Autodesk 2009 Annual Report Download - page 36

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•Equilar provided benchmark compensation information based on a detailed analysis of recently filed
proxies from companies in our peer group (see “Benchmarking of Compensation” below). This was an
additional source of information used to inform the Compensation Committee’s decisions on fiscal
2009 base salaries, incentive awards and equity grants for executive officers.
In addition, the Compensation Committee engaged Towers Perrin as its independent executive
compensation consultant. During fiscal 2009, Towers Perrin assisted in evaluating the peer group of companies
we use to identify competitive compensation trends and levels (see “Benchmarking of Compensation” below)
and provided relevant market data, including competitive and best practices.
Benchmarking of Compensation
To ensure that our executive compensation practices, including base salaries, target incentive awards, and
equity grants are competitive and advance our compensation objectives, the Compensation Committee uses the
independent third-party executive compensation data and services mentioned above. The data and services
reviewed by the Compensation Committee provide information on the compensation practices of a group of
companies in our industry as well as competitors for executive talent (collectively, our “peer group”).
The Compensation Committee uses the compensation information about the pay practices of our peer group
and the information provided by the outside compensation consultants identified above to assist it in its decisions
about overall compensation, the elements of compensation, the amount of each element of compensation, and
relative compensation among our executives.
For fiscal 2009, the companies in our peer group are listed below. These companies all have headquarters
located in the San Francisco Bay Area with the exception of BMC Software, with headquarters in Houston,
Texas.
Adobe Systems Intuit
BEA Systems Network Appliance
BMC Software Symantec
Cadence Design Synopsys
eBay Yahoo
Electronic Arts
Our peer group is reviewed and updated, as necessary, each year to ensure that the comparisons are
meaningful. Several factors are considered in selecting our peer group, including industry, products and services
offered, revenue level, geographic location, and competitors for executive talent in our labor markets. Our peer
group did not change between fiscal 2008 fiscal and fiscal 2009.
Elements of Executive Compensation Programs
Autodesk’s executive compensation program has three major components: (1) base salary, (2) short-term
cash incentives, and (3) long-term equity incentives. The Company also provides a comprehensive benefits
program and, under certain circumstances, termination protection. These programs are designed to attract, retain,
and motivate highly effective executives to achieve our business goals and improve stockholder value by linking
compensation to our overall strategic and financial performance. Although the amount and mix of each of these
three components generally are determined by objective assessment, the Compensation Committee retains and
exercises judgment and subjective assessments in its ultimate compensation decisions.
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