Staples 2015 Annual Report Download - page 28

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (ITEM 1 ON THE PROXY CARD)
24 STAPLES Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders
Robert Sulentic
Age: 59
Director Since: 2007
Current Staples Board Committees
- Audit, Executive, Nominating and
Corporate Governance
Skills and Experience
- Audit, Financial Expertise
- International Operations
- Leadership and Management
- M&A/Integration
- Real Estate
- Risk Oversight
- Strategy
Public Company Boards
Current
- CBRE, Inc.
Prior
- Trammell Crow Company (2002-2006)
Selected Other Positions
- British American Business Council
- Director, Baylor Healthcare System
Foundation
Education
- M.B.A., Harvard Business School
- B.S., Computer Science, Iowa
State University
Career Highlights
Mr. Sulentic has served as Chief Executive Officer of CBRE, Inc., a global commercial real estate services company, since
2012 and President since 2010. Mr. Sulentic also has been a member of the CBRE Board since 2012. He previously served
as President of the Development Services business from 2006 to 2011 and as Chief Financial Officer and Group President,
each from 2009 until 2010. In addition, Mr. Sulentic was a member of CBRE’s Board and Group President of Development
Services, Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa from 2006 through 2009. During the period in which Mr. Sulentic
has served as CEO and CFO of CBRE, the company completed a significant balance sheet restructuring and cost cutting/
operational restructuring, as well as engaged in M&A activity resulting in approximately 30 completed acquisitions.
Mr. Sulentic also has overseen a significant upgrade to CBRE’s IT and other support systems. Over the first seven years he
served as CFO and CEO, CBRE’s stock price increased approximately 10x and the market capitalization of the company
grew from $1 billion to nearly $10 billion. CBRE has been voted the industry’s top brand for 14 consecutive years. Before
CBRE, Mr. Sulentic served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Trammell Crow Company from 2000 through 2006,
and was also Chairman of the Board from 2002 through 2006. He previously served as its Executive Vice President and
Chief Financial Officer from September 1998 to October 2000. During his six years at Trammell Crow, the stock price
increased 240%.
Vijay Vishwanath
Age: 56
Director Since: 2007
Current Staples Board Committees
- Executive, Nominating and
Corporate Governance
Skills and Experience
- Consumer and Business Sales
- Corporate Governance
- E-commerce/Marketing
- International Operations
- M&A/Integration
- Strategy
Public Company Boards
Prior
- Yankee Candle Corporation (2005-2007)
Education
- M.B.A., Harvard Business School
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of
Texas, Austin
Career Highlights
Mr. Vishwanath has been a Partner at Bain & Company, a management consulting firm, since 1993 and is a leader in Bain’s
consumer products practice. Mr. Vishwanath first joined Bain in 1986, after working at Procter & Gamble. In his position at
Bain, Mr. Vishwanath has counseled numerous Fortune 500 companies on consumer product and brand strategy, as well as
marketing. Additionally, he advises CEOs and management teams of the leading global consumer companies on matters of
strategy, organization, mergers and performance improvement, including growth, pricing, market spending and optimization,
trade and channel management, and cost reduction across the entire value chain. Mr. Vishwanath has led several
post-merger integrations in the consumer space, including two of the largest global deals since 2010. Mr. Vishwanath also
has valuable experience in corporate governance. Mr. Vishwanath has published several articles on a variety of consumer
product issues, and has spoken to audiences around the world on the topic of growth and brand strategy.