of any class of our voting securities;

 

Any immediate family member of any of the foregoing persons; and

 

Any entity in which any of the foregoing persons has a substantial ownership interest or control of such entity.

 

Policy on Trading Stock; Policy Against Pledging or Hedging Stock

 

We have an insider trading policy which prohibits all Directors, employees, officers and agents from engaging in any speculative transactions in our securities. The policy requires that all Directors, the Corporate Officers listed in this Proxy Statement, and certain other designated individuals (1) must pre-clear all trades in JLL stock with our General Counsel and (2) may not trade during designated “blackout periods” except under approved SEC Rule 10b5-1 trading plans.

 

We also prohibit Directors and Corporate Officers from engaging in hedging or pledging transactions involving our stock.

 

Non-Executive Director Compensation

 

Under its charter, our Nominating and Governance Committee (the Committee) is responsible for determining and recommending to the Board the overall compensation program for our Non-Executive Directors.

 

We use a combination of cash and stock-based compensation for the members of our Board. The Committee seeks to provide compensation to our Non-Executive Directors that is:

 

Aligned with the interests of our shareholders;

 

Designed to emphasize equity which ties the majority of Directors’ compensation to shareholder interests because the value of share units fluctuates up or down depending on the stock price;

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

Sufficient to attract and retain the highest caliber individuals who meet the established criteria for Board membership;

 

Reflective of the demands placed on Board and Committee membership by a complex and geographically dispersed, global organization operating in highly competitive and dynamic markets; and

 

Equitable based on compensation paid to directors at other firms under broadly similar circumstances.

 

The Committee gathers data on board compensation from various studies that are published by independent non-profit organizations (for example, the National Association of Corporate Directors) and recruiting or compensation consulting firms (for example, Spencer Stuart and Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc.). For comparison purposes, the Committee then uses the studies and data that appear to be most relevant and most closely aligned with the Company’s own circumstances. The Board also periodically engages an external compensation consultant to benchmark non-employee director compensation and make recommendations to the Committee on appropriate compensation packages generally in line with median compensation offered at peer companies. The Committee gathers data for those companies in the peer groups that are also used as comparisons for executive compensation. Those peer groups reflect two different business aspects: (1) real estate-oriented firms and (2) business services firms. We also target firms that are similar in size by revenue, a range of one-half to no more than three times our own revenue. The Committee seeks information regarding:

 

Total mix of compensation;

 

Board retainers and meeting fees;

 

Compensation for serving on Committees and for chairing Committees;

 

Equity ownership guidelines;

 

Equity vehicles used and vesting schedules; and

 

Compensation for Non-Executive Chairman.

 

Based upon internal guidelines, the Committee then seeks to make any adjustment to the overall compensation program deemed necessary to satisfy the above criteria approximately every other year. In order to determine the compensation of our Chairman of the Board, our Committee meets in executive session, led by the Chairman of our Compensation Committee, without our Chairman of the Board being present.

 

In consideration of emerging corporate governance best practices, our Board has established a limit on the amount of equity and cash compensation that can be paid to a Non-Executive Director of the Company in a calendar year. The compensation limits, as described more fully in our 2017 Stock Award and Incentive Plan, provide that the total annual compensation for any fiscal year for non-employee Directors will be limited to $750,000, which the Board believes is a meaningful limit on total Director compensation. This limit is inclusive of the value of both the annual cash retainer(s) and the grant date fair value of the annual equity award.

 

We have established a “stewardship” approach to the compensation of our Non-Executive Directors whereby we do not pay individual meeting fees. Accordingly, our Directors receive:

 

An annual cash retainer of $75,000, paid quarterly; and

 

An annual grant of restricted stock units in an amount equal to $145,000, with the number of restricted stock units based on the closing price of our Common Stock on the grant date, which is the day after the Annual Meeting. Subject to continued service on the Board, half of the restricted stock units vest on the 18-month anniversary of the date of grant and the other half vest on the third anniversary.

 

In addition to the above amounts:

 

The Chairman of the Audit Committee receives an annual retainer of $25,000;

 

The Chairman of the Compensation Committee receives an annual retainer of $25,000;

 

The Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee receives an annual retainer of $10,000;

 

Each member of the Audit Committee (other than the Chairman) receives an annual retainer of $10,000;

 

Each member of the Compensation Committee (other than the Chairman) receives an annual retainer of $10,000; and

 

Each member of the Nominating and Governance Committee (other than the Chairman) receives an annual retainer of $5,000.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 14

 

 

Restricted stock unit awards continue to vest according to their original schedules in the event of the death or disability of a Non-Executive Director. They become fully vested if the Non-Executive Director retires, is not re-nominated, or is not re-elected by the shareholders. If a Non-Executive Director resigns or is terminated for cause, he or she forfeits all remaining unvested awards.

 

JLL reimburses all Directors for reasonable travel, lodging, and related expenses incurred in attending meetings.

 

We do not pay any Directors’ fees to Directors who are also officers or employees of JLL (currently Christian Ulbrich).

 

We do not provide perquisites to our Non-Executive Directors.

 

We permit Non-Executive Directors to elect to receive and defer shares of our Common Stock in lieu of any or all of their cash retainers, on a quarterly basis, based on the closing price of our Common Stock on the last trading day of each immediately preceding quarter.

 

We also permit our Non-Executive Directors who are subject to United States income tax to participate in the Deferred Compensation Plan that we have established for certain employees in the United States. The Deferred Compensation Plan is a nonqualified deferred compensation program under which the eligible members of our Board may voluntarily elect to defer up to 100% of their cash retainers and/or restricted stock grants upon vesting.

 

Compensation for Our Chairman of the Board

 

As a Non-Executive Director who was elected to the position of Chairman of the Board effective January 1, 2005, Ms. Penrose receives an annual retainer in addition to the foregoing amounts in consideration of undertaking the responsibilities and time commitments associated with that position as the Board has established it. The Chairman’s annual retainer for 2019 is $140,000 in cash, payable quarterly.

 

Non-Executive Director Compensation for 2018

 

The following table provides information about the compensation we paid to our current Non-Executive Directors in respect of their services during 2018:

 

Name

 

Fees
Earned
or Paid in
Cash (1)

   

Stock
Awards (2)

   

Option
Awards

   

Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation

   

Change in
Pension Value
and Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings

   

All Other
Compensation(3)

   

Total

 

Hugo Bagué

        $ 248,205                       $ 6,340     $ 254,545  

Matthew Carter, Jr.

  $ 15,329     $ 75,051                       $ 0     $ 90,380  

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

        $ 235,000                       $ 3,244     $ 238,244  

Dame DeAnne Julius

  $ 90,000     $ 145,000                       $ 1,383     $ 236,383  

Ming Lu

  $ 91,795     $ 145,000                       $ 1,383     $ 238,178  

Bridget A. Macaskill

  $ 90,000     $ 145,000                       $ 1,352     $ 236,352  

Martin H. Nesbitt

  $ 90,000     $ 145,000                       $ 1,383     $ 236,383  

Sheila A. Penrose

  $ 245,000     $ 145,000                       $ 22,188     $ 412,188  

Ann Marie Petach

  $ 105,000     $ 145,000                       $ 1,383     $ 251,383  

Shailesh Rao

  $ 0     $ 60,000                             $ 671     $ 60,671  

 

(1)

The amounts in this column reflect the aggregate cash fees that each Director earned during 2018 in respect of his or her retainer for Board membership and all Chairman and Committee retainers to the extent applicable. We do not pay fees for attendance at individual meetings. If a Director elected to receive a portion of his or her cash payments in deferred shares instead, those amounts are reflected under the “Stock Awards” column.

 

(2)

The stock awards in this column reflect (i) the annual retainer of $145,000 in restricted stock units we granted to each Director and (ii) the election of any Director to receive all or a portion of his or her cash retainers in deferred shares instead, as we describe above.

 

The amounts we report in this column reflect the grant date fair values of the stock awards we made to our Non-Executive Directors during 2018.

 

(3)

In June 2018 and in December 2018, at the same time that the Company paid semi-annual cash dividends of $0.41 and $0.41 per share of its outstanding Common Stock, respectively, the Company also paid dividend equivalents of the same amounts on each outstanding restricted stock unit. The amounts shown in this column reflect the dividend equivalents that we paid on restricted stock units held by each of the Directors. The amounts also include dividends paid on shares that the Directors had received and deferred in lieu of cash, as we describe above, all of which dividends were reinvested in additional deferred shares.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

Non-Executive Director Stock Ownership

 

In order to align the interests of our Board members with the interests of our shareholders, our Board has adopted stock ownership requirements for non-employee Directors. As part of its annual review of all director compensation practices, in March 2019, the Nominating and Governance Committee reviewed the stock ownership guidelines. Based on this review, the Nominating and Governance Committee determined, to require that at a minimum, by the fourth anniversary of his or her first election to the Board, each Director shall have acquired, and for as long as he or she remains a member of the Board will maintain ownership of, at least the lesser of (1) 6,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock or (2) shares of the Company’s Common Stock worth $450,000 based on the then most recent closing price thereof. All shares of unvested restricted stock that have been granted to a Director, or which a Director has elected to take in lieu of cash compensation or has deferred under any deferred compensation plan, count toward each of the indicated minimum number of shares and dollar value. Each of our Non-Executive Directors who has served on the Board for four years or more currently exceeds the minimum stock ownership guideline.

 

As of March 15, 2019, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $162.11, our Non-Executive Directors had the following ownership interests in shares of our Common Stock:

 

Name

Shares
Directly
Owned
(#) (1)

Restricted
Stock
Units
(#)

Stock
Options
(#)

Total
(#)

 

Value at
3/15/19

 

Hugo Bagué

13,556

2,121

0

15,677

  $ 2,541,398  

Matthew Carter, Jr.

0

537

0

537

  $ 87,053  

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

2,121

6,724

0

8,845

  $ 1,433,863  

Dame DeAnne Julius

2,121

11,739

0

13,860

  $ 2,246,845  

Ming Lu

2,121

11,739

0

13,860

  $ 2,246,845  

Bridget Macaskill

1,371

2,256

0

3,627

  $ 587,973  

Martin H. Nesbitt

996

2,121

0

3,117

  $ 505,297  

Sheila A. Penrose (2)

48,206

2,121

0

50,327

  $ 8,258,510  

Ann Marie Petach

1,929

2,121

0

4,050

  $ 656,546  

 

(1)

Includes shares the Director has elected to take in lieu of cash and receipt of which has been deferred.

 

(2)

Includes 20,627 JLL shares held by Ms. Penrose as trustee for the Sheila A. Penrose Trust.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 16

 

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

 

Proposal 2 – Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation

 

Pursuant to Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act), we are providing stockholders with the following proposal to approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of our Named Executive Officers as disclosed in this Proxy Statement in accordance with SEC rules:

 

RESOLVED, that the shareholders of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated approve, on an advisory basis, the compensation of its Named Executive Officers, as disclosed in the Company’s Proxy Statement for the 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, pursuant to the compensation disclosure rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables, and any related information found in the Proxy Statement of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated.

 

Our Board believes that that we have an executive compensation program that has proven itself over the years to have retained top-quality executives who have been appropriately motivated to act in the best interests of our shareholders, clients, staff, and the other constituencies who interact with a global organization such as ours. We believe we have a program that encompasses the attributes of best practices in compensation, including:

 

Pay-for-performance philosophy, with significant upward and downward flexibility built to correspond to the financial results of an inherently cyclical business;

 

Balanced mix of short- and long-term focused compensation;

 

Significant use of equity to align with shareholder interests;

 

No tax gross-ups and limited use of perquisites;

 

Limited benefits in the event of a change in control, with double-trigger requirement for severance benefits and accelerated vesting of equity awards under our long-term incentive plans;

 

Limited severance benefits;

 

Recapture of certain incentives in the event of a subsequent restatement of financial statements; and

 

Features to mitigate the use of overly-risky strategies that do not serve the longer-term sustainability of the organization.

 

Accordingly, our Board requests that our shareholders vote to approve our executive compensation program. While this vote is not binding on our Company, it will provide information to our Compensation Committee and our management regarding investor sentiment about our executive compensation philosophy, policies and practices. We will consider this information when determining executive compensation for 2019 and beyond.

 

Our Board unanimously recommends you vote FOR the advisory say-on-pay vote approving the Company’s named executive officer compensation.

 

 

Page | 17

Proxy Statement

 

 

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

 

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) describes our executive compensation philosophy and program in the context of the compensation we paid during the last fiscal year to: (1) our Chief Executive Officer and President, (2) our Former Chief Financial Officer, (3) our Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, and (3) our next three most highly compensated Executive Officers. These officers were among the members of our Global Executive Board (GEB) during 2018, and we refer to them in this Proxy Statement as our Named Executive Officers.

 

 

 

Our Executive Compensation disclosure is organized into four core sections:

 

(1)

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

 

 

Executive Summary

 

 

What We Pay and Why: The Elements of Executive Compensation

 

 

Compensation Committee Report

 

(2)

Executive Compensation Tables

 

(3)

Chief Executive Officer Pay Ratio Disclosure

 

(4)

Additional Information

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 18

 

 

Executive Summary

 

Principles of our Executive Compensation Program

 

We redesigned our executive compensation program in 2018 which is summarized in the Highlights of Compensation Committee Actions section. The following principles guided our decisions:

 

Aligned with shareholders – Realized compensation aligns directly with the long-term interests of our shareholders, and our executives share with them in the performance of our stock;

 

Strong linkage between pay and performance – A significant portion of compensation is at-risk and aligned with achievement of our financial and long-term strategic goals;

 

Incentivize behaviors that drive business – Incentive plans drive the behaviors necessary to accomplish our short-term and long-term goals;

 

Appropriate Balance Between Short-term and Long-Term Compensation Elements – Allocation of compensation to fixed and variable pay results in an appropriate mix of short-term and long-term pay elements;

 

Maintain good corporate governance practices and avoid incentives that may create excessive risk – Our compensation plans include specific policies and practices that mitigate risk and are designed to further align executive compensation with long-term shareholder interests as described under the “Risk Considerations section below;

 

Simple Design – Our compensation program is easy to communicate and understand.

 

Pay for Performance

 

How We Align Pay with Company Performance

 

We are committed to aligning the compensation of our executives with our financial and operational performance. Our Compensation Committee (referred to as the Committee, we or us for purposes of this CD&A) oversees the Company’s executive compensation program. The Committee designs the executive compensation program to motivate the Named Executive Officers to increase shareholder value. Our program seeks to drive the achievement of both the short- and long-term financial and strategic goals that management establishes with the Board of Directors, all without encouraging excessive risk-taking. We believe the program serves to align compensation with performance in a direct and appropriate way.

 

2018 Financial Performance

 

Consolidated revenue: $16.3 billion (▲13% from 2017)

 

Consolidated fee revenue (1): $6.5 billion (▲13% from 2017)

 

US GAAP Diluted EPS: $10.54 per share (75% from 2017)

 

Highlights:

 

 

Annual Real Estate Services (RES) revenue growth was substantially all organic and reflected contributions from all three geographic RES segments.

 

 

Property & Facility Management led RES revenue growth for the year (58% of the growth) with notable contributions from Leasing and Project & Development Services.

 

 

LaSalle revenue increased 49% from 2017, driven by record incentive fee performance from real estate dispositions on behalf of clients.

 

 

The increase in RES fee revenue was led by Leasing, which represented 55% of the growth, with Property & Facility Management and Project & Development Services each representing nearly 20% of the service-line growth.

 

 

Capital Markets fee revenue decreased 2% from 2017 as declines in Asia Pacific and EMEA more than offset growth in Americas.

 

 

Americas accounted for 71% of the increase in consolidated RES fee. EMEA and APAC contributed 19% and 10% respectively.

 

Page | 19

Proxy Statement

 

 

 

Annual Real Estate Services (RES) revenue growth was substantially all organic and reflected contributions from all three geographic RES segments.

 

Each of JLL’s four operating segments contributed to the results:

 

 

Americas revenue and fee revenue increases were broad-based across all service lines. Property & Facility Management contributed over 60% of the growth in revenue. Leasing led the segment fee revenue growth with outstanding performance in the New York, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest U.S. markets. Segment operating expenses, excluding reimbursed expenses, and segment fee-based operating expenses in 2018 reflected (i) revenue-driven expense growth and (ii) incremental strategic investments in platform and technology transformation programs, partially offset by cost management initiatives.

 

 

EMEA revenue and fee revenue growth in 2018 was led by Project & Development Services and Property & Facility Management. Geographically, growth in the segment was led by the UK, Middle East & North Africa and France. Increases in segment operating expenses, excluding reimbursed expenses, and segment fee-based operating expenses reflected revenue-related expense growth. Improvements in performance in 2018 as compared to prior year were also attributable to the stabilization of our Integral business.

 

 

Asia Pacific revenue growth was substantially attributable to Property & Facility Management. Leasing led fee revenue growth for the segment, primarily from office and industrial sectors in Greater China, Australia and Japan. Geographically across service lines, the increase in fee revenue was led by Greater China, Australia and Singapore. Revenue-related growth, increased investments in people, and higher than anticipated costs on certain client assignments in the first half of 2018 contributed to the year-over-year increase in segment operating expenses, excluding reimbursed expenses, and segment fee-based operating expenses.

 

 

LaSalle, our investment management business that constitutes our fourth operating segment, had revenue and fee revenue growth driven by record incentive fee performance from real estate dispositions on behalf of clients, predominantly in Asia Pacific. Continued expansion of private equity mandates drove solid growth in advisory fees. The year-over-year increases in segment operating expenses, excluding reimbursed expenses, and segment fee-based operating expenses, reflect the current portion of higher variable compensation expense due to additional incentive fees.

 

 

(1)

Consolidated fee revenue is not a GAAP financial measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 20

 

 

Pay and Performance Relationship

 

The following tables illustrate three years of Company performance and the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. The overall growth of the business as represented by CC U.S. GAAP Diluted EPS and Adjusted Net Income grew faster than the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. We selected Earnings Per Share and Adjusted Net Income because of their high correlation with creating shareholder value. Due to the change in the Long-Term Incentive plan structure in 2018, the 2018 compensation includes the fair market value at grant of the LTIP. Actual performance will be measured in 2021.

 

 

(1)

CC U.S. GAAP Diluted EPS for 2017 and 2018 excludes the impact of 2017 U.S. tax reform, specifically the transition tax on deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries and the remeasurement of U.S. deferred tax assets. This was excluded because the impact does not reflect the Company’s core operating performance during these periods.

 

(2)

Adjusted net income is defined by the Compensation Committee; See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

(3)

NEO compensation represents five NEOs total direct compensation (base salary, AIP, and LTIP). For the years which we reported more than five, we excluded compensation for the executive exiting during the year or the executive with the sixth highest summary compensation table total compensation.

 

Return to Shareholders

 

The following graph compares the cumulative five-year total return to shareholders of JLL’s common stock relative to the cumulative total returns of the S&P 500 Index. The graph below assumes that the value of the investment in JLL’s common stock and the S&P 500 Index (including reinvestment of dividends) was $1,000 on December 31, 2013.

 

 

Page | 21

Proxy Statement

 

 

Highlights of Compensation Committee Actions

 

 

Say-on-Pay Results

 

With respect to the annual advisory “say-on-pay” shareholder vote held on May 30, 2018, 95.1% of shareholders voted for our executive compensation programs. We evaluated the results of the 2018 “say-on-pay” vote as part of our overall assessment of the compensation program for our Named Executive Officers. Noting that highlights of the new compensation plans were included in the 2018 proxy statement and communicated to shareholders throughout 2018, we determined that it (1) satisfied our objectives and (2) remained consistent with the compensation philosophy we discuss in more detail below. Consequently, we viewed the results of the 2018 “say-on-pay” vote as positive and supportive of our executive compensation program and we did not make any significant changes to the program for 2019.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 22

 

 

How We Make Compensation Decisions

 

Risk Considerations

 

We structure compensation for our Named Executive Officers to minimize the incentive to take risks that could have a material adverse effect on our financial results or operations. The table below indicates the mechanisms we use to manage risk incentives under our AIP and LTIP.

 

 

Role of the Compensation Committee

 

The Committee, which consists entirely of independent Directors, recognizes the importance of developing and maintaining sound principles and practices to govern the Company’s executive compensation program. Through a disciplined evaluation process, we seek to establish a strong link between executive compensation and (1) achievement of company performance, (2) short and long-term strategic objectives designed to drive shareholder value. To carry out its responsibilities, the Committee:

 

Retains, and regularly confers with, independent compensation consultants to advise on the design, structure, and market competitiveness of our compensation plan;

 

Reviews market compensation data to compare (1) our executive compensation to what other similarly situated companies pay and (2) how such companies use compensation to meet desired business outcomes, and attract and retain executive talent;

 

Takes into consideration other relevant matters, including internal equity, consistency, and accounting requirements;

 

Approves performance goals and reviews the extent to which they have been achieved at the end of each applicable period.

 

Role of our Chief Executive Officer

 

Our Chief Executive Officer, Christian Ulbrich, makes annual recommendations to the Committee for target total direct compensation, the assessment of performance versus objectives to determine the rating of each of the Named Executive Officers, and the Leadership Multiplier. To do this, Mr. Ulbrich:

 

Reviews external market data as well as internal equity comparisons to recommend targets;

 

Based on a thorough review, evaluates in his judgment the performance of each of the other Named Executive Officers based on the goals and compensation plans we established at the beginning of the year;

 

Comments on the quality of the interaction and contributions of the other Named Executive Officers as members of the GEB;

 

Compares the performance for each of the other Named Executive Officers on a relative basis, considering the different market, geographical, and cultural dynamics and challenges of each of their respective business segments.

 

The Committee reviews these evaluations and recommendations, discusses them with Mr. Ulbrich, and ultimately approves or amends Mr. Ulbrich’s recommendations in its discretion.

 

Page | 23

Proxy Statement

 

 

The Committee also receives a self-assessment of the Chief Executive Officer’s own performance during the previous year relative to his performance objectives. The Committee next meets in one or more private executive sessions without Mr. Ulbrich present to develop its own conclusions about Mr. Ulbrich’s performance. In its discretion, the Committee then determines the performance rating (MyPerformance) and Leadership Multiplier which determines a portion of his compensation.

 

Internal Compensation Resources

 

The Company’s Global Human Resources staff helps prepare the information the Committee needs to carry out its oversight responsibilities. The Company uses internal compensation expertise and data from publicly available sources and professional compensation consulting firms to compile comparative market compensation data and present compensation analysis.

 

Role of Independent Compensation Consultant

 

The Committee has the authority to retain, as needed, any independent counsel, compensation and benefits consultants, and other outside experts or advisors as the Committee believes necessary or appropriate. In 2018, the Committee used Exequity LLP (Exequity) as its independent outside compensation consultant to advise the Committee on matters related to the compensation of the Named Executive Officers. Exequity was the sole consultant for 2018. The Committee has assessed the independence of Exequity in light of SEC Rules and NYSE Listing Standards, and has determined that Exequity is independent under those rules and standards. Exequity does not advise management of the Company or receive any compensation from the Company other than in connection with its consulting work for the Committee. Accordingly, the work performed by Exequity does not raise any conflicts of interest for the Committee.

 

The Committee has requested Exequity to:

 

Review and comment on the agenda and supporting materials in advance of Committee meetings;

 

Review and comment on major compensation matters that management proposes, including comparative data and plan design recommendations;

 

Review the compensation matters disclosed in the Company’s proxy statement;

 

Advise the Committee on best practices for Board governance of executive compensation, current executive compensation trends, and regulatory updates;

 

Undertake special projects or provide such other advice as the Chairman of the Committee may request.

 

Competitive Assessment

 

We recognize that our compensation practices must be competitive within the broader markets where we compete. As we strive to maintain our leadership position within the global real estate services and investment management industries, it is critical that we attract, retain, and motivate the executives to be able to deliver on the commitments we make to our clients and shareholders.

 

Therefore, each year the Committee compares our compensation program to those of other companies, which we call our peer group: (1) our direct competitors, (2) companies that operate within the broader commercial real estate business, including real estate investment trusts, and (3) companies that operate within the business services sector.

 

Given the diverse nature of our Company’s businesses, which combine real estate expertise with business services, we compare ourselves to two peer groups: (1) real estate-oriented firms and (2) business services firms. We target companies that are similar in size by revenue, a range of one-half to no more than three times our own revenue. We do not use market capitalization as a primary selection factor since our Company’s business model is not asset-intensive like that of a real estate investment trust (REIT), but we nevertheless think that REITs provide useful compensation comparisons since we regularly compete with them for talent. Due to the limited number of publicly-traded real estate-oriented companies, the Real Estate peer group revenue average is low when compared to the business services references and to JLL.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 24

 

 

Management annually reviews the composition of the peer groups. The Committee then independently considers and approves the peer groups lists. Each year, management recommends to the Committee changes that will keep the Market References as meaningful as possible. We indicate below the peer groups we used for 2018:

 

 

The peer groups listed above were the same peer groups we used in 2017. We show below the median revenue and market capitalization for the two separate peer groups and compare them to our Company’s own metrics. We used 2017 results since that data was considered when the peer group companies were identified for 2018 compensation decisions.

 

 

We believe that the peer group data and other external benchmark data relating to the JLL Chief Executive Officer, JLL Chief Financial Officer, JLL Chief Administrative Officer and LaSalle Chief Executive Officer positions correlate to publicly available data. For the JLL Chief Executive Officer and JLL Chief Financial Officer, the external reference is the set of Market Reference companies above, for which data are available through their respective proxy statements. For the LaSalle comparison, we used the 2018 McLagan Real Estate Investment survey, to create a custom peer group matched to LaSalle’s size as measured by assets under management. For the Chief Administrative Officer role, we used tabular survey data from Mercer and Willis Towers Watson.

 

For the remaining two roles (Chief Executive Officer of the Americas and Global Chief Executive Officer, Capital Markets), we used several hierarchical and role comparisons from publicly disclosed information, and various other survey matches. However, because the peer group data relating to their positions do not correlate well enough to the external data, we have determined that the currently available external data are not sufficiently reliable. Accordingly, we take an internal equity approach, anchored on data for our JLL Chief Executive Officer, JLL Chief Financial Officer, JLL Chief Administrative Officer, and LaSalle Chief Executive Officer, all of which we do believe correlate well. We then assess the remaining Named Executive Officer positions on relative size, profit contributions, and comparative performance of their respective businesses. After the internal equity comparison, we then look at the external market data and hierarchical comparisons to review from an external equity perspective.

 

Page | 25

Proxy Statement

 

 

Summary of Executive Compensation Practices

 

We continually evaluate our compensation programs to ensure we are pursuing best practices in executive compensation. Below is a summary of what we do and do not do, the totality of which we believe aligns with the long-term interests of our shareholders:

 

 

What We Pay and Why: The Elements of Executive Compensation

 

We have three elements of total direct compensation: (1) base salary, (2) AIP, and (3) LTIP. We design our compensation program to provide balanced incentives for the Named Executive Officers to drive both annual and long-term performance. As illustrated in the charts below, in 2018, based on target performance, 88% of the total direct compensation at target was performance-based for the Chief Executive Officer and 87% of the total direct compensation at target was performance-based for the other NEOs. We show LTIP targets in charts below - actual earned LTIP awards will be assessed at the end of the three-year performance period.

 

 

(1)

Mr. Jacobson is excluded due to his participation in a non-GEB plan during 2018.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 26

 

 

We also include a chart below reflecting the anticipated incentive mix glide path through 2022 as we transition to a more long-term oriented program as previously noted.

 

Anticipated Incentive Mix Glide Path

 

 

Base Salary

 

We review base salaries for all our Named Executive Officers on an annual basis, as well as at the time of a promotion or other change in responsibilities. Base salaries are planned in United States dollars but delivered in local currency when applicable.

 

Determination of 2018 Base Salaries

 

We changed the base salaries for all our NEOs due to the significant differences when compared to our peer groups. The timing of this change was partially due to the meaningful shift from short-term cash to the LTIP. This occurred in 2018 as part of the incentive glide path described in the "Highlights of Compensation Committee Actions" section and in the Anticipated Incentive Mix Glide Path chart above.

 

 

Annual Incentive Plan

 

Our AIP structure is designed to (1) align our executives to JLL’s enterprise performance; (2) reward them for individual performance; (3) reflect performance against strategic leadership goals.

 

Targets are established for each NEO based on extensive external and internal equity considerations. A calculated award is determined based on the annual company financial goals with a payout range of 0-150%. After financial performance is determined, a Leadership Multiplier of 80-120% of the calculated award is applied. Awards are then delivered in cash.

 

Page | 27

Proxy Statement

 

 

The example below shows the AIP for a Business Unit head. For NEOs Mr. Ulbrich and Dr. Maxson, Compensation Committee Adjusted EBITDA represents 100% of the financial performance.

 

 

(1)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed adjusted EBITDA (CC Adjusted EBITDA), which excludes net non-cash mortgage servicing rights (MSR) and mortgage banking derivative activity along with certain restructuring and acquisition charges. CC Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

(2)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed Operating Income (CC Adjusted Operating Income). This differs from other externally reported figures due to allocation of certain platform costs and other internal management considerations. CC Operating Income is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

Determination of 2018 Annual Incentives

 

The Company’s financial results referenced below determined the calculated awards for each of the NEOs.

 

 

(1)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed adjusted EBITDA (CC Adjusted EBITDA), which excludes net non-cash mortgage servicing rights (MSR) and mortgage banking derivative activity along with certain restructuring and acquisition charges. CC Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

(2)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed Operating Income (CC Adjusted Operating Income). This differs from other externally reported figures due to allocation of certain platform costs and other internal management considerations. CC Adjusted Operating Income is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

The criteria used to determine the Leadership Multiplier are:

 

 

MyPerformance objectives – Effective in 2018, MyPerformance is the new performance management system;

 

 

Leadership behaviors;

 

 

Unforeseen significant market events;

 

 

M&A or divestiture activity;

 

 

Performance not captured by performance versus budget outcome.

 

The Committee determined the leadership multiplier for the CEO based on the criteria above. For the other NEOs the Committee also considered the assessment and recommendation of the CEO to determine the Leadership Multiplier.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 28

 

 

Based on the financial results and the Leadership Multiplier, the following annual bonuses were earned in 2018:

 

 

(1)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed adjusted EBITDA (CC Adjusted EBITDA), which excludes net non-cash mortgage servicing rights (MSR) and mortgage banking derivative activity along with certain restructuring and acquisition charges. CC Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

(2)

To determine compensation of Named Executive Officers, the Committee utilizes a variation of disclosed Operating Income (CC Adjusted Operating Income). This differs from other externally reported figures due to allocation of certain platform costs and other internal management considerations. CC Operating Income is a non-GAAP measure. See Annex A for a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to our results as reported under generally accepted accounting principles in the United States.

 

We provide additional information about the cash payments under the AIP to our Named Executive Officers in the Summary Compensation Table under the column “Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.” The awards in the Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation column will not tie to the awards in the prior table due to exchange rates used to deliver the awards in local currency.

 

GEB Long-Term Incentive Plan

 

Our LTIP structure is designed to (1) align our executives to the interest of shareholders; (2) align our executives to JLL’s enterprise performance; (3) reflect performance against long-term strategic goals.

 

Targets are established for each NEO based on extensive external and internal equity considerations.

 

Page | 29

Proxy Statement

 

 

The GEB LTIP is a three-year overlapping plan structure which awards PSUs annually. PSUs cliff vest after three years, are contingent on Company performance and are settled in Company stock. Each measure has a payout range of 0-150%.

 

 

For each performance measure, the following table describes: (1) when we evaluate performance, (2) what we measure, and (3) why we have selected the performance measure. The Beyond goals are explained further in the subsequent section.

 

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 30

 

 

Beyond Goals

 

There are ten Beyond Goals originating from the Company’s Beyond strategy that fall within our Growth, Clients and People pillars. The goals will be equally weighted and scored individually based on 50% for “Threshold Performance,” 100% for “Target Performance,” and 150% of the target number of Performance Share Units for “Maximum Performance.” The Beyond goals established under the GEB LTIP are thought to be challenging but capable of being attained with superior effort.

 

The following graphic includes a summary of the 2018 Beyond goals for the 2018-2020 performance period. We do not disclose further details regarding these goals for competitive purposes.

 

 

Determination of 2018 GEB Long-Term Incentive Grants

 

The table below represents the grant date fair market value of PSUs awarded on May 29, 2018 under the 2018 GEB LTIP which are based on the 2018 LTIP targets. As previously described, these targets were determined based on extensive internal and external equity considerations.

 

 

(1)

The amounts we report in this column reflect the grant date fair values of PSU awards we made to our Named Executive Officers computed in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation.

 

Page | 31

Proxy Statement

 

 

Additional Compensation Elements

 

The LaSalle LTIP

 

Jeff A. Jacobson, who is one of our Named Executive Officers, participates in the LaSalle LTIP as well as the GEB LTIP. The LaSalle LTIP awards are based on incentive fees LaSalle has earned, plus a portion of LaSalle’s global pre-bonus EBITDA. For Jeff A. Jacobson, beginning in 2018, the award is delivered in RSUs which vest ratably over three years.

 

The LaSalle LTIP is funded each calendar year by the sum of 15% of the gross incentive fees earned by LaSalle plus 5% of LaSalle’s global pre-bonus EBITDA (net of incentive fees), both from the prior year. The resulting pool will be reduced to the extent necessary to ensure that the ratio of LaSalle’s total compensation to total revenue does not exceed 60% for any given year. This ratio will be calculated using the gross LaSalle LTIP award in the year earned and not the U.S. GAAP amortization expense reflected in LaSalle’s financial statements. LaSalle executives are granted a fixed number of participant points against the pool at the start of the performance period, and then receive awards based on actual performance as described here.

 

We provide in the Summary Compensation Table information about the specific awards we made to Mr. Jacobson under the LaSalle LTIP.

 

Severance Arrangements for Named Executive Officers

 

We currently maintain a Severance Pay Plan for full-time employees in the United States, including executive officers. To be eligible to receive benefits under the Severance Pay Plan, an employee must be involuntarily terminated from employment under specified circumstances and also must meet all the conditions of the Severance Pay Plan. Severance benefits includes: (1) base severance, composed of one-half month of base pay (not including the expected annual incentive) in effect at the time of the employment termination and (2) enhanced severance provided the employee executes a severance agreement and general release in favor of JLL. The severance is the same regardless of whether it is related to a change in control.

 

Enhanced severance is a multiple of base pay that varies with the circumstances of termination and is otherwise based on an employee’s position level and length of service, reimbursement for certain health care insurance costs and outplacement for professional employees. The maximum benefit under the Severance Pay Plan would be fifteen months of base pay. For employees terminated after June 30 of any given year and before annual incentives are paid for the year in which they are terminated, enhanced severance also may include an annual incentive payment, calculated as a pro-rated share of the employee’s target annual incentive for the year of termination, subject to JLL’s then existing practice of determining annual incentive payments.

 

Under a provision of the Severance Pay Plan that we have specifically established to cover members of our Global Executive Board, each of the Named Executive Officers would be eligible (regardless of length of service or location) to receive a minimum of twelve months of base salary, plus an amount equal to the individual’s target annual incentive then in effect, as enhanced severance if his or her employment is involuntarily terminated by the Company without cause. To the extent applicable, a GEB participant who is also eligible to receive severance payments under any other plan, program or arrangement provided to employees in countries other than the United States may elect whether to receive payments under the Severance Pay Plan or such other arrangement but is not entitled to receive payments under both. In any event, the maximum benefit under the Severance Pay Plan remains at fifteen months (excluding potential for prorated share under the annual incentive plan based on the individual’s exit date) if a participant has sufficient longevity with the Company to exceed the twelve-month minimum.

 

The potential severance benefits we make available to our Named Executive Officers are designed to assist in retaining them as we compete for talented employees in a marketplace for global talent where similar (if not often greater) protections are commonly offered. We intend for severance benefits to ease an employee’s transition due to an unexpected employment termination by the Company. As our severance benefits would also be available in the case of a termination that followed a change in control, our severance arrangements also encourage employees to remain focused on the Company’s business in the event of rumored or actual fundamental corporate changes. We do not provide any tax gross-ups on severance payments under any circumstances.

 

Perquisites

 

We do not provide personal perquisites (such as personal use of corporate aircraft) of any significance to our Named Executive Officers as part of their compensation packages. In appropriate circumstances, we do provide reimbursement for certain expatriate expenses, all of which we disclose in the Summary Compensation Table. Mr. Ulbrich's transportation allowance is aligned with market practice when compared to his Chief Executive Officer peers in Europe.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 32

 

 

Compensation Committee Report

 

As more particularly described above under “Corporate Governance Principles and Board Matters,” the Compensation Committee of the Board is responsible for providing independent, objective oversight of JLL’s executive compensation programs, including those with respect to stock ownership. The Compensation Committee is currently composed of five Non-Executive Directors, each of whom is independent as defined by the NYSE listing standards in effect at the time of mailing of this Proxy Statement and by applicable SEC rules. The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter, which the Board of Directors has approved.

 

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with the Company’s management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis presented in this Proxy Statement. Based on such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee has recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

 

 

The Compensation Committee

 
     
     
 

Ming Lu (Chairman through September 12, 2018)
Hugo Bagué (appointed Chairman on September 12, 2018)
Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.
Dame DeAnne Julius
Sheila A. Penrose

 

 

 

Page | 33

Proxy Statement

 

 

Executive Compensation Tables

 

The following tables and footnotes set forth information regarding forms of compensation for the Named Executive Officers during each of 2018, 2017, and 2016.

 

Except as specified, the footnote disclosures below generally relate only to compensation for 2018. We included footnotes to compensation for prior years in the respective Proxy Statements relating to those years.

 

2018 Summary Compensation Table

 

Name and Principal Position

Year

Salary (1)

Bonus

Stock
Awards (2)

Option
Awards

Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation (3)

Change in
Pension
Value and
Non-Qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings

All Other
Compensation (4)

Total

Christian Ulbrich
Chief Executive Officer
and President

2018

$970,328

$—

$4,332,965

$—

$4,167,341

$—

$77,448

$9,548,082

2017

$809,858

$—

$2,460,000

$—

$5,841,000

$—

$108,143

$9,219,001

2016

$481,619

$—

$2,431,351

$—

$3,024,930

$—

$88,435

$6,026,335

Christie B. Kelly
Former Chief Financial Officer

2018

$464,231

$—

$1,232,528

$—

$—

$—

$4,360,373

$6,057,132

2017

$400,000

$—

$1,052,000

$—

$2,365,000

$—

$23,430

$3,840,430

2016

$400,000

$—

$1,176,984

$—

$1,910,000

$—

$21,658

$3,508,642

Patricia Maxson (5)
Interim Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer

2018

$500,000

$—

$385,031

$—

$874,000

$—

$9,172

$1,768,203

                 

Richard Bloxam
Global Chief Executive Officer
Capital Markets

2018

$485,943

$—

$1,463,591

$—

$2,298,075

$—

$30,549

$4,278,158

2017

$445,517

$—

$1,340,000

$—

$2,333,000

$—

$46,113

$4,164,630

                 

Jeff A. Jacobson
Chief Executive Officer
LaSalle Investment Management

2018

$500,000

$—

$770,225

$—

$5,020,500

$—

$12,242

$6,302,967

2017

$400,000

$—

$—

$—

$4,457,000

$—

$15,704

$4,872,704

2016

$400,000

$—

$—

$—

$3,649,000

$—

$9,125

$4,058,125

Gregory P. O’Brien
Chief Executive Officer
Americas

2018

$500,000

$—

$1,810,274

$—

$3,819,000

$—

$8,165

$6,137,439

2017

$400,000

$—

$1,501,000

$—

$3,608,000

$—

$33,435

$5,542,435

2016

$400,000

$—

$1,176,984

$—

$2,410,000

$—

$29,223

$4,016,207

 

(1)

We pay the annual base salaries and certain other compensation for Messrs. Ulbrich and Bloxam in the currencies where they reside — Euros for Mr. Ulbrich, and British Pounds for Mr. Bloxam. As such, amounts fluctuate in U.S. dollars given movement in foreign currency exchange rates over time; the amounts in the table above were converted from local currencies to U.S. Dollars using the annual average exchange rates for 2018. For 2018, exchange rates to U.S. Dollars were 1.181219 for Euros, and 1.335314 for British Pounds.

 

(2)

The amounts we report in this column reflect the grant date fair values of certain different stock awards we made to our Named Executive Officers computed in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation. In accordance with SEC rules, the amounts included in the column for the PSU awards granted during 2018 are calculated based on the probable outcome of the performance conditions (assumed at target) for such awards on the grant date. If the probable outcome of the performance conditions as of grant date had been maximum performance, then the grant date fair value of the PSUs would have been as follows: Mr. Ulbrich — $6,499,448; Ms. Kelly — $1,848,792; Dr. Maxson — $577,547; Mr. Bloxam — $2,195,387; Mr. Jacobson — $1,155,338; and Mr. O’Brien — $2,715,411. The awards referenced for Ms. Kelly forfeited based on her Separation Agreement.

 

(3)

The amounts in this column reflect annual incentive cash payments we made under the AIP. For Mr. Jacobson, the amount in this column includes $3,139,000 for the AIP and $1,881,500 for the LaSalle LTIP which was delivered in RSUs.

 

(4)

The amounts in this column reflect the All Other Compensation with the details on 2018 referenced in the table below.

 

(5)

Dr. Maxson assumed the role of Interim Chief financial Officer effective September 18, 2018.

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 34

 

 

All Other Compensation

 

 

401(k) Match
or Pension
Contribution

Life, Healthcare
and Healthcare
Bonus

Transportation
Allowance /
Car Lease (1)

Severance (2)

Total

Christian Ulbrich

$33,634

$5,046

$38,768

$—

$77,448

Christie Kelly

$—

$1,142

$—

$4,359,231

$4,360,373

Patricia Maxson

$7,692

$1,480

$—

$—

$9,172

Richard Bloxam

$14,053

$2,309

$14,187

$—

$30,549

Jeff A Jacobson

$10,800

$1,442

$—

$—

$12,242

Gregory P. O'Brien

$6,923

$1,242

$—

$—

$8,165

 

(1)

For Mr. Ulbrich, this includes the actual lease paid and car allowance and for Mr. Bloxam this includes a car allowance.

 

(2)

Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of $500,000 per annum base ($519,231), one times AIP target of $1,920,000 and full pro-rated bonus of $1,920,000 based on exit date.

 

Grants of Plan-Based Awards For 2018

 

The following table sets forth information about awards, the totals of which are reflected in the Summary Compensation Table above, that we made to the Named Executive Officers under our existing Stock Award and Incentive Plan, including under the GEB LTIP and the LaSalle LTIP.

 

   

Estimated future payouts under
non-equity incentive plan awards (1)

Estimated future payouts under
equity incentive plan awards (2)

 

Name

Grant
Date

Threshold
($)

Target
($)

Maximum
($)

Threshold
(#)

Target
(#)

Maximum
(#)

Grant Day Fair
Value of Stock
Awards (3)

Christian Ulbrich

5/29/2018

$ 1,500,000 $ 3,000,000 $ 4,500,000

13,192

26,384

39,576

$ 4,332,965

   

       

Christie B. Kelly

5/29/2018

$ 960,000 $ 1,920,000 $ 2,880,000

3,753

7,505

11,258

$ 1,232,528

   

       

Patricia Maxson

5/29/2018

$ 300,000 $ 600,000 $ 900,000

1,173

2,345

3,518

$ 385,031

   

       

Richard Bloxam

5/29/2018

$ 1,140,000 $ 2,280,000 $ 3,420,000

4,456

8,912

13,368

$ 1,463,591

   

       

Jeff A. Jacobson

5/29/2018

$ 1,200,000 $ 2,400,000 $ 3,600,000

2,345

4,690

7,035

$ 770,225

 

  (4)          

Gregory P. O'Brien

5/29/2018

$ 1,410,000 $ 2,820,000 $ 4,230,000

5,512

11,023

16,535

$ 1,810,274

 

(1)

The AIP awards 50% for threshold performance, 100% for target performance, and 150% for maximum performance. Based on the Leadership Multiplier, the initial calculated award can go up to a maximum of 120% of the calculated award or down to 80% of the calculated award.

 

(2)

PSUs under the GEB LTIP award 50% for threshold performance, 100% for target performance, and 150% of the target number of Performance Share Units for maximum performance. The PSUs vest after the three-year performance period based on company performance. The treatment of the PSUs at different exit scenarios is as follows: Death or Disability – fully vest at target and are awarded within 60 days, voluntarily resign or are involuntarily terminated with or without cause – forfeited, Retirement – pro-rated and vest based on actual performance at the end of the performance period

 

(3)

The amounts we report in this column reflect the grant date fair values of stock awards we made to our Named Executive Officers computed in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation. If the outcome of the performance conditions as of grant date had been maximum performance, then the grant date fair value of the PSUs would have been as follows: Mr. Ulbrich — $6,499,448; Ms. Kelly — $1,848,792; Dr. Maxson — $577,547; Mr. Bloxam — $2,195,387; Mr. Jacobson — $1,158,338; and Mr. O’Brien — $2,715,411.

 

(4)

Refer to the LaSalle LTIP description in the CD&A.

 

Page | 35

Proxy Statement

 

 

2018 Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

The following table sets forth information concerning the number and value of unvested RSUs and PSUs as of December 31, 2018. The stock awards reported in this table were all made under our 2017 Stock Award and Incentive Plan. None of our Named Executive Officers has any outstanding stock options.

 

 

Stock Awards

Name

Number of Units
of Stock That Have
Not Vested (1)

Market Value of
Units of Stock That
Have Not Vested (2)

Equity Incentive Plan
Awards: Number of
Unearned PSUs That
Have Not Vested (3)

Equity Incentive
Plan Awards: Market
Value of Unearned
PSUs That Have
Not Vested (4)

Christian Ulbrich

39,838

$5,043,491

26,384

$4,332,965

Christie B. Kelly

610

$77,226

#-

$-

Patricia Maxson

5,218

$660,599

2,345

$385,031

Richard Bloxam

9,522

$1,205,485

8,912

$1,463,591

Jeff A. Jacobson

2,017

$255,352

4,690

$770,225

Gregory P. O'Brien

22,748

$2,879,897

11,023

$1,810,274

 

(1)

Vesting terms described below for unvested RSUs.

 

(2)

The market value is based on the closing market price of JLL common stock on the NYSE on December 31, 2018 which was $126.60.

 

(3)

The number of PSUs reflect target based on the cumulative performance through December 31, 2018. The PSUs will vest on May 29, 2021 after the three-year performance period contingent on company performance.

 

(4)

The amounts we report in this column reflect the grant date fair values of stock awards we made to our Named Executive Officers computed in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board's Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation-Stock.

 

Vesting Terms for Unvested RSUs

 

 

3 Year Ratable

3 Year Cliff

50% 3 year &
50% 5 year

Total

Christian Ulbrich

28,289

8,696

2,853

39,838

Christie B. Kelly

#-

#-

610

610

Patricia Maxson

4,813

#-

405

5,218

Richard Bloxam

6,114

3,408

#-

9,522

Jeff A. Jacobson

#-

#-

2,017

2,017

Gregory P. O'Brien

20,913

#-

1,835

22,748

 

 

Vesting in
2019

Vesting in
2020

Vesting in
2021

Total

Christian Ulbrich

24,364

10,410

5,064

39,838

Christie B. Kelly

610

#-

#-

610

Patricia Maxson

2,951

1,545

722

5,218

Richard Bloxam

2,038

5,446

2,038

9,522

Jeff A. Jacobson

1,097

920

#-

2,017

Gregory P. O'Brien

11,949

7,709

3,090

22,748

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 36

 

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested During 2018

 

The following table sets forth information about grants of restricted stock units we made prior to 2018 and that vested in 2018. None of the Named Executive Officers exercised any options during 2018 and none of them has any options outstanding.

 

 

Stock Awards

Name

Number of Shares
Acquired on
Vesting (1)

Value Realized
on Vesting (2)

Christian Ulbrich

14,445

$2,307,905

Christie B. Kelly

17,054

$2,758,284

Patricia Maxson

3,621

$584,592

Richard Bloxam

#—

$—

Jeff A. Jacobson

2,988

$478,080

Gregory P. O'Brien

15,308

$2,417,660

 

(1)

Number of shares shown represent the total number of shares vested including shares withheld for tax obligations, if applicable.

 

(2)

Values shown represent the per share closing price of our Common Stock on the NYSE on the respective vesting dates for the restricted stock units indicated. Units shown in the table vested on January 1, 2018, with a related price per share of $148.93; on February 15, 2018, with a related price per share of $159.66; on February 22, 2018, with a related price per share of $159.20; on February 24, 2018, with a related price per share of $160.00; on February 25, 2018, with a related price per share of $160.00; on July 1, 2018, with a related price per share of $165.99.

 

Retirement Benefits

 

We do not have a defined benefit retirement plan for any of our Named Executive Officers. All of the Company’s contributions we describe below are reflected in the Summary Compensation Table under “All Other Compensation.”

 

Christie B. Kelly, Jeff A. Jacobson, Patricia Maxson, and Gregory P. O’Brien. As employees within the United States, each of Ms. Kelly, Mr. Jacobson, Dr. Maxson, and Mr. O’Brien was eligible to participate in the United States Savings and Retirement Plan, a defined contribution plan qualified under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code, on the same terms and conditions that apply to our U.S. employees generally. The maximum annual matching contribution by the Company for each person who participates in the 401(k) Plan, effective after such person has been employed for twelve months, is currently $10,800.

 

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation

 

The following table sets forth certain information concerning the voluntary participation by certain of our Named Executive Officers in our U.S. Deferred Compensation Plan, a Plan to which employees who are taxpayers in the United States may provide contributions but to which the Company itself does not make any contributions. We provide additional information about this Plan in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis. Amounts shown below are as of December 31, 2018. Since they are not U.S. taxpayers, neither of Messrs. Bloxam nor Ulbrich is eligible to participate in this Plan. Ms. Kelly, and Mr. O’Brien were eligible but chose not to participate in the U.S. Deferred Compensation Plan in 2018.

 

Name

Executive
Contributions in
Last Fiscal Year

Registrant
Contributions in
Last Fiscal Year

Aggregate Earnings
(Losses) in Last
Fiscal Year

Aggregate
Withdrawals or
Distributions

Aggregate Balance
at Last Fiscal Year End

Jeff A. Jacobson

$0

$0

($6,268)

$0

$131,833

Patricia Maxson

$812,952

$0

$697,475

$0

$1,966,448

 

 

Page | 37

Proxy Statement

 

 

Termination and Change in Control Payments

 

The following tables provide a summary of the approximate amounts that we would be obligated to pay to each of our Named Executive Officers, following or in connection with a termination that results from:

 

Voluntary termination by the Named Executive Officer;

 

Involuntary termination of the Named Executive Officer;

 

Retirement, including the definition of retirement under the 2017 Stock Award and Incentive Plan; or

 

A change in control of the Company.

 

Christian Ulbrich

 

Element of Compensation

 

Voluntary
Termination

   

Involuntary
Termination
(no cause)

   

Retirement Upon
Rule of 65

   

Upon Change in
Control (CIC)

   

CIC - Involuntary
Termination

 

Cash Severance Benefit (a)(b)

  $     $ 4,007,648     $     $     $ 4,007,648  

Vacation Pay

  $     $     $     $     $  

Benefit Continuation

  $     $     $     $     $  

Deferred Compensation Balance

  $     $     $     $     $  

Annual Incentive Awards (c)

  $     $ 3,000,000     $     $     $ 3,000,000  

Retirement Plan Benefits

  $     $ 33,634     $     $     $ 33,634  

Long Term Incentive Awards

                                       

- Stock Options

  $     $     $     $     $  

- Restricted Shares (d)

  $     $     $ 5,350,369     $       5,350,369  

- Cash

  $     $     $     $     $  

Outplacement Services

  $     $     $     $     $  
                                         

Total Value of Payments

  $     $ 7,041,282     $ 5,350,369     $     $ 12,391,651  

 

Notes:

 

(a)

Annual base salaries and certain other compensation are paid in the country Mr. Ulbrich resides. For 2018, the yearly average foreign currency exchange rates to U.S. Dollars were 1.181219 for Euros.

 

(b)

Involuntary termination provides current severance benefits under our Severance Pay Plan, which may be selected as an alternative to the “Garden Leave” provisions under Mr. Ulbrich’s employment arrangements. This benefit assumes no additional expense related to reimbursement of other personal allowances currently extended to Mr. Ulbrich. Other than the severance benefit we describe above, we do not have any additional or enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would result from a change in control over the Company. Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of per annum base, one times AIP target and pro-rated bonus based on exit date.

 

(c)

Based on the Company’s Severance Pay Plan, a pro-rated AIP is due based on the time of year at exit. The amount shown is based on a December 31 termination date, resulting in full pro-ration.

 

(d)

The value of unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2018, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $126.60.

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 38

 

 

Patricia Maxson

 

Element of Compensation

 

Voluntary
Termination

   

Involuntary
Termination
(no cause)

   

Retirement Upon
Rule of 65

   

Upon Change in
Control (CIC)

   

CIC -
Involuntary
Termination

 

Cash Severance Benefit (a)

  $     $ 1,119,231     $     $     $ 1,119,231  

Vacation Pay

  $     $     $     $     $  

Benefit Continuation

  $     $ 7,187     $     $     $ 7,187  

Deferred Compensation Balance

  $ 1,966,448     $ 1,966,448     $ 1,966,448     $     $ 1,966,448  

Annual Incentive Awards (b)

  $     $ 600,000     $     $     $ 600,000  

Long Term Incentive Awards

                                       

- Stock Options

  $     $     $     $     $  

- Restricted Shares (c)(d)

  $ 668,701     $ 668,701     $ 668,701     $     $ 668,701  

- Cash

  $     $     $     $     $  

Outplacement Services

  $     $ 15,000     $     $     $ 15,000  
                                         

Total Value of Payments

  $ 2,635,149     $ 4,376,567     $ 2,635,149     $     $ 4,376,567  

 

Notes:

 

(a)

Involuntary termination provides current severance benefits under our Severance Pay Plan. Other than the severance benefit we describe above, we do not have any additional or enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would result from a change in control over the Company. Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of per annum base, one times AIP target and full pro-rated bonus based on exit date.

 

(b)

Based on the Company’s Severance Pay Plan, a pro-rated AIP is due based on the time of year at exit. The amount shown is based on a December 31 termination date, resulting in full pro-ration.

 

(c)

The value of unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2018, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $126.60.

 

(d)

Eligible for retirement and will continue to vest upon termination. (Under the assumption that a non-solicit waiver has been received.)

 

Page | 39

Proxy Statement

 

 

Richard Bloxam

 

Element of Compensation

 

Voluntary
Termination

   

Involuntary
Termination
(no cause)

   

Retirement Upon
Rule of 65

   

Upon Change in
Control (CIC)

   

CIC -
Involuntary
Termination

 

Cash Severance Benefit (a)(b)

  $     $ 2,784,633     $     $     $ 2,784,633  

Vacation Pay

  $     $     $     $     $  

Benefit Continuation

  $     $     $     $     $  

Deferred Compensation Balance

  $     $     $     $     $  

Annual Incentive Awards (c)

  $     $ 2,280,000     $     $     $ 2,280,000  

Retirement Plan Benefits

  $     $ 14,053     $     $     $ 14,053  

Long Term Incentive Awards

                                       

- Stock Options

  $     $     $     $     $  

- Restricted Shares (d)

  $     $     $ 1,431,086     $     $ 1,431,086  

- Cash

  $     $     $     $     $  

Outplacement Services

  $     $ 15,000     $     $     $ 15,000  
                                         

Total Value of Payments

  $     $ 5,093,686     $ 1,431,086     $     $ 6,524,772  

 

Notes:

 

(a)

Annual base salaries and certain other compensation are paid in the country Mr. Bloxam resides. For 2018, the yearly average foreign currency exchange rates to U.S. Dollars were 1.335314 for British Pounds.

 

(b)

Involuntary termination provides current severance benefits under our Severance Pay Plan. Other than the severance benefit we describe above, we do not have any additional or enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would result from a change in control over the Company. Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of per annum base, one times AIP target and full pro-rated bonus based on exit date.

 

(c)

Based on the Company’s Severance Pay Plan, a pro-rated AIP is due based on the time of year at exit. The amount shown is based on a December 31 termination date, resulting in full pro-ration.

 

(d)

The value of unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2018, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $126.60.

 

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 40

 

 

Jeff Jacobson

 

Element of Compensation

 

Voluntary
Termination

   

Involuntary
Termination
(no cause)

   

Retirement Upon
Rule of 65

   

Upon Change in
Control (CIC)

   

CIC -
Involuntary
Termination

 

Cash Severance Benefit (a)

  $     $ 2,919,231     $     $     $ 2,919,231  

Vacation Pay

  $     $     $     $     $  

Benefit Continuation

  $     $ 22,968     $     $     $ 22,968  

Deferred Compensation Balance (b)

  $ 131,834     $ 131,834     $ 131,834     $     $ 131,834  

Annual Incentive Awards (c)

  $     $ 2,400,000     $     $     $ 2,400,000  

Long Term Incentive Awards

                                       

- Stock Options

  $     $     $     $     $  

- Restricted Shares (d)(e)

  $ 118,751     $ 118,751     $ 118,751     $     $ 118,751  

- Cash (f)

  $ 3,618,750     $ 3,618,750     $ 3,618,750     $     $ 3,618,750  

Outplacement Services

  $     $ 15,000     $     $     $ 15,000  
                                         

Total Value of Payments

  $ 3,869,335     $ 9,226,534     $ 3,869,335     $     $ 9,226,534  

 

Notes:

 

(a)

Involuntary termination provides current severance benefits under our Severance Pay Plan. Other than the severance benefit we describe above, we do not have any additional or enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would result from a change in control over the Company. Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of per annum base, one times AIP target and full pro-rated bonus based on exit date.

 

(b)

Deferred Compensation Benefits reflect the value of fully-vested employee contributions to the Company’s Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan as of December 31, 2018. Specific distribution elections may result in payments over a period and not in a lump sum as described within the table.

 

(c)

Based on the Company’s Severance Pay Plan, a pro-rated AIP is due based on the time of year at exit. The amount shown is based on a December 31 termination date, resulting in full pro-ration.

 

(d)

The value of unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2018, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $126.60.

 

(e)

Eligible for retirement and will continue to vest upon termination. (Under the assumption that a non-solicit waiver has been received.)

 

(f)

For the 2015- 2018 GEB LTIP in lieu of RSUs, LaSalle CEO was awarded in cash that was notionally invested in a weighted average global return for LaSalle’s entire AUM. The cash amounts will follow same rules as the LTIP RSUs, however, distribution will follow the LaSalle restrictions. The 12/31/2018 balance of the LaSalle LTIP is $1,310,750 and the 12/31/2018 balance of the GEB LTIP is $2,308,000.

 

Page | 41

Proxy Statement

 

 

Gregory O’Brien

 

Element of Compensation

 

Voluntary
Termination

   

Involuntary
Termination
(no cause)

   

Retirement Upon
Rule of 65

   

Upon Change in
Control (CIC)

   

CIC -
Involuntary
Termination

 

Cash Severance Benefit (a)

  $     $ 3,339,231     $     $     $ 3,339,231  

Vacation Pay

  $     $     $     $     $  

Benefit Continuation

  $     $ 23,180     $     $     $ 23,180  

Deferred Compensation Balance

  $     $     $     $     $  

Annual Incentive Awards (b)

  $     $ 2,820,000     $     $     $ 2,820,000  

Long Term Incentive Awards

                                       

- Stock Options

  $     $     $     $     $  

- Restricted Shares (c)(d)

  $ 2,926,739     $ 2,926,739     $ 2,926,739     $     $ 2,926,739  

- Cash

  $     $     $     $     $  

Outplacement Services

  $     $ 15,000     $     $     $ 15,000  
                                         

Total Value of Payments

  $ 2,926,739     $ 9,124,150     $ 2,926,739     $     $ 9,124,150  

 

Notes:

 

(a)

Involuntary termination provides current severance benefits under our Severance Pay Plan. Other than the severance benefit we describe above, we do not have any additional or enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would result from a change in control over the Company. Paid according to the Severance Plan as follows: 54 weeks of per annum base, one times AIP target and full pro-rated bonus based on exit date.

 

(b)

Based on the Company’s Severance Pay Plan, a pro-rated AIP is due based on the time of year at exit. The amount shown is based on a December 31 termination date, resulting in full pro-ration.

 

(c)

The value of unvested restricted stock units outstanding as of December 31, 2018, when the price per share of our Common Stock at the close of trading on the NYSE was $126.60.

 

(d)

Eligible for retirement and will continue to vest upon termination. (Under the assumption that a non-solicit waiver has been received.)

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 42

 

 

Separation Agreement for Christie B. Kelly

 

On September 18, 2018, we announced that Christie B. Kelly, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, notified the Company that she would be resigning from the Company to pursue other opportunities effective as of September 18, 2018. As part of her departure, the Company entered into a separation agreement with Ms. Kelly. The key terms of the separation agreement are as follows:

 

 

Ms. Kelly’s service in all capacities other than as an employee terminated on September 18, 2018.

 

 

During the period starting September 18, 2018 through December 31, 2018 (Transition Period), Ms. Kelly agreed to provide the Company with such transition support and services as may be reasonably requested by the Company’s Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer.

 

 

Ms. Kelly received a base salary of $500,000, on an annualized basis, during the Transition Period, but was not eligible for any additional incentive compensation.

 

 

Ms. Kelly received a Severance Payment of $4,359,231, which consists of 54 weeks of her base salary of $500,000, plus $1,920,000 (target annual bonus for 2018) and $1,920,000 (full pro-rata target bonus) which was delivered in full based on her exit date.

 

 

Ms. Kelly will be reimbursed her additional cost if she elects COBRA continuation coverage on a monthly basis until the earlier of (1) the end of the 12-month period from December 31, 2018, or (2) the date Ms. Kelly becomes covered under another employer group plan.

 

 

Ms. Kelly will also be entitled to reimbursement of up to $15,000 for outplacement services.

 

 

All of Ms. Kelly’s outstanding unvested restricted stock units and performance share units were forfeited, except for the 610 unvested restricted stock units granted to Ms. Kelly in February 2014, which remained outstanding on December 31, 2018 and subsequently vested on February 25, 2019.

 

 

In return for these payments and benefits, Ms. Kelly agreed to return all Company property and to be bound by several restrictive covenants, including not to solicit the Company’s employees or independent contractors, clients, or assist, perform services for or have any equity interest in any of the Company’s clients through December 31, 2020. Ms. Kelly so agreed to assign any intellectual property she might have to the Company and to keep non-public Company information confidential.

 

 

Furthermore, Ms. Kelly was required to sign a release of claims in order to receive the payments and benefits detailed above.

 

Chief Executive Officer Pay Ratio Disclosure

 

Pursuant to Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K and Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, we are required to disclose the ratio of our median employee’s annual total compensation to the annual total compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and President. As a global organization, we have employees operating in over 80 countries. Our objective is to provide competitive compensation commensurate with an employee’s position and geographic location. The following outlines our methodology for computing the ratio and the results of our analysis:

 

We determined that we could use the employee population identified in our 2018 proxy statement because there has been no substantive change in our employee population or our employee compensation arrangements. Due to these relatively stable variables, we believe that using the population in last year’s proxy statement would not result in a significant change in our pay ratio disclosure. The median employee identified last year terminated early in 2018 so we selected the next employee from last year’s population which had the exact same compensation in 2016.

 

Last year, to identify the median employee:

 

We used total cash compensation, as it represents a compensation measure consistently applied to all employees. The majority of our employees receive a base salary (paid on an hourly, weekly, biweekly or monthly basis) and some are eligible for an annual cash bonus. Other remuneration such as stock is not used for large portions of our employee population. As a result, we believe that total cash compensation provides an accurate depiction of total earnings for the purpose of identifying our median employee.

 

Page | 43

Proxy Statement

 

 

We identified our median employee from our employee population at October 1, 2017, on which date we had a total of 76,874 employees (22,925 in the United States and 53,949 outside the United States). In doing so, we utilized 2016 compensation data (and therefore did not consider the compensation of employees who were not also employed by us for all of 2016) because of the time required to gather payroll data from over 52 external payroll providers and our determination that our employee population mix and distribution (geographic and otherwise) and employee compensation arrangements had not changed significantly from 2016 and that, accordingly, we could identify our median employee using the 2016 compensation data. Further, as part of our methodology under the "de minimis" exemption, we excluded a total of 2,743 non-U.S. employees (approximately 3.6% of our total workforce) in 23 countries, as set forth in further detail on Annex B.

 

After identifying the median employee, we calculated the median employee’s 2018 compensation. We identified and included the elements of such compensation in accordance with the requirements of Item 402(c)(2)(x) of Regulation S-K (including personal benefits that aggregated less than $10,000). We also included the estimated cost to us of health benefits to the median employee under non-discriminatory benefit plans. We used the same methodology to calculate the compensation of our Chief Executive Officer and President (although our Chief Executive Officer does not participate in our non-discriminatory health plans because of the coverage he receives in Germany, where he is located). Using these calculations, our median employee received approximately $60,710 in compensation in 2017, and our Chief Executive Officer and President received $9,548,082 which yields a pay ratio of 157:1.

 

As discussed above, we used reasonable estimates, assumptions and methodologies to identify the median employee and calculate the pay ratios presented. Because the SEC rules for identifying the median employee and calculating the pay ratio allow companies to use different methodologies, exemptions, estimates and assumptions, the above disclosure may not be comparable to the pay ratio disclosure provided by other companies.

 

Additional Information

 

Stock Ownership Guidelines

 

In order to further align the long-term interests of our key employees with the interests of shareholders, we have established stock ownership guidelines for members of our Global Executive Board who are also Named Executive Officers.

 

In the case of our Chief Executive Officer and President, the minimum amount of equity ownership is six times (6x) annual base salary. In the case of the other members of the Global Executive Board who are also Named Executive Officers, the minimum amount of equity ownership is four times (4x) annual base salary. In all cases, each member of the Global Executive Board must retain 100% of all shares acquired on the vesting of equity awards or the exercise of stock options until compliance is achieved.

 

As of March 15, 2019, all Named Executive Officers for the 2018 calendar year meet or exceed their respective stock ownership guidelines except for Patricia Maxson.

 

Clawback Policy

 

The Compensation Committee has adopted a Clawback Policy that is applicable to our Named Executive Officers, other members of our Global Executive Board, and such other executives and key contributors as the Compensation Committee may designate from time to time. The policy provides that if the Compensation Committee determines that any fraud or intentional misconduct by one or more of our participants caused the Company, directly or indirectly, to restate its financial statements, the Compensation Committee may require reimbursement of any compensation paid or awarded to participants under the GEB LTIP as well as cancel unvested restricted stock awards previously granted to such participants in the amount by which the participants’ respective compensation exceeded any lower payment that would have been made based on the restated financial results. The recoupment period would encompass any compensation paid under the GEB LTIP within 36 months prior to the financial restatement.

 

Change in Control Benefits

 

Other than as the result of the severance benefits we describe under the preceding severance arrangements section, which apply in the case of terminations regardless of whether they occur in connection with a change in control or not, we do not have any enhanced severance benefits for any of our Named Executive Officers that would specifically result from a change in control over the Company. We do not provide any tax gross-ups on severance payments under any circumstances.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 44

 

 

The 2017 Stock Award and Incentive Plan, under which all restricted stock units have been granted, provides that, unless otherwise determined by the Compensation Committee that unvested equity under our long-term incentive compensation plans have a “double trigger” in the case of a change in control (namely the executive’s employment must be terminated after the change in control).

 

Certain Tax Matters

 

Section 162(m) of the United States Internal Revenue Code limits the deduction a publicly held corporation is allowed for compensation paid to the chief executive officer, the chief financial officer, and to the three most highly compensated executive officers other than the chief executive officer and the chief financial officer. Generally, amounts paid in excess of $1 million to a covered executive cannot be deducted. For those years, we have designed our annual incentive and equity awards programs to qualify as performance-based compensation, so the compensation we paid to our executive officers was generally fully deductible for U.S. federal income tax purposes. We will continue to monitor issues concerning the tax deductibility of executive compensation and will take appropriate action if we believe it is warranted. Since corporate objectives and strategic needs may not always be consistent with the requirements of full deductibility, we expect, if we believe it is appropriate, to enter into compensation arrangements or provide compensation under which payments will not be fully deductible.

 

Page | 45

Proxy Statement

 

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP

 

Security Ownership by Directors and Management

 

The following table provides information about the beneficial ownership of our Common Stock, which constitutes the only outstanding voting security of JLL as of March 15, 2019, by:

 

Each Director and Director nominee of JLL;

 

Each of the Named Executive Officers; and

 

The Directors, Director nominees, and executive officers of JLL as a group.

 

On March 15, 2019, there were 45,738,607 voting shares of Common Stock outstanding.

 

The table includes shares which the indicated individual had the right to acquire within 60 days after March 15, 2019. It also includes shares the receipt of which certain of our Directors have deferred under a deferred compensation program described above under “Non-Executive Director Compensation.” The table does not include unvested restricted stock units issued under the existing Stock Award and Incentive Plan unless they vest within 60 days after March 15, 2019, since none of such units carries voting or investment power. Unless otherwise indicated in the footnotes, all of such interests are owned directly, and the indicated person or entity has sole voting and dispositive power.

 

 

Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned

Names of Beneficial Owners (1)

Number

Percent of Class (%)

Hugo Bagué

13,556

*

Matthew Carter, Jr.

0

*

Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr.

6,724

*

Dame DeAnne Julius

11,739

*

Ming Lu

11,739

*

Bridget Macaskill

1,371

*

Patricia Maxson

7,507

*

Martin H. Nesbitt

996

*

Sheila A. Penrose (2)

48,206

*

Jeetendra I. Patel

0

*

Ann Marie Petach

1,929

*

Christian Ulbrich

54,539

*

Richard Bloxam (3)

10,663

*

Jeff A. Jacobson (4)

52,810

*

Gregory P. O’Brien

22,385

*

Stephanie Plaines

0

*

All Directors, Director nominees and executive officers as a group (19 persons)

274,917

*

 

 

*

Less than 1%

 

(1)

The address of each person is c/o Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated, 200 East Randolph Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601.

 

(2)

20,627 of the shares listed are held by Ms. Penrose as trustee for the Sheila A. Penrose Trust.

 

(3)

6,940 of the shares listed are held by Anne E. Bloxam, Mr. Bloxam's spouse.

 

(4)

20,686 of the shares listed are held by Mr. Jacobson as trustee of the Jeff A. Jacobson 1996 Trust and 25,000 of the shares listed are held by Mr. Jacobson as beneficiary of the Marian S. Jacobson 1996 Trust.

 

 

Page | 46

Proxy Statement

 

 

Security Ownership by Certain Other Beneficial Owners

 

The following table displays information about persons we know were the beneficial owners of more than 5% of our issued and outstanding Common Stock as of December 31, 2018.

 

 

Shares of Common Stock Beneficially Owned

Names of Beneficial Owners

Number

Percent of Class (%)

The Vanguard Group (1)

6,791,034

14.90%

BlackRock, Inc. (2)

4,752,900

10.40%

Generation Investment Management LLP (3)

3,908,478

9.32%

 

 

(1)

Based solely on information in a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 11, 2019 by The Vanguard Group. The Vanguard Group has sole voting power with regard to 31,638 shares, shared voting power with regard to 9,431 shares, sole dispositive power with regard to 6,751,376 shares and shared dispositive power with regard to 39,658 shares. The address of The Vanguard Group is 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, PA 19355.

 

(2)

Based solely on information in a Schedule 13G/A filed on January 2, 2019 by BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock has sole voting power with regard to 4,418,796 shares and sole dispositive power with regard to 4,752,900 shares. The address of BlackRock, Inc. is 55 East 52nd St., New York, NY 10055.

 

(3)

Based solely on information in a Schedule 13G/A filed on February 14, 2019 by Generation Investment Management LLP, together with its affiliates Generation Investment Management US LLP, Generation IM Fund plc, and Generation IM Global Equity Fund LLC. Generation Investment Management has sole voting power with regard to 32,897 shares, shared voting power with regard to 4,214,695 shares. Generation Investment Management has sole dispositive power with regard to 32,897 shares and shared dispositive power with regard to 4,214,695 shares. The address of Generation Investment Management LLP is 20 Air Street, 7th Floor, London W1B 5AN, United Kingdom.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 47

 

 

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP
REPORTING COMPLIANCE

 

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our Directors, certain of our officers and beneficial owners of more than 10 percent of our outstanding Common Stock to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of our Common Stock with the SEC and to send copies of such reports to us. For our current executive officers and Directors, the Company has taken on the administrative responsibility of filing the reports after we have received the necessary information.

 

Based solely upon a review of such reports and amendments thereto and upon written representations of certain of such persons regarding their ownership of Common Stock, we believe that no such person failed to file any such report during 2018, within the required two business day reporting requirement imposed by the SEC, except that the Company did not timely file one Form 4 report on behalf of each of Hugo Bagué, Samuel A. Di Piazza, Jr., Shailesh Rao (who left the Board of Directors in September 2018), and Alan K. Tse, each with respect to one transaction; and four Form 4 reports on behalf of Richard Bloxam, each with respect to one transaction.

 

CERTAIN RELATIONSHPS
AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS

 

Since January 1, 2018, the Company did not participate in any transactions in which any of our executive officers, Directors, beneficial owners of more than 5% of the Company’s Common Stock or any immediate family member of such persons that are required to be described pursuant to Item 404(a) of SEC Regulation S-K.

 

Page | 48

Proxy Statement

 

 

EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

Proposal 3 – Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan

 

The Board unanimously recommends you approve the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan.

 

Stock Award and Incentive Plan Historical Information

 

The Company previously established the 2017 Stock Award and Incentive Plan (the Former Plan). The Former Plan was authorized by the Company’s Board of Directors and approved by the Company’s shareholders on May 31, 2017.

 

The Board has subsequently determined that it was in the Company’s best interests to adopt the Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan (the Plan) in order to ensure the Company has sufficient shares available for grants after the proposed acquisition of HFF, Inc. The Plan will be effective as of the date the Plan is approved by the shareholders (the Effective Date). As of the Effective Date, no awards shall be made under the Former Plan. The Former Plan shall remain in effect for so long as awards thereunder remain outstanding. All awards granted pursuant to an award agreement under, and elections made pursuant to, the Former Plan prior to the Effective Date, shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with their terms and shall be administered in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Former Plan.

 

Increase in Number of Shares Reserved for Issuance

 

When we last asked for shareholder approval at our 2017 Annual Meeting for additional shares to be issued under the Former Plan, we projected that the 1,100,000 shares we were requesting at the time would be sufficient for several years of equity grants. That projection proved to be substantially accurate. There is a maximum of 2,286,045 shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Former Plan.

 

As of March 31, 2019:

 

390,545 shares have been issued under the former plan;

 

Unvested full-value awards covering 664,511 shares of our Common Stock were outstanding;

 

Options and shares covering 0 shares of our Common Stock, with a weighted average exercise price of $0 and a weighted average remaining term of 0 years, were outstanding; and

 

1,239,347 shares were available for grant under the Former Plan.

 

Accordingly, based upon the recommendation of its Compensation Committee, which reviewed current market practices within comparator firms, our Board has unanimously approved, subject to shareholder approval at our 2019 Annual Meeting, that 400,000 shares be authorized for issuance under the Plan, which will be added to the number of shares available for award under the Former Plan as of immediately prior to the Effective Date (the Former Plan Shares).

 

The closing price of a share of our Common Stock on the NYSE as of April 8, 2019 was $154.76.

 

Information about Dilution, Overhang and Burn Rate

 

Dilution. The Board anticipates that the 400,000 additional shares being requested together with the Former Plan Shares will be sufficient to provide projected equity incentives for the Company's compensation plans for at least two years beyond 2019 assuming that its annual usage remains consistent with the 2018 equity grants made by the Company and HFF, Inc.

 

The new shares would represent approximately 0.88% of common shares outstanding as of December 31, 2018. The Board believes that this would represent a reasonable amount of potential dilution, given the strong incentive it also believes will be provided to employees to increase the value of the Company for all shareholders.

 

Overhang. We calculate our “overhang” as the sum of (a) stock options granted and outstanding plus (b) unvested shares of restricted stock plus (c) shares available for grant under plans divided by the sum of (a) common shares outstanding plus (b) the number of shares in the numerator.

 

Proxy Statement

Page | 49

 

 

Our current overhang is approximately 4.01%. Including the shares under the Plan (if authorized), the potential overhang from all outstanding stock incentive awards, and shares available for grant to employees, directors and consultants would be approximately 4.81%.

 

Burn Rate. We calculate our “total equity burn rate” as the (a) total number of equity-related awards in any given fiscal year divided by (b) the number of basic weighted average common shares outstanding for that fiscal year. For the statistics we provide in the following paragraph, we have not applied any premium to the full-value awards (as opposed to stock options or stock appreciation rights) that we may award under the Former Plan or prior plans.

 

Our historical total equity burn rate from shares issued under the Plan, calculated in terms of the average burn rate over the three-year period from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018, has been 0.56%.

 

The dilution, overhang and burn rate exclude our “noncompensatory” Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) and Jones Lang LaSalle Savings Related Option Plan (Save As You Earn or SAYE) program for U.K. employees. ESSP program purchases are broker-assisted on the open market. The SAYE plan allows for the purchase of stock at a 15% discount from the market price at the beginning of the plan's three- and five-year vesting periods and has a share pool independent of the Stock Award and Incentive Plan. These plans are further described in our annual report.

 

The Plan does not, by itself, authorize any payments or the issuance of any shares or any award, as we make actual awards under our individual long-term and short-term variable compensation plans. The future awards that we will make to eligible participants under the Plan are subject to the discretion of the Compensation Committee and, therefore, cannot be determined with certainty at this time.

 

Subject to the Plan's terms regarding adjustments, Section 5 of the Plan provides that no more than 250,000 shares of Common Stock may be earned in respect of Performance Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock granted pursuant to Section 11 of the Plan to any single Participant for a single calendar year during a Performance Period, or in the event such Performance Award is paid in cash, other securities, other Awards or other property, no more than the Fair Market Value of 250,000 shares of Common Stock on the last day of the Performance Period to which such Award relates, and the maximum amount that can be paid to any single Participant in any one calendar year pursuant to a cash compensation opportunity Award described in Section 11(a) of the Plan shall be $15,000,000.

 

We provide a summary description of the Plan below.

 

Description of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan

 

Set forth below is a summary of the material features of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan. The Plan is set forth in its entirety as Annex C to this Proxy Statement, and all descriptions of the Plan contained in this Proposal 4 are qualified by reference to Annex C.

 

Purpose

 

The purpose of the Plan is to provide a means through which the Company may attract and retain key personnel and to provide a means whereby directors, officers, employees, consultants and advisors of the Company can acquire and maintain an equity interest in the Company, or be paid incentive compensation, which may (but need not) be measured by reference to the value of common stock, to motivate such persons to achieve long-term Company goals and to more closely align their interests with those of the Company’s shareholders.

 

Types of Stock Awards

 

The Plan provides for the granting of restricted stock and restricted stock units (RSUs), performance awards, deferred stock awards, and other stock-based awards. The Plan also provides for the granting of stock options, including “incentive stock options” (ISOs) within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and non-qualified stock options. Options granted under the Plan may be accompanied by stock appreciation rights (SARs). SARs may also be granted independently of options. An award agreement setting forth terms and conditions evidences each equity award.

 

Share Reserve

 

Subject to the Plan’s adjustment provisions, the Compensation Committee is authorized to deliver under the Plan 400,000 shares of Common Stock plus the number of shares available for new awards under the Former Plan calculated immediately prior to the Effective Date, subject to the individual participant’s limits discussed above.

 

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Eligibility

 

We may make discretionary grants of awards under the Plan to any (i) employee, director or consultant or advisor of the Company or its direct and indirect subsidiaries and affiliates who the Compensation Committee determines to be eligible for participation in the Plan and (ii) prospective employees, directors, officers, consultants or advisors who have accepted offers of employment, consultancy or service from the Company or its affiliates. ISOs, however, may only be granted to employees of the Company and its affiliates.

 

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, we have approximately 350 employees in positions typically receiving equity grants and 9 directors, all of whom would be eligible to participate in the Plan if selected by the Compensation Committee.

 

Plan Administration

 

The Compensation Committee shall administer the Plan. If a Compensation Committee member shall fail to qualify as an eligible director, such failure shall not invalidate any award granted by the Compensation Committee that is otherwise validly granted under the Plan, unless invalidation is required by applicable law or securities exchange requirement. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable charter or bylaws, the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present or acts approved in writing by a majority of the Compensation Committee shall be deemed the acts of the Compensation Committee.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Plan (including delegation of authority) and applicable law, the Compensation Committee shall have the sole and plenary authority, in addition to other express powers and authorizations conferred on the Compensation Committee by the Plan, to, in its discretion, : (i) designate participants; (ii) determine the type or types of awards to be granted to a participant; (iii) determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by, or with respect to which payments, rights, or other matters are to be calculated in connection with awards; (iv) determine the terms and conditions of any award and award agreement; (v) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances awards may be settled, adjusted, or exercised in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other awards or other property, or canceled, forfeited or suspended and the method or methods by which awards may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited or suspended; (vi) determine whether, to what extent, and under what circumstances the delivery of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other awards or other property and other amounts payable with respect to an award shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the participant or of the Compensation Committee; (vii) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and/or supply any omission in the Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to, or award granted under, the Plan; (viii) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Compensation Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan; (ix) accelerate the vesting or exercisability of, payment for or lapse of restrictions on, awards; and (x) make any other determination, and take any other action, that the Compensation Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan.

 

Director Compensation

 

No non-employee director shall receive total compensation exceeding $750,000 for any fiscal year, which shall be inclusive of (i) the aggregate grant date value (calculated by multiplying the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant by the aggregate number of shares subject to such award) of any awards granted during any fiscal year and (ii) cash. Such applicable limit will include the value of any stock awards that are received in lieu of all or a portion of any annual committee cash retainers or other similar cash-based payments.

 

No Repricing without Shareholder Approval

 

The Compensation Committee may not take any other action with respect to an option or SAR what is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the shareholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed.

 

No Liberal Share Recycling

 

Each share of Common Stock underlying an outstanding option under the Plan or Former Plan shall reduce the available shares by one (1) share. A number equal to the greater of each share available to be delivered upon exercise of a SAR and the number of shares underlying a SAR under the Plan or Former Plan shall reduce the available shares by one (1) share, other than a SAR that, by its terms, from and after the date of grant thereof is payable only in cash, in which case the available shares shall not be reduced. Each share of Common Stock delivered pursuant to, or otherwise underlying, an award under the Plan or Former Plan other than an option, SAR or substitute award, shall reduce the available shares by one (1) share. Use of shares of Common Stock to pay the required exercise price or tax obligations shall not be available again for other awards under the Plan. Shares underlying awards under the Plan or the Former Plan that are forfeited, cancelled, expire unexercised, or are settled in cash

 

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shall be available again for Awards under the Plan. Shares repurchased by the Company with proceeds received from the exercise of an option issued under the Plan or the Former Plan, or shares of Common Stock repurchased by the Company on the open market using the proceeds from the exercise of an award, in either instance, shall not be added back or available for grant hereunder.

 

Options

 

All options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the applicable award agreement expressly states that the option is intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (ISO). ISOs shall be granted only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company and its affiliates, and no ISO shall be granted to any eligible person who is ineligible to receive an ISO under the Code. The exercise price per share of Common Stock for each option shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of such share on the date of grant; provided, however, that, in the case of an ISO granted to an employee who, at the time of the grant of such option, owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the Company or any affiliate, the exercise price per share shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value per share on the date of grant. The exercise price shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price; provided, that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest and are held for the applicable period as determined by the Company’s auditors to avoid adverse accounting charges; and (ii) by such other method as the Compensation Committee may permit in accordance with applicable law, in its sole discretion, including: (A) in other property having a fair market value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price; or (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a broker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the exercise price or (C) by a “net exercise” method whereby the Company withholds from the delivery of the shares of Common Stock for which the option was exercised that number of shares of Common Stock having a fair market value equal to the aggregate exercise price for the shares of Common Stock for which the option was exercised. Options shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date and dates, and expire after such period not to exceed ten years, in each case, as may be determined by the Compensation Committee and as set forth in the applicable award agreement. With respect to an ISO, the option period shall not exceed five years from the date of grant for a participant who on the grant date owns shares representing more than 10% of the voting power of all classes of shares of the company or any affiliate. Unless otherwise provided by the Compensation Committee in an award agreement, the unvested portion of an option shall expire upon termination of employment or service of the participant granted the option without consideration therefor, and the vested portion of such option shall remain exercisable for (A) one year following termination of employment or service by reason of such participant’s death or disability, but not later than the expiration of the option period or (B) ninety (90) days following termination of employment or service for any reason other than such participant’s death or disability, and other than such participant’s termination of employment or service for cause, but not later than the expiration of the option period and (ii) both the unvested and the vested portion of an option shall automatically expire upon the termination of the participant’s employment or service by the Company for cause without consideration therefor.

 

SARs

 

SARs may be granted under the Plan. SARs allow the participant to receive the appreciation in the fair market value of our common stock between the exercise date and the date of grant. Any stock option granted under the Plan may include tandem SARs. The Compensation Committee may also award SARs independent of any stock option grant. Subject to the provisions of the Plan, the Compensation Committee determines the terms of SARs, including when such rights vest and become exercisable and whether to settle such awards in cash or with shares of our common stock, or a combination thereof. The specific terms will be set forth in an award agreement.

 

Restricted Stock and RSUs

 

Restricted stock and RSUs may be granted under the Plan. Restricted stock is a grant of shares of our Common Stock that are subject to various restrictions, including restrictions on transferability and forfeiture provisions. Shares will vest and the restrictions on such shares will lapse, in accordance with terms and conditions established by the Compensation Committee. Restricted stock units (RSUs) are unfunded and unsecured promises to deliver shares of Common Stock, cash, or other securities or other property, subject to certain conditions under the Plan. Such terms may include, among other things, vesting upon the achievement of specific performance goals determined by the Compensation Committee and/or continued service. The Compensation Committee, in its sole discretion, may accelerate the time at which any restrictions will lapse or be removed. Recipients of restricted stock generally will have voting rights with respect to such shares upon grant without regard to vesting, unless the Compensation Committee provides otherwise. Shares that do not vest for any reason will be forfeited by

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

the participant and will revert to the Company. The specific terms will be set forth in an award agreement. Dividends and other distributions will be credited with respect to restricted shares and will be distributed only if when, and to the extent, the related restricted shares vest. Dividends and other distributions credited with respect to any shares that do not vest will be forfeited.

 

Other Stock-Based Awards

 

Other stock-based awards may be granted under the Plan. The Compensation Committee may issue unrestricted shares of Common Stock, or other awards denominated in shares of Common Stock, whether restricted or unrestricted and whether current or deferred, under the Plan to eligible persons, either alone or in tandem with other awards, in such amounts as the Compensation Committee shall from time to time in its sole discretion determine. Each other stock-based award granted under the Plan shall be subject to such conditions not inconsistent with the Plan as may be reflected in the applicable award agreement

 

Performance Awards

 

Performance awards may be granted under the Plan. With regard to a particular performance period, the Committee shall have sole discretion to select the length of such performance period, the type(s) of Performance Awards to be issued, the performance measure(s) that will be used to establish the performance goal(s), the kind(s) and/or level(s) of the performance goals(s) that is (are) to apply and all other relevant terms and conditions.

 

The Committee in its sole discretion shall select one or more performance measures to use for any Performance Award, the form and type of equity award that will be granted under the Plan, and the form of payout (shares of Common Stock and/or cash) of any Performance Awards.

 

The Compensation Committee shall have sole discretion to alter the governing performance measure(s) and goal(s) without obtaining shareholder approval of such alterations.

 

Dividend Equivalents

 

No dividend equivalents shall be granted in connection with an Option or an SAR. Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement, each RSU shall include the right to receive dividend equivalents. Dividend equivalents will accumulate and be withheld until the applicable RSUs upon which the dividend equivalents are awarded vest and any dividend equivalent payments that have accumulated and have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular RSU shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such Dividend Equivalent payments then due. Upon the vesting and settlement of RSUs that include Dividend Equivalents, the dividend equivalents attributable to such RSUs shall expire automatically. Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement, each other stock based award shall include the right to receive dividend equivalents. Dividend equivalents will accumulate and be withheld until the applicable other stock based award upon which the dividend equivalents are awarded vest (if subject to vesting) and any dividend equivalent payments that have accumulated and have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular other stock based award shall be distributed in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividend equivalent payments then due. Upon the vesting and settlement of other stock-based awards that include dividend equivalents, the dividend equivalents attributable to such other stock based award shall expire automatically. The Committee may grant dividend equivalents in respect of Performance Awards. Unless otherwise provided in an award agreement, no Performance Award shall include the right to receive dividend equivalents. Any dividend equivalents granted in respect of Performance Awards will accumulate and be withheld until the applicable Performance Awards upon which the dividend equivalents are awarded vest and any dividend equivalent payments that have accumulated and have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to any particular Performance Awards shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or, at the sole discretion of the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividend equivalent payments then due. Upon the vesting and settlement of Performance Awards that include dividend equivalents, the dividend equivalents attributable to such Performance Awards shall expire automatically.

 

Deferred Stock

 

The Compensation Committee may permit a participant to elect, at such times and in accordance with the rules and procedures adopted by the Compensation Committee (and in accordance with Code Section 409A) to receive all or any portion of such participant’s salary, bonus and/or retainer (in the case or a director), including any cash or share award (other than stock options and SARs), either in the form of a number of shares of deferred stock equal to the quotient of the amount of salary, bonus or other permissible category to be paid in the form of deferred stock divided by the fair market value of one share of Common Stock on the date such salary, bonus, retainer or other permissible award would otherwise be paid in cash

 

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or distributed in shares (and pursuant to such other terms and conditions as the Compensation Committee may determine). Except as otherwise provided in an award agreement, dividend equivalents will be credited on deferred stock. Deferred stock will be paid to the participant in the number of shares of Common Stock equal to the number of shares of deferred stock credited to the participant (with fractional shares paid in cash). The payment date will be specified in the applicable award agreement or deferral agreement (provided that such payment date is compliant with Code Section 409A).

 

Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events

 

In the event of (i) any extraordinary dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, split-up, split-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including a Change in Control) that affects the shares of Common Stock; or (ii) unusual or nonrecurring events (including a Change in Control) affecting the Company or any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange, accounting principles or law, such that in either case an adjustment is determined by the Committee in its sole discretion to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including adjusting the number and terms of shares of Common Stock, providing for substitution or assumption of awards, and cancelling awards in connection with the Plan.

 

Effect of Change in Control

 

The Plan provides that if a Change in Control occurs and, during the two-year period immediately following the consummation of such change in control, a participant incurs an involuntary termination of service without cause, such participant shall be entitled to the following treatment with respect to his or her awards (as applicable): (A) each option and SAR that is at the time outstanding under the Plan shall become fully vested and exercisable with respect to all shares of Common Stock covered thereby; (B) the restricted period shall expire and restrictions applicable to all outstanding restricted stock awards and restricted stock units shall lapse and such awards shall become fully vested; and (C) the pro-rata portion of any performance awards for any performance period that was in effect at the date of termination of service, calculated as to each such performance award assuming that any performance goal will have been achieved (for the entire performance period) at the level of the actual results achieved, if available, or, if not available, then at the target level.

 

Clawback of Equity Awards

 

Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan or in any award agreement to the contrary, amounts payable or to be provided under the Plan shall be subject to claw-back or disgorgement, to the extent applicable, under the Company’s compensation clawback and recoupment policies (or similar policies of general applicability), as in effect and as may be amended from time to time.

 

Plan Amendment, Termination

 

The Board has the authority to amend, suspend, or terminate the Plan provided such action does not materially and adversely affect the existing rights of any participant and, provided further, that certain amendments will require shareholder approval. The Plan will automatically terminate on the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date unless we terminate it sooner.

 

U.S. Federal Tax Aspects

 

The following is a brief summary of the current federal income tax consequences that generally apply with respect to awards that may be granted under the Plan and is based upon laws, regulations, rules and decisions now in effect, all of which are subject to change. The following summary is intended for general information only and does not purport to be a complete analysis of all of the potential tax effects of the Plan. This summary does not describe any foreign, state or local tax consequences, tax withholding requirements or various other rules that could apply to a particular individual or to the Company and its subsidiaries under certain circumstances (and references to Company in this section include the applicable subsidiary, if any). This summary is not intended or written to be used (and cannot be used by any taxpayer) to avoid penalties that may be imposed on a taxpayer. Tax implications may vary due to individual circumstances. Participants should consult their personal tax advisors about the tax consequences related to awards under the Plan. Tax consequences are not guaranteed.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

Nonqualified Stock Options

 

The grant of nonqualified stock options generally should have no federal income tax consequences to the Company or the option holder. Upon the exercise of a nonqualified stock option, the option holder will recognize ordinary income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the acquired shares on the date of exercise over the exercise price paid for the shares. The Company generally will be allowed a federal income tax deduction equal to the same amount that the option holder recognizes as ordinary income. In the event of the disposition of the acquired shares of Common Stock, any additional gain or loss generally will be taxed to the option holder as either short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on how long the shares were held.

 

Incentive Stock Options

 

The grant and exercise of ISOs generally should have no federal income tax consequences to the Company. The grant and exercise of ISOs generally have no ordinary income tax consequences to the option holder. However, upon the exercise of an ISO, the option holder treats the excess of the fair market value on the date of exercise over the exercise price as an item of tax adjustment for alternative minimum tax purposes, which may result in alternative minimum tax liability.

 

If the option holder retains the shares of Common Stock acquired upon the exercise of an incentive stock option for at least two years following the grant date of the option and one year following exercise of the option, the subsequent disposition of such shares will ordinarily result in long-term capital gains or losses to the option holder equal to the difference between the amount realized on disposition of the shares and the exercise price. The Company will not be entitled to any deduction in such case. If the holding period requirements described above are not met, the option holder will recognize ordinary income upon disposition of the Common Stock equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares on the date of exercise (or, if less, the sale price received on disposition of the shares) over the exercise price. The Company will be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction in the same amount. Any additional gain or loss realized by the option holder on the disposition of the Common Stock will be taxed as short-term or long-term capital gain or loss, as applicable.

 

Stock Appreciation Rights

 

The grant of SARs generally has no federal income tax consequences to the Company or the recipient. Upon the exercise of SARs, the recipient will recognize ordinary income equal to the amount of cash received and the fair market value of any shares of Common Stock received. The Company generally will be allowed a federal income tax deduction equal to the same amount that the recipient recognizes as ordinary income.

 

Restricted Stock

 

The recipient of restricted stock normally will recognize ordinary income when the restrictions on the restricted stock lapse (i.e., at the time the restricted shares are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture or become transferable, whichever occurs first). However, a recipient instead may elect to recognize ordinary income at the time the restricted stock is granted by making an election under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days after the grant date. In either case, the recipient will recognize ordinary income equal to the fair market value of such shares of stock at the time the income is recognized (reduced by the amount, if any, the recipient paid for the stock) and the Company generally will be entitled to a corresponding tax deduction (subject to limitations under Section 162(m) of the Code). If the recipient subsequently disposes of the shares of Common Stock, any additional gain or loss should be eligible for short-term or long-term capital gain or loss tax treatment depending on how long the shares were held after the ordinary income was recognized. If a recipient makes an “83(b) election” and then forfeits the shares of Common Stock, the recipient normally will not be entitled to any tax deduction or refund with respect to the tax already paid.

 

Restricted Stock Units

 

The grant of restricted stock units generally should have no federal income tax consequences to the Company or the recipient. When the restricted stock units vest and become payable, the recipient will recognize ordinary income equal to the amount of cash received and the fair market value of any shares of Common Stock received. The Company generally will be allowed a federal income tax deduction equal to the same amount that the recipient recognizes as ordinary income (subject to limitations under Section 162(m) of the Code).

 

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Deferred Stock Awards

 

Deferred stock awards are designed to be compliant with Code Section 409A. The participant will generally recognize ordinary income at the time the Company settles the participant’s deferred stock account (or portion thereof). The Company will generally be allowed a federal income tax deduction equal to the same amount that the recipient receives as ordinary income (subject to the limitations under Section 162(m) of the Code).

 

Dividend Equivalent Rights

 

No taxable income should be recognized upon receipt of a dividend equivalent right award. A participant will recognize ordinary income in the year in which a dividend or distribution, whether in cash, securities or other property, is paid on an unrestricted basis to the participant. The amount of that income will be equal to the fair market value of the cash, securities or other property received. The Company will generally be entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of the ordinary income recognized by the participant of the dividend equivalent right award at the time the dividend or distribution is paid to such participant. That deduction will generally be taken for the taxable year in which such ordinary income is recognized.

 

Other Stock Awards. The federal income tax consequences of other stock awards will depend on the form of such awards.

 

Performance Awards. The federal income tax consequences of other stock awards will depend on the form of such awards.

 

Code Section 162(m)

 

Code Section 162(m) imposes an annual $1,000,000 limit on the tax deduction allowable for compensation paid in any one year to a “covered employee” of the Company. The prior exception for compensation that constituted so-called “performance-based” compensation was eliminated by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

 

Code Sections 280G and 4999

 

Code Sections 280G and 4999 impose penalties on persons who pay and persons who receive so-called excess parachute payments. A parachute payment is the value of any amount that is paid to Company officers (or other disqualified individuals) on account of a change in control. If total parachute payments from all sources including but not limited to stock-based compensation plans — equal or exceed three times an officer’s (or other disqualified individuals’) base amount, meaning his or her five-year average taxable compensation, a portion of the parachute payments above one times the base amount will constitute an excess parachute payment. Because of Code Section 4999, the officer (or other disqualified individual) must pay an excise tax equal to 20% of the total excess parachute payments. This tax is in addition to other federal, state, and local income, wage, and employment taxes imposed on the individual’s change in control payments. Moreover, because of Section 280G, the company paying the compensation is unable to deduct the excess parachute payment.

 

Benefits to which participants are entitled under the Plan and associated award agreements could constitute parachute payments under sections 280G and 4999 if a change in control of the Company occurs. If this happens, the value of each participant’s parachute payment arising under the Plan must be combined with other parachute payments the same participant may be entitled to receive under other agreements or plans with the Company or a related entity, such as an employment agreement or a severance agreement.

 

Code Section 409A

 

Code Section 409A provides requirements for certain nonqualified deferred compensation arrangements. If applicable, Code Section 409A also imposes penalties (including an additional 20% tax) on the recipient of deferred compensation in the event such compensation fails to comply with Section 409A of the Code. Unless otherwise provided by the Compensation Committee, awards granted under the Plan generally are intended to either comply with or meet the requirements for an exemption from Section 409A of the Code. The Company does not guarantee to any participant that the Plan or any award granted under the Plan complies with or is exempt from Section 409A of the Code, and the Company will not have any liability to, or obligation to indemnify or hold harmless any individual with respect to any tax consequences that arise from any such failure to comply with or meet an exemption under Section 409A of the Code.

 

New Plan Benefits

 

Because benefits under the Plan will depend on the Compensation Committee’s determinations in the future, it is not possible to determine at this time the benefits that might be received by our employees, directors, consultants or advisers if the Plan is approved.

 

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AUDIT MATTERS

 

Proposal 4 Ratification of Appointment of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Audit Committee has appointed the firm of KPMG LLP as JLL’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2019. A proposal to ratify this appointment will be presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting. We are asking our shareholders to ratify the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2019.

 

Although we are not required to seek shareholder ratification of this appointment, the Board believes that doing so is consistent with corporate governance best practices. If the appointment is not ratified, the Audit Committee will explore the reasons for shareholder rejection and will reconsider the appointment. The Audit Committee retains the right to appoint a substitute independent registered public accounting firm at any time during 2019 for any reason whatsoever.

 

The Board unanimously recommends you vote FOR ratification of such appointment.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR INDEPENDENT
REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

For a number of years, KPMG LLP has been the independent registered public accounting firm that audits the financial statements of JLL and most of its subsidiaries. JLL expects that representatives of KPMG LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting and will be available to respond to appropriate questions. Such representatives will have the opportunity to make a statement at the Annual Meeting if they desire to do so.

 

Audit and Non-Audit Fees

 

The following table presents fees for the professional services that KPMG LLP rendered for the audit of the Company’s annual financial statements (including auditing the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting for purposes of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002), audit related fees, tax fees, and fees billed for other services during 2018 and 2017 (the fees shown are in thousands (000’s)).

 

Fees for the year ended on December 31

2018

2017

Audit Fees

$8,337

$7,409

Audit Related Fees

$1,135

$1,214

Tax Fees

$188

$362

All Other Fees

$0

$0

Total

$9,660

$8,985

 

Audit Fees. These amounts represent those fees of KPMG necessary to perform an audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and quarterly reviews of the consolidated financial statements of JLL. This includes fees for review of the tax provision and fees for accounting consultations on matters reflected in the consolidated financial statements. Audit Fees also include services required by statute or regulation (foreign or domestic), such as comfort letters, consents, reviews of SEC filings, and statutory audits in non-U.S. locations.

 

Audit Related Fees. Audit related fees are comprised of fees for employee benefit plan audits, internal control related matters and services not required by statute or regulation.

 

Tax Fees. Tax fees are comprised of fees for tax compliance, tax planning and tax advice. Tax planning and tax advice encompasses a diverse range of services, including consultation, research, and assessment of tax planning initiatives, assistance with tax audits and appeals, employee benefit plans and requests for rulings or technical advice from taxing authorities.

 

All Other Fees. All other fees would consist of fees for all other non-audit services. There were no such other services provided in 2018 or 2017.

 

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Pre-Approval of Audit and Permitted Non-Audit Services of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Audit Committee has established a policy for pre-approval of audit and permitted non-audit services by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. At each of its meetings, the full Audit Committee considers, and approves or rejects, any proposed services and fee estimates that are presented by the Company’s management. The Chairman of the Audit Committee has been designated by the Audit Committee to consider approval of services arising between meetings that were not pre-approved by the Audit Committee. Services approved by the Chairman are ratified by the full Audit Committee at its next regular meeting. For each proposed service, the independent registered public accounting firm provides supporting documentation detailing the service and an estimate of costs. During 2018, the Audit Committee pre-approved all services performed by the independent registered public accounting firm.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

 

As more particularly described above under “Corporate Governance Principles and Board Matters,” the Audit Committee of the Board is responsible for providing independent, objective oversight of JLL’s accounting functions and internal and disclosure controls. The Audit Committee is composed of five Directors, each of whom is independent as defined by the New York Stock Exchange listing standards in effect at the time of mailing of this Proxy Statement and by applicable Securities and Exchange Commission rules. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter, which has been approved by the Board of Directors and is available on the Company’s public website at https://ir.jll.com/corporate-governance/governance-documents/default.aspx.

 

Management is responsible for JLL’s internal and disclosure controls and its financial reporting process. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing an independent audit of JLL’s consolidated financial statements and the effective operation of internal controls over financial reporting, all in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), and for issuing a report thereon. The Audit Committee’s responsibility is to oversee these processes.

 

In connection with these responsibilities, the Audit Committee met with management and the independent registered public accounting firm to review and discuss the December 31, 2018 audited financial statements as well as the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting for which an attestation by such firm is required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. The Audit Committee also discussed with KPMG its evaluation of the accounting principles, practices and judgments applied by management, and any items required to be communicated to it by KPMG in accordance with regulations promulgated by the SEC and the PCAOB including the matters required to be discussed by applicable requirements of the PCAOB and the SEC. The Audit Committee also received written disclosures from the independent registered public accounting firm required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) regarding such firm’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee discussed with KPMG LLP that firm’s independence under the relevant standards. The Audit Committee also reviewed the selection, application and disclosure of our critical accounting policies pursuant to SEC Financial Release No. 60, “Cautionary Advice Regarding Disclosure of Critical Accounting Policies.”

 

Based upon the Audit Committee’s discussions with management and the independent registered public accounting firm, and the Audit Committee’s review of the representations of management and the independent registered public accounting firm, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board of Directors include the audited consolidated financial statements in JLL’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, which has been filed with the SEC.

 

 

The Audit Committee

 
     
     
 

Ann Marie Petach (Chairman)
Matthew Carter, Jr.
Bridget Macaskill
Martin H. Nesbitt
Sheila A. Penrose

 

 

Proxy Statement

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE
PROXY MATERIALS AND OUR ANNUAL MEETING

 

Q:

Why am I receiving these materials?

 

A:

The Board is providing these proxy materials to you in connection with our 2019 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Annual Meeting will take place at 9:00 a.m. local time, on Wednesday, May 29, 2019, at the JLL office located at 8343 Douglas Avenue, Suite 100, Dallas, Texas 75225. We first released this Proxy Statement to our shareholders on or about April 18, 2019.

 

As one of our shareholders of record on the Record Date, you are invited to attend the Annual Meeting. You are also entitled to vote on each of the matters we describe in this Proxy Statement.

 

Q:

Why is JLL making these materials available over the Internet rather than mailing them?

 

A:

Under the “Notice and Access Rule” that the SEC has adopted, we may furnish proxy materials to our shareholders on the Internet rather than mailing printed copies of those materials to each shareholder. This helps us meet our sustainability goals and it will save significant postage, printing, and processing costs. If you received a Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials (Notice of Internet Availability) by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of our proxy materials unless you specifically request one. Instead, the Notice of Internet Availability will instruct you about how to (1) access and review our proxy materials on the Internet and (2) access your proxy card to vote on the Internet or by telephone.

 

Q:

How can I have printed copies of the proxy materials mailed to me?

 

A:

If you received a Notice of Internet Availability by mail and you would prefer to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, including a paper proxy card, please follow the instructions included in the Notice of Internet Availability.

 

Q:

What information does this Proxy Statement contain?

 

A:

The information in this Proxy Statement includes the proposals on which our shareholders will vote at the Annual Meeting, the voting process, the compensation of our Directors and certain executive officers, corporate governance, and certain other required information. It includes the information about JLL that we are required to disclose as the basis for your decision about how to vote on each proposal.

 

Q:

What other information are you furnishing with this Proxy Statement?

 

A:

Our 2018 Annual Report, which includes our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, has been made available on the Internet to all shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting and who received the Notice of Internet Availability. You may also view our 2018 Annual Report and this Proxy Statement at https://ir.jll.com/company-information/investor-toolkit/default.aspx in the “Investor Toolkit” section of the Investor Relations section.

 

You may obtain a paper copy of our 2018 Annual Report and this Proxy Statement without charge by writing the JLL Investor Relations Department at the address of our principal executive office, 200 East Randolph Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601, or by emailing JLLInvestorRelations@jll.com.

 

Q:

What items of business will be voted on at the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

The four items of business scheduled to be voted on at the Annual Meeting are:

 

 

Proposal 1: The election of ten Directors identified in this Proxy Statement to serve one-year terms until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

 

 

Proposal 2: Approval, on an advisory basis, of named executive officer compensation (say-on-pay);

 

 

Proposal 3: Approval the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan; and

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

 

Proposal 4: Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

 

Q:

How does the Board recommend that I vote?

 

A:

Our Board recommends that you vote your shares as follows:

 

 

FOR each of the ten Director nominees to the Board;

 

 

FOR the non-binding advisory say-on-pay vote approving executive compensation;

 

 

FOR the approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan; and

 

 

FOR the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019.

 

Q:

What shares may I vote?

 

A:

Only shareholders of record of JLL’s Common Stock (NYSE: JLL), $0.01 par value per share, at the close of business on Friday, March 15, 2019, the Record Date, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. For the purpose of determining whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, we will count shares of Common Stock represented in person or by properly executed proxy. Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote on all matters voted upon by shareholders and is entitled to vote for as many persons as there are Directors to be elected. Based on the information we have received from Computershare, our transfer agent and stock registrar, there were 45,738,607 voting shares of Common Stock outstanding on the Record Date. The shares of our Common Stock are held in approximately 345 registered accounts. According to Broadridge Investor Communications, those registered accounts represent approximately 46,456 beneficial owners (which we believe includes the number of individual holders in certain reported mutual funds that hold our shares).

 

Q:

How can I attend the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

You are entitled to attend the Annual Meeting only if you were a JLL shareholder as of the close of business on Friday, March 15, 2019 or you hold a valid proxy for the Annual Meeting. You should be prepared to present a photo identification for admittance. In addition, if you are a shareholder of record, we will verify your name against the list of shareholders of record on the Record Date prior to admitting you to the Annual Meeting. If you are not a shareholder of record but hold shares through a broker, trustee, or nominee (in street name), you should provide proof of beneficial ownership on the Record Date, such as your most recent account statement prior to March 15, 2019, a copy of the voting instruction card furnished to you, or other similar evidence of ownership. If you do not provide photo identification or comply with the other procedures outlined above upon request, we reserve the right not admit you to the Annual Meeting.

 

Q:

How can I vote my shares in person at the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting those shares you hold in your name as the shareholder of record. You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting shares you hold beneficially in street name only if you obtain a legal proxy from the broker, trustee, or nominee that holds your shares, giving you the right to vote the shares. Even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, we recommend that you also submit your proxy or voting instructions as described below so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting.

 

Q:

How can I vote my shares without attending the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

Whether you hold shares directly as the shareholder of record or beneficially in street name, you may direct how your shares are voted without attending the Annual Meeting. Shareholders may deliver their proxies either:

 

 

Electronically over the Internet at www.proxyvote.com;

 

 

By telephone (please see your proxy card for instructions); or

 

 

By requesting, completing, and submitting a properly signed paper proxy card as outlined in the Notice of Internet Availability.

 

 

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Q:

May I change my vote or revoke my proxy?

 

A:

You may change your vote at any time prior to the vote at the Annual Meeting. If you are the shareholder of record, you may change your vote by:

 

 

Granting a new proxy bearing a later date (which automatically revokes the earlier proxy);

 

 

Providing a written notice of revocation prior to your shares being voted; or

 

 

Attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person.

 

A written notice of revocation must be sent to our Corporate Secretary at the address of our principal executive office, which we provide above. Attendance at the Annual Meeting will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you specifically so request. For shares you hold beneficially in street name, you may change your vote (1) by submitting new voting instructions to your broker, trustee, or nominee or (2) if you have obtained a legal proxy from your broker, trustee, or nominee giving you the right to vote your shares, by attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person.

 

Q:

How many shares must be present or represented to conduct business at the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

The quorum requirement for holding the Annual Meeting and transacting business is that holders of a majority of shares of our Common Stock that are issued and outstanding and are entitled to vote must be present in person or represented by proxy.

 

Q:

What is the voting requirement to approve each of the proposals?

 

A:

The table below details information regarding the proposals to be voted on at the Annual Meeting, the Board's recommendation on how to vote on each proposal, the votes required to approve each proposal and the effect of abstentions and broker non-votes.

 

Proposal

Voting
Options

Board
Recommendation

Vote Required to
Adopt the Proposal

Effects of Abstentions

Effect of Broker
Non-Votes

Proposal 1: Election of ten Directors identified in this Proxy Statement to serve one-year terms until the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their Successors are duly elected and qualified

For, Against or Abstain on each nominee

FOR each nominee

Majority of votes cast with respect to each such nominee

No effect

No effect

Proposal 2: Approval, by non-binding vote, of named executive officer compensation

For, Against or Abstain

FOR

Majority of votes cast

No effect

No effect

Proposal 3: Approval of the 2019 Stock Award and Incentive Plan

For, Against or Abstain

FOR

Majority of votes cast

Treated as votes Against pursuant to NYSE rules

No effect

Proposal 4: Ratification of appointment of KPMG LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2019

For, Against or Abstain

FOR

Majority of votes cast

No effect

Brokers have discretion to vote

 

Although the advisory vote on executive compensation is non-binding, our Board will review the result of the vote and, consistent with our philosophy of shareholder engagement, will take it into account in making a determination concerning executive compensation in the future.

 

Q:

What happens if I sign but do not give specific voting instructions on my proxy?

 

A:

If you hold shares in your own name and you submit a proxy without giving specific voting instructions, the proxy holders will vote your shares in the manner recommended by our Board on all matters presented in this Proxy Statement.

 

If you hold shares through a broker, trustee or other nominee and do not provide your broker with specific voting instructions, under the rules that govern brokers in such circumstances, your broker will not have the authority to exercise discretion to vote your shares (commonly called “broker non-votes”) on any proposal other than the proposal for the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2019.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

Q:

What happens if a Director does not receive a majority of the votes cast for him or her?

 

A:

Under our By-Laws, if a Director does not receive the vote of at least the majority of the votes cast, that Director will promptly tender his or her resignation to the Board. Our Nominating and Governance Committee will then make a recommendation to the Board as to whether to accept or reject the tendered resignation, or whether other action should be taken. The Board is required to take action with respect to the resignation, and publicly disclose its rationale, within 90 days from the date of the certification of the election results. If a resignation is not accepted by the Board, the Director will continue to serve until the next Annual Meeting and until his or her successor is duly elected, or his or her earlier resignation or removal. We provide additional details about our majority voting procedures under “Corporate Governance Principles and Board Matters” above.

 

Q:

What is householding?

 

A:

As permitted by the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (as amended, the Exchange Act), only one copy of this Proxy Statement is being delivered to shareholders residing at the same address, unless the shareholders have notified the Company of their desire to receive multiple copies of the Proxy Statement. This is known as “householding.” The Company will promptly deliver, upon oral or written request, a separate copy of the Proxy Statement to any shareholder residing at an address to which only one copy was mailed. Requests for additional copies for the current year or future years should be directed to our Corporate Secretary at the address of our principal executive office, which we provide above. Shareholders of record residing at the same address and currently receiving multiple copies of the Proxy Statement may contact our registrar and transfer agent, Computershare, to request that only a single copy of the Proxy Statement be mailed in the future. You may contact Computershare by phone at +1.866.210.8055 or by mail at 462 South Fourth Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202. Beneficial owners should contact their bank, broker, or other nominee.

 

Q:

What should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials?

 

A:

There are circumstances under which you may receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you may receive a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold shares. If you are a shareholder of record and your shares are registered in more than one name, you will receive more than one Notice. Please vote each different proxy you receive, since each one represents different shares that you own.

 

Q:

Where can I find the voting results of the Annual Meeting?

 

A:

We intend to announce preliminary voting results at the Annual Meeting and then disclose the final results in a Form 8-K filing with the SEC within four business days after the date of the Annual Meeting.

 

Q:

What is the deadline to propose actions for consideration at next year’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders or to nominate individuals to serve as Directors?

 

A:

Shareholder proposals intended to be presented at the 2020 Annual Meeting and included in JLL’s Proxy Statement and form of proxy relating to that Annual Meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act must be received by JLL at our principal executive office by December 18, 2019.

 

Our By-Laws require that proposals of shareholders made outside of Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act must be submitted to our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office not later than February 29, 2020 and not earlier than January 30, 2020. In addition, any shareholder intending to nominate a candidate for election to the Board at the 2020 Annual Meeting must give timely written notice to our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office not later than February 29, 2020 and not earlier than January 30, 2020.

 

Shareholders may, subject to and in accordance with our By-Laws, recommend director candidates for consideration by the Nominating and Governance Committee. The recommendation must be delivered to our Corporate Secretary, who will forward the recommendation to the Nominating and Governance Committee for consideration.

 

Under certain circumstances, shareholders may also submit nominations for Directors for inclusion in our proxy materials by complying with the requirements in our By-Laws. We provide more information regarding proxy access under “How do I nominate a director using the Company’s proxy materials?” below.

 

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Q:

How do I nominate a director using the Company’s proxy materials?

 

A:

In March 2018, our Board adopted a “Proxy Access for Director Nominations” bylaw after engaging with a number of our shareholders. The proxy access bylaw permits a shareholder, or a group of up to 20 shareholders, owning at least 3% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock continuously for at least three years as of the date of the notice of nomination, to nominate and include in the Company’s proxy materials director nominees constituting up to two individuals or 20% of the Board (whichever is greater), provided that the shareholder and nominee satisfy the requirements set forth in our By-Laws. Pursuant to our By-Laws, to be timely for inclusion in the proxy materials for the 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, we must receive a shareholder’s notice to nominate a director using the Company’s proxy materials by no later than December 18, 2019 and no earlier than November 18, 2019. Such notice should be addressed to the Corporate Secretary at our principal executive office and contain the information required by our By-Laws under Article III, Section 15.

 

Q:

Who will pay the cost of this proxy solicitation?

 

A:

We have hired D.F. King & Co., Inc. to assist us in the solicitation of votes. We will pay D.F. King a fee of $9,500 plus customary costs and expenses for their services. We have agreed to indemnify D.F. King against certain liabilities arising out of or in connection with their services.

 

Upon request, we will also reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries for forwarding proxy and solicitation materials to shareholders.

 

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Proxy Statement

 

 

ANNEX A
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP AND
NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

The Company reports its financial results in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP or referred to herein as reported). However, management uses certain non-GAAP financial measures to develop budgets and forecasts, measure and reward performance against those budgets and forecasts, and enhance comparability to prior periods. These measures are believed to be useful to investors and other external stakeholders as supplemental measures of core operating performance and include the following:

 

(i) Fee revenue and Fee-based operating expenses,

 

(ii) Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin, and

 

(iii) Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders and Adjusted diluted earnings per share.

 

However, non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered alternatives to measures determined in accordance with GAAP. Any measure that eliminates components of a company’s capital structure, cost of operations or investment, or other results has limitations as a performance measure. In light of these limitations, management also considers GAAP financial measures and does not rely solely on non-GAAP financial measures. Because the Company's non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

 

Adjustments to GAAP Financial Measures Used to Calculate non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

Gross Contract Costs represent certain costs associated with client-dedicated employees, and third-party vendors and subcontractors and are indirectly reimbursed through the fee we receive. These costs are presented on a gross basis in Operating expenses with the corresponding fee in Revenue before reimbursements. However, as we generally earn little to no margin on such costs, excluding gross contract costs from both Fee revenue and Fee-based operating expenses more accurately reflects how the company manages its expense base and operating margins and also enables a more consistent performance assessment across a portfolio of contracts with varying payment terms and structures, including those with direct versus indirect reimbursement of such costs.

 

Net Non-Cash Mortgage Servicing Rights (“MSR”) and Mortgage Banking Derivative Activity consists of the balances presented within Revenue composed of (i) derivative gains/losses resulting from mortgage banking loan commitment and warehousing activity and (ii) gains recognized from the retention of MSR upon origination and sale of mortgage loans, offset by (iii) amortization of MSR intangible assets over the period that net servicing income is projected to be received. Non-cash derivative gains/losses resulting from mortgage banking loan commitment and warehousing activity are calculated as the estimated fair value of loan commitments and subsequent changes thereof, primarily represented by the estimated net cash flows associated with future servicing rights. MSR gains and corresponding MSR intangible assets are calculated as the present value of estimated net cash flows over the estimated mortgage servicing periods. The above activity is reported entirely within Revenue of the Capital Markets & Hotels business line of the Americas segment. Excluding net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity reflects how we manage and evaluate performance because the excluded activity is non-cash in nature.

 

Impact of December 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Enactment reflects the transition tax on the deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries and the remeasurement of U.S. deferred tax assets. For 2017, the provisional estimate of the total impact was $125.9 million. The $47.0 million of additional expense in 2018 represents the true-up to the provisional amounts recorded in 2017. Such activity is excluded as the amount relates predominantly to accumulated foreign earnings, net of tax credits, realized over many years with cash obligations to be paid over eight years beginning in 2019. Therefore, these amounts are not considered indicative of core operating results.

 

Restructuring and Acquisition Charges primarily consist of: (i) severance and employment-related charges, including those related to external service providers, incurred in conjunction with a structural business shift, which can be represented by a notable change in headcount, change in leadership or transformation of business processes; (ii) acquisition and integration-related charges, including non-cash fair value adjustments to assets and

 

Proxy Statement

A-1

 

 

liabilities recorded in purchase accounting such as earn-out liabilities and intangible assets; and (iii) lease exit charges. Such activity is excluded as the amounts are generally either non-cash in nature or the anticipated benefits from the expenditures would not likely be fully realized until future periods. Restructuring and acquisition charges are excluded from segment operating results and therefore not a line item in the segments’ reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA.

 

Gain on Disposition reflects the net gain recognized on the sale of a business in the Asia Pacific reporting segment. Given the low frequency of business disposals by the company historically, the gain directly associated with such activity is excluded as it is not considered indicative of core operating performance.

 

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

 

Below are the reconciliations of revenue to fee revenue and operating expenses to fee-based operating expenses.

 

   

Year Ended December 31,

 

($ in millions)

 

2018

   

2017

 

Revenue

  $ 16,318.4     $ 14,453.2  

Reimbursements

    (7,228.9 )     (6,485.8 )

Revenue before reimbursements

    9,089.5       7,967.4  

Gross contract costs

    (2,595.0 )     (2,215.5 )

Net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity

    (8.3 )     (15.7 )

Fee revenue

  $ 6,486.2     $ 5,736.2  
                 

Operating expenses

  $ 15,611.5     $ 13,907.3  

Reimbursed expenses

    (7,228.9 )     (6,485.8 )

Gross contract costs

    (2,595.0 )     (2,215.5 )

Fee-based operating expenses

  $ 5,787.6     $ 5,206.0  
                 

Operating income

  $ 706.9     $ 545.9  

 

Adjusted EBITDA attributable to common shareholders ("Adjusted EBITDA") represents EBITDA attributable to common shareholders (“EBITDA”) further adjusted for certain items we do not consider directly indicative of our ongoing performance in the context of certain performance measurements.

 

   

Year Ended December 31,

 

($ in millions)

 

2018

   

2017

 

Net income attributable to common shareholders

  $ 484.1     $ 276.0  

Add:

               

Interest expense, net of interest income

    51.1       56.2  

Provision for income taxes

    214.3       256.3  

Depreciation and amortization

    186.1       167.2  

EBITDA

  $ 935.6     $ 755.7  

Adjustments:

               

Restructuring and acquisition charges

    38.8       30.7  

Gain on disposition

    (12.9 )      

Net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity

    (8.3 )     (15.7 )

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 953.2     $ 770.7  
                 

Net income margin attributable to common shareholders

    5.3 %     3.5 %

Adjusted EBITDA margin

    14.9 %     13.4 %

 

A-2

Proxy Statement

 

 

Below is (i) a reconciliation of Net income attributable to common shareholders to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA and (ii) the Adjusted EBITDA margin (on a fee-revenue basis), on a local currency basis.

 

   

Year Ended December 31,

 

($ in millions, except per share data)

 

2018

   

2017

 

Net income attributable to common shareholders

  $ 484.1     $ 276.0  

Diluted shares (in thousands)

    45,931       45,758  

Diluted earnings per share

  $ 10.54     $ 6.03  
                 

Net income attributable to common shareholders

  $ 484.1     $ 276.0  

Adjustments:

               

Restructuring and acquisition charges

    38.8       30.7  

Net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity

    (8.3 )     (15.7 )

Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles

    29.4       31.1  

Gain on disposition

    (12.9 )      

Impact of Tax Cuts and Job Act enactment

    47.0       125.9  

Tax impact of adjusted items

    (15.5 )     (22.1 )

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 562.6     $ 425.9  

Diluted shares (in thousands)

    45,931       45,758  

Adjusted diluted earnings per share

  $ 12.25     $ 9.31  

 

Reconciliation of Compensation Committee Financial Measures

 

For purposes of the CD&A, below is a reconciliation of Net income attributable to common shareholders to EBITDA and AIP adjusted EBITDA.

 

   

Year Ended
December 31,

 

($ in millions)

 

2018

 

Net income attributable to common shareholders

  $ 484.1  

Add:

       

Interest

    51.1  

Provision for income taxes

    214.3  

Depreciation and amortization

    186.1  

EBITDA

  $ 935.6  

Adjustments:

       

Qualifying restructuring and acquisition charges (1)

    9.0  

Net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity

    (8.3 )

AIP adjusted EBITDA

  $ 936.3  

 

(1)

Represents the portion of the $38.8 million total Restructuring and acquisition charges for the year ended December 31, 2018, which the Compensation Committee adds back in the calculation.

 

Proxy Statement

A-3

 

 

For purposes of the CD&A, below is a reconciliation of Net income attributable to common shareholders to Compensation Committee adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders.

 

   

Year Ended
December 31,

 

($ in millions)

 

2018

 

Net income attributable to common shareholders

  $ 484.1  

Adjustments:

       

Qualifying restructuring and acquisition charges (1)

    9.0  

Net non-cash MSR and mortgage banking derivative activity

    (8.3