Rich Williams served as the CEO of Groupon, Inc. from November 2015 to March 2020. He started at Groupon as the President of North America and was promoted to CEO after just a brief period, showing his effectiveness and leadership...

Rich Williams served as the CEO of Groupon, Inc. from November 2015 to March 2020. He started at Groupon as the President of North America and was promoted to CEO after just a brief period, showing his effectiveness and leadership ability. Before joining Groupon, Williams had a robust marketing career at Amazon, where he managed global paid traffic. His background in marketing and sales has played a key role in shaping Groupon's approach to local commerce. In 2020, his total compensation at Groupon was impressive, amounting to $7,372,593, which included a significant stock equity component, further showing his deep commitment to the company's success. An interesting fact about Rich is that he received a $1 million signing bonus when he became CEO, emphasizing the company's confidence in his ability to lead. Even after heading several significant initiatives at Groupon, he was terminated in June 2020, closing a chapter in his professional life where he made notable impacts despite facing challenges in the competitive landscape of online services.

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2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Groupon, Inc. CEOs

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Rich Williams

Ex-CEO of Groupon, Inc.

Field of Expertise

Sales & Marketing - Marketing

Sector of Economy

Communication Services

CEO of Groupon, Inc. for

4 years 4 months (Nov 2015 - Mar 2020)

Previous Experience

Unknown

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Rich Williams

Holdings

See how much did Rich Williams make over time.

During his time at Groupon, Rich Williams had a strong financial stake. His wealth was significantly tied to his stock holdings in the company, particularly when he was granted large quantities of restricted stock units (RSUs) upon his promotion to...

During his time at Groupon, Rich Williams had a strong financial stake. His wealth was significantly tied to his stock holdings in the company, particularly when he was granted large quantities of restricted stock units (RSUs) upon his promotion to CEO. In 2018, he was awarded RSUs worth around $6.6 million with a vesting plan that would reward him based on company performance. Interestingly, while his stock portfolio peaked in value during his tenure, fluctuations in Groupon's stock price led to varying levels of wealth as the market changed. He was particularly hands-on with the company’s performance metrics, and by 2019, his compensation was impacted by these metrics, highlighting an alignment with shareholder interests.

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Insider Trading

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No insider trades found for this CEO.

Compensation History

See how much did Rich Williams make over time.

Throughout his leadership at Groupon, Rich Williams earned significant compensation, reflecting both his role and performance pressures. In 2020, his total pay reached around $7.4 million, largely due to a lucrative package that included a base salary of $850,000 and substantial stock awards, part of a strategy to align his financial interests with the company's performance. His annual bonuses were tied to success metrics that led to variable pay, making his compensation a mix of guaranteed and performance-based income. This structure is common in competitive sectors where executives are expected to drive growth and profitability. Prior to his tenure ending in 2020, he had seen varying bonuses based on company performance, having earned over $6 million in stock in earlier years.

Year

2020

Total Compensation

$7.85M

Salary

$850.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy focuses on attracting and retaining talented leaders while aligning compensation with company performance and market benchmarks.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

The guaranteed cash bonus was not applicable to Mr. Williams as he was not part of the 2020 ABP due to his termination in June 2020.

Other

$893.36K

Board Justification

This includes severance payment of $850,000, COBRA payments of $38,107, and other benefits.

Restricted Stock

$6.11M(107.87K RSU)

Board Justification

The RSUs granted to Mr. Williams were to vest over a period of years, but upon his termination, 21,573 shares were accelerated to vest on May 20, 2021, with the remainder forfeited.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for compensation were not applicable to Mr. Williams due to his termination before the end of the performance period.

Other Groupon, Inc. CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Groupon, Inc.

Aaron Cooper

CEO of Groupon, Inc.

March 2020 - Present