Symantec 2016 Annual Report Download - page 21

DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS AND COMMUNICATION WITH DIRECTORS
Criteria for Nomination to the Board
The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider candidates submitted by Symantec stockholders,
as well as candidates recommended by directors and management, for nomination to the Board. The Nominating
and Governance Committee has generally identified nominees based upon recommendations by outside directors,
management and executive recruiting firms. The goal of the Nominating and Governance Committee is to
assemble a Board that offers a diverse portfolio of perspectives, backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and skills
derived from high-quality business and professional experience. The Nominating and Governance Committee
annually reviews the appropriate skills and characteristics required of directors in the context of the current
composition of the Board, our operating requirements and the long-term interests of our stockholders.
The key attributes, experience and skills we consider important for our directors in light of our current busi-
ness and structure are:
‰Industry and Technology Expertise. As a security and technology company, understanding new tech-
nologies and emerging industry trends or having experience in security and related technologies is useful
in understanding our business and the market segments in which we compete, our research and develop-
ment efforts, competing technologies, the various products and processes that we develop, and evolving
customer requirements.
‰Global Expertise. We are a global organization with employees, offices and customers in many coun-
tries. Directors with global operating expertise can provide a useful business and cultural perspective
regarding many significant aspects of our business.
‰Leadership Experience. Directors who have served in a senior leadership position, as a general manager
of a business, or as the functional leader of a global sales, marketing or product development organization,
are important to us, because they bring experience and perspective in analyzing, shaping, and overseeing
the execution of important strategic, operational and policy issues at a senior level.
‰Public Company Board Experience. Directors who have served on other public company boards can
offer advice and insights with regard to the dynamics and operation of a board of directors; the relations of
a board to the company’s chief executive officer and other senior management personnel; the importance
of public-company corporate governance, including oversight matters, strategic decisions and operational
and compliance-related matters.
‰Business Combinations and Partnerships Experience. Directors who have a background in M&A and
strategic partnership transactions can provide insight into developing and implementing strategies for
growing our business through combination and/or partnerships with other organizations.
‰Financial Expertise. Knowledge of financial markets, financing operations, and accounting and finan-
cial reporting processes is important because it assists our directors in understanding, advising, and over-
seeing Symantec’s capital structure, financing and investing activities, financial reporting, and internal
control of such activities.
‰Diversity. In addition to a diverse portfolio of professional background, experiences, knowledge and
skills, the composition of the Board should reflect the benefits of diversity as to gender, race, and ethnic
background.
The information provided under “Director Qualifications” below each of the brief biographical descriptions
set forth under Proposal 1, “Election of Directors — Nominees for Director” below includes the key individual
attributes, experience and skills of each of our directors that led to the conclusion that each director should serve
as a member of the board of directors at this time.
Process for Identifying and Evaluating Nominees
The Nominating and Governance Committee considers candidates by first evaluating the current members of the
Board who intend to continue in service, balancing the value of continuity of service with that of obtaining new
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