DEF 14A

Director

Since

Biographies

Arthur U. Mbanefo

Mr. Mbanefo has been a director of our Company, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners, since October 2021. Since January 2023, Mr. Mbanefo has been the Managing Partner of Phoenix Partners LP, a merchant banking and private credit business, where he previously served in the same role from September 2019 until February 2020. From February 2020 to June 2022, Mr. Mbanefo was the Chief Investment Officer and Head of Principal Business and Asset Management for ORIX Corporation USA, the U.S. subsidiary of ORIX Corporation, a publicly owned, Tokyo-based international financial services company. In this role, he led investments across private equity, private credit and real estate, with a focus on the U.S. middle market. He was also an Advisory Director of the Board of ORIX Corporation USA. Mr. Mbanefo served as the Chief Investment Officer of Barclays Bank PLC from March 2017 until June 2019 where he was responsible for all the investment of the balance sheet of Barclays Bank PLC across corporate and investment banking, markets, pension and asset management, cards and payments. Prior to this role, he was a Head of Markets at Barclays from September 2015 to February 2017 and a Managing Director at the firm in various market leadership roles from May 2009 to September 2015. Prior to Barclays, Mr. Mbanefo served as Chief Investment Officer and Chief Executive Officer of two alternative investment management firms. In addition, since May 23, 2022, he has been the Chairman of the advisory board of Datatailr Inc., a financial and data analytics and development firm, and since September 1, 2022, he has been a senior adviser to Banyan LLC, an e-commerce data solutions firm. He is an advisory board member of the non-profit Room to Read in both London and New York. Mr. Mbanefo graduated with a BSc with Honours from Loughborough University. He is also a Fellow Chartered Accountant.

William Addas

Mr. Addas has been a director of our Company since July 2023, following the closing of the Corporate Conversion. From 2008 to 2023, Mr. Addas held numerous senior positions at BofA Securities, Inc., including Co-Head of Global Financial Institutions Group from 2021 to 2023, Co-Head of Americas Financial Institutions Group from 2019 to 2021, and Head of Specialty Finance from 2018 to 2019. From 2003 to 2008, he was a Managing Director and Head of Financial Technology and Specialty Finance at Deutsche Bank. From 2005 to 2006, he served on the board of Delta Financial Corp., a residential mortgage company. From 1996 to 2003, he was a Managing Director at Credit Suisse and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette. From 1993 to 1996, he served as a Director of NatWest Markets Securities, a U.S. based broker-dealer. From 1984 to 1992, he practiced as an attorney at Manatt, Phelps, Phillips, Rothenberg and Tunney, where he was an Associate and later a Partner, and Wasserstein Perella, where he was an Associate. Mr. Addas holds a Bachelor of Arts from Brandeis University, and a Juris Doctor from the George Washington University Law School.

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. )

Filed by the Registrant ☒ Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

(Check the appropriate box):

☐	Preliminary Proxy Statement

☐	Confidential, For Use Of The Commission Only (As Permitted By Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

☒	Definitive Proxy Statement

☐	Definitive Additional Materials

☐	Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

BGC Group, Inc.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):

☒	No fee required.

☐	Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

☐	Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-(6)(i)(1) and 0-11.

LOGO

September 28, 2023

Dear Stockholder:

It is my pleasure to inform you that our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of BGC Group, Inc. will be conducted online on November 14, 2023, commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). This is the first annual meeting following the closing of the Corporate Conversion (as discussed in the accompanying Proxy Statement) of our predecessor company, BGC Partners, Inc. (“BGC Partners”), on July 1, 2023. See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence – Corporate Conversion” in the accompanying Proxy Statement for more information. References in the accompanying Proxy Statement to periods prior to the Corporate Conversion refer to BGC Partners, for which we are the successor entity.

Our Board of Directors will once again conduct the Annual Meeting as a virtual meeting because it believes that a virtual meeting will enable increased stockholder accessibility, while improving meeting efficiency and reducing costs. Stockholders will be able to listen, vote, and submit questions from their home or any remote location with Internet connectivity. Information on how to participate in the Annual Meeting can be found on page 4 of the accompanying Proxy Statement.

This year, we are taking advantage of the Securities and Exchange Commission rule that allows companies to provide their stockholders with access to proxy materials on the Internet. On or about October 2, 2023, we will begin mailing a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) to our stockholders informing them that our accompanying Proxy Statement, Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 and voting instructions are available online. As more fully described in that Notice, all stockholders may choose to access our proxy materials on the Internet or may request to receive paper copies of the proxy materials. This allows us to conserve natural resources and reduces the costs of printing and distributing the proxy materials, while providing our stockholders with access to the proxy materials in a fast and efficient manner.

During the Annual Meeting, you will be asked to consider and vote upon (i) the election of five directors; (ii) a vote on the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023; (iii) an advisory vote on executive compensation; and (iv) such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Whether or not you are able to participate in the Annual Meeting, it is important that your shares be represented. Please vote your shares using the Internet or the designated toll-free telephone number, or by completing and returning by mail the enclosed proxy or voting instruction card. Please refer to the section entitled “Voting Via the Internet, by Telephone, or by Mail” on page 2 of the accompanying Proxy Statement for a description of these voting methods.

Sincerely,

Howard W. Lutnick

Chairman of the Board of Directors

BGC Group, Inc.

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

Notice of 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that our 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders will be held on November 14, 2023 commencing at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time), for the following purposes:

(1)

To elect five (5) directors to hold office until the next Annual Meeting and until their successors are duly elected and qualified;

(2)

To hold a vote on the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023;

(3)

To hold an advisory vote on executive compensation; and

(4)

To transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof.

Only holders of record of our Class A common stock or our Class B common stock at the close of business on September 18, 2023 are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof. If you plan to participate in the Annual Meeting, see the instructions under “Participating in the Annual Meeting” beginning on page 4 of the accompanying Proxy Statement. Stockholders will be able to listen, vote, and submit questions from their home or from any remote location that has Internet connectivity. See the instructions for voting under “Voting Via the Internet, by Telephone, or by Mail” beginning on page 2 of the accompanying Proxy Statement. There will be no physical location for stockholders to attend. Stockholders may only participate online by logging in at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BGC2023.

By Order of the Board of Directors,

LOGO

CAROLINE A. KOSTER

Corporate Secretary

September 28, 2023

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE VOTE AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE USING THE INTERNET, THE DESIGNATED TOLL-FREE TELEPHONE NUMBER

OR BY COMPLETING AND RETURNING BY MAIL THE ENCLOSED PROXY OR VOTING INSTRUCTION CARD

TABLE OF CONTENTS


	Page
PROXY STATEMENT		1
INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING		2
PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS		6
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR DIRECTORS		6
INDEPENDENCE OF DIRECTORS		9
MEETINGS AND COMMITTEES OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS		9
NOMINATING PROCESS		11
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE GUIDELINES		12
EXECUTIVE SESSIONS		13
ANNUAL MEETINGS		13
COMMUNICATIONS WITH OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS		13
THE BOARD’S ROLE IN RISK OVERSIGHT		13
SUCCESSION PLANNING		14
BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF BGC GROUP, INC. FOLLOWING THE CORPORATE CONVERSION		14
ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE POLICIES AND PRACTICES (ESG / SUSTAINABILITY)		15
STOCKHOLDER ENGAGEMENT		25
INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS		26
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION		28
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS		30
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION		57
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT		77
REPORT OF THE AUDIT COMMITTEE OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS		81
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FEES		83
AUDIT COMMITTEE’S PRE-APPROVAL POLICIES AND PROCEDURES		83
PROPOSAL 2 – RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF OUR INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM		83
PROPOSAL 3 – APPROVAL OF AN ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION		84
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE		86
EXPENSES OF SOLICITATION		138
2024 STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS		138
CERTAIN MATTERS RELATING TO PROXY MATERIALS AND ANNUAL REPORTS		138
DELINQUENT SECTION 16(a) REPORTS		138
CODE OF ETHICS AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROCEDURES		139
MISCELLANEOUS		139

BGC Group, Inc.

499 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10022

PROXY STATEMENT

This Proxy Statement is being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by and on behalf of our Board of Directors for use at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of BGC Group, Inc. (“BGC Group”) to be held on November 14, 2023, and at any adjournment or postponement thereof, for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. There will be no physical location for stockholders to attend. Stockholders may only participate online by logging in at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BGC2023. The Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Annual Report”) for our predecessor entity, BGC Partners, Inc. (“BGC Partners”), accompanies this Proxy Statement. This Proxy Statement and the accompanying proxy card are being mailed to stockholders beginning on or about October 2, 2023.

EXPLANATORY NOTE RELATING TO OUR CORPORATE CONVERSION FROM BGC PARTNERS ON JULY 1, 2023

On July 1, 2023, we, BGC Partners and BGC Holdings, L.P. (“BGC Holdings”), along with certain other entities, completed our conversion from an Up-C to a “Full C-Corporation” through a series of mergers and related transactions (the “Corporate Conversion”), pursuant to a Corporate Conversion Agreement dated as of November 15, 2022 (the “Corporate Conversion Agreement”), simplifying our organizational structure. As a result of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group became the public holding company for, and successor to, BGC Partners, and its Class A common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market, in place of BGC Partners’ Class A common stock, under the ticker symbol “BGC” at market open on July 3, 2023. After completion of the Corporate Conversion, the former stockholders of BGC Partners and the former limited partners of BGC Holdings now participate in the economics of the BGC businesses through BGC Group.

Except as otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires, as used herein, the terms the “Company,” “BGC,” “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to: (i) following the closing of the Corporate Conversion, effective at 12:02 am Eastern Time on July 1, 2023, BGC Group and its consolidated subsidiaries, including BGC Partners; and (ii) prior to the closing of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners and its consolidated subsidiaries. References to Class A common stock and Class B common stock refer to the Class A common stock and Class B common stock, respectively, of: (i) following the closing of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group; and (ii) prior to the closing of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners. See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters” and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence – Corporate Conversion” for more information.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 14, 2023:

On or about October 2, 2023, we will begin mailing a notice, called the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, to our stockholders advising them that this Proxy Statement, the 2023 Annual Report and voting instructions can be accessed over the Internet at www.proxyvote.com. You may then access these materials over the Internet, or you may request that a printed copy of the proxy materials be sent to you. If you want to receive a paper or e-mail copy of these proxy materials, you must request one over the Internet at www.proxyvote.com, by calling toll free 1-800-579-1639, or by sending an e-mail to sendmaterial@proxyvote.com. There is no charge to you for requesting a copy. Please make your request for a copy on or before October 31, 2023 to facilitate timely delivery. If you previously elected to receive our proxy materials electronically, these materials will continue to be sent via e-mail unless you change your election.

If you have not done so already, please help us protect the environment by signing up for electronic delivery for all future proxies and related materials. It takes just five easy steps:

Go to www.proxyvote.com.

Type in the 16-digit control number included on your Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials and click “Submit.”

On the right side, click “Sign up for E-delivery under “Go Paperless.”

Fill out your email address, create a PIN, and click “Next.”

Review the Description of Service and click “Enroll in E-Delivery.”

INFORMATION ABOUT VOTING

Who Can Vote

September 18, 2023 has been fixed as the record date (the “Record Date”) for the determination of the stockholders entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof. Only holders of record as of the close of business on that date of shares of our Class A common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Class A common stock”), or of our Class B common stock, $0.01 par value per share (the “Class B common stock”), are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. Our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock will vote together as a single class on all matters to come before the Annual Meeting and are sometimes collectively referred to herein as our “Common Equity.”

Each share of our Class A common stock entitles the holder thereof to one vote per share on each matter presented to stockholders for approval at the Annual Meeting. Each share of our Class B common stock entitles the holder thereof to 10 votes per share on each matter presented to stockholders for approval at the Annual Meeting. The collective voting power represented by the shares of our Class A common stock and our Class B common stock issued and outstanding on the Record Date is referred to as the “Total Voting Power.” On the Record Date, there were 386,974,014 shares of our Class A common stock and 109,452,953 shares of our Class B common stock, for a total of 496,426,967 shares of our Common Equity, outstanding and entitled to vote, with a Total Voting Power of 1,481,503,544 votes.

Howard Lutnick, directly and through his control of Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. (“Cantor”) and its Managing General Partner, CF Group Management, Inc. (“CFGM”), controls a majority of our Total Voting Power.

Voting Via the Internet, by Telephone, or by Mail

Stockholders of Record

If your shares are registered directly in your name with the Company’s transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, you are considered the “stockholder of record” of those shares and these proxy materials are being sent directly to you by the Company. If you are a stockholder of record, you can vote your shares in one of two ways: either by proxy or online during the Annual Meeting. If you choose to vote by proxy, you may do so by using the Internet (please visit www.proxyvote.com and follow the instructions), or by calling the designated toll-free number, 1-800-690-6903, or by completing and returning by mail the proxy card enclosed with this proxy statement. Whichever method you use, each valid proxy received in time will be voted during the Annual Meeting in accordance with your instructions.

Beneficial Owners of Shares Held in Street Name

If your shares are held in a securities brokerage account or by a bank or other nominee, you are considered the “beneficial owner” of shares held in street name, and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by your broker, bank or nominee, who is considered the stockholder of record of those shares. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct your broker, bank or nominee on how to vote the shares held in your account. You may also vote using the Internet. Please visit www.proxyvote.com and follow the instructions from your broker, bank or nominee describing the available processes for voting your stock in the voting instruction card.

Revocation of Proxies

A stockholder’s voting on the Internet or by telephone or by completing and returning a proxy or voting instruction card will not affect such stockholder’s right to participate in the Annual Meeting and to vote during such time. Any stockholder who votes on the Internet or by telephone or submits an executed proxy or voting instruction card has a right to revoke the proxy at any time before it is voted by taking any of the following actions:

•

advising Caroline A. Koster, our Corporate Secretary, in writing of such revocation;

•

changing the stockholder’s vote on the Internet or by telephone;

•

executing a later-dated proxy or voting instruction card which is delivered prior to the Annual Meeting; or

•

participating in the Annual Meeting online and voting during such time.

Participation in the Annual Meeting will not in and of itself constitute revocation of a proxy.

Quorum

The required quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting is a majority of the Total Voting Power, which shares must be present online or represented by proxy during the Annual Meeting.

Broker Non-Votes

If you are a beneficial owner whose shares are held by a broker, bank or other nominee, you must instruct the broker, bank or nominee how to vote your shares. If you do not provide voting instructions, your shares will not be voted on proposals on which brokers do not have discretionary authority. This is called a “broker non-vote.”

Required Vote

With respect to Proposal 1, directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast. With respect to Proposals 2 and 3, the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Total Voting Power present online or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on each of those Proposals is required. Withheld votes will have no effect on the vote on Proposal 1, and abstentions will have the same effect on the votes as votes against Proposals 2 and 3. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the votes on Proposals 1 and 3. Additionally, there will not be broker non-votes with regard to Proposal 2 as it is a routine matter pursuant to which brokers may exercise discretionary voting authority. Thus, your broker or nominee may vote on your behalf with regard to Proposal 2, whether or not you provide voting instructions. Shares not voted in the discretion of your broker or nominee will have the same effect as votes against this proposal.

Participating in the Annual Meeting

You are entitled to participate in the Annual Meeting only if you were a BGC Group stockholder of record or a beneficial owner of shares of our Class A common stock or our Class B common stock as of the close of business on the Record Date, September 18, 2023, or you hold a valid proxy for the Annual Meeting. Our Annual Meeting will be a completely virtual meeting. There will be no physical meeting location. The meeting will be conducted only via live webcast.

To participate in the Annual Meeting, visit www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BGC2023 or www.ir.bgcg.com and enter the 16-digit control number included on your proxy card or on the voting instruction card that accompanied your proxy materials. You may begin to log into the meeting platform beginning at 9:45 a.m. (Eastern Time) on November 14, 2023. The meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on November 14, 2023.

The virtual meeting platform is fully supported across browsers (Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari) and devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, and cell phones) running the most updated version of applicable software and plugins. Participants should ensure that they have a strong Wi-Fi connection wherever they intend to participate in the meeting. Participants should also give themselves plenty of time to log in and ensure that they can hear streaming audio prior to the start of the meeting.

If you want to submit your question during the meeting, log into the virtual meeting platform at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/BGC2023, type your question into the “Ask a Question” field and click “Submit.” Questions pertinent to meeting matters will be answered during the meeting, subject to time constraints. Questions regarding personal matters, including those related to employment, individual transactions, product or service issues, or other matters not relevant to investors generally, are not pertinent to meeting matters and therefore will not be answered.

Voting Procedures for Deferral Plan Participants

Pursuant to the trust agreement governing our BGC Group, Inc. Deferral Plan for Employees of BGC Group, Inc., Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. and Their Affiliates (the “Deferral Plan”), the trustee of our Deferral Plan will not, except as otherwise required by law, vote shares of our Class A common stock held in the trust as to which the trustee has not received voting instructions from Deferral Plan participants.

Other Information

Unless specified otherwise, the proxies will be voted FOR the election of all the nominees to serve as our directors, FOR the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, and FOR the approval, on an advisory basis, of the resolution on executive compensation. In the discretion of the proxy holders, the proxies will also be voted for or against such other matters as may properly come before the Annual Meeting. Management is not aware of any other matters to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting.

Our principal executive offices are located at 499 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, and our telephone number is (212) 610-2200.

This Proxy Statement is accompanied by the 2022 Annual Report, which includes BGC Partners’ Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “2022 Form 10-K”) that was previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and that includes its audited financial statements. We file reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. These filings are available to the public from the SEC website at www.sec.gov. In addition, our website at www.bgcg.com provides ongoing information about the Company,

including the 2022 Annual Report, which includes the 2022 Form 10-K, and other documents filed by us and our predecessor company, BGC Partners, with the SEC. To obtain documents from us, please direct requests in writing or by telephone to BGC Group, Inc., 499 Park Avenue, 3^rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, Phone: (212) 610-2200, Attention: Corporate Secretary. We will send you the requested documents without charge; however, a reasonable fee will be charged for exhibits that you request.

The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our websites or other websites referenced herein is not part of, and is not incorporated into, this Proxy Statement.

PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Our Board of Directors (the “Board” or the “Board of Directors”) is currently composed of five members. Our Board, upon recommendation of our independent directors, has nominated five persons for election as directors at the Annual Meeting. All of the nominees are currently members of our Board. Information with respect to the five nominees for election as directors is set forth below. All of the nominees are to be elected at the Annual Meeting and to serve until their successors are duly elected and qualified. All of the nominees listed below are expected to serve as directors if they are elected. If any nominee should decline or be unable to accept such nomination or to serve as a director (an event which our Board does not now expect), our Board reserves the right to nominate another person or to vote to reduce the size of our Board. In the event another person is nominated, the proxy holders intend to vote the shares to which the proxy relates for the election of the person nominated by our Board. There is no cumulative voting for directors.

Information about our Directors

Name

Age

Director

Since

Biographies

Howard W. Lutnick

1999

Mr. Lutnick is the Chairman of our Board of Directors and the Chief Executive Officer of our Company, positions in which he has served us or our predecessor, BGC Partners, from June 1999 to the present. Mr. Lutnick joined Cantor in 1983 and has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Cantor since 1992 and as Chairman since 1996. Mr. Lutnick also served as President of Cantor from 1991 until 2017. Mr. Lutnick is the Executive Chairman of Newmark Group, Inc. (“Newmark”) and has been the principal executive officer of Newmark since 2016. In addition, Mr. Lutnick also holds offices at and provides services to various other affiliates of Cantor and provides services to our and Newmark’s operating partnerships and subsidiaries, including BGC Partners, L.P. (“BGC U.S. OpCo”), BGC Global Holdings, L.P. (“BGC Global OpCo”), and Newmark Partners, L.P. (“Newmark OpCo”). In addition, Mr. Lutnick is the Chief Executive Officer, President, sole shareholder and a director of CF Group Management, Inc. (“CFGM”), the managing general partner of Cantor. Mr. Lutnick has also been a director of Satellogic, Inc. (“Satellogic”), the only non-affiliate of ours for which Mr. Lutnick serves as a director, since January 2022. Mr. Lutnick is a member of the board of directors of the Horace Mann School, the board of directors of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, and the board of directors of the Partnership for New York City.

In addition, Mr. Lutnick also served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Finance Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (“SPAC”), from October 2015 until consummation of its business combination with GCM Grosvenor, Inc. (“GCM Grosvenor”) in November 2020; as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. II, a SPAC, from September 2019 until consummation of its business combination with View, Inc. in March 2021; as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. III from March 2016 until consummation of its business combination with Aeye, Inc. in August 2021; as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Acquisition Corp. V from April 2020 until


Name	Age	Director Since	Biographies
			consummation of its business combination with Satellogic in January 2022; and as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Acquisition Corp. VI from April 2020 until consummation of its business combination with Rumble Inc. in September 2022. Currently, Mr. Lutnick has served as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CF Acquisition Corp. IV since January 2020, CF Acquisition Corp. VII since July 2020 and CF Acquisition Corp. VIII since July 2020, all of which are SPACs. Additionally, Mr. Lutnick has served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cantor Fitzgerald Income Trust, Inc. (formerly known as Rodin Global Property Trust, Inc.), which is a non-traded real estate investment trust, or REIT, since February 2017. Mr. Lutnick received an undergraduate degree from Haverford College.

Linda A. Bell	64	2013	Dr. Bell has been a director of our Company, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners, since July 2013. Dr. Bell has served as the Provost and Dean of Faculty at Barnard College, Columbia University since 2012, where she is also the Claire Tow Professor of Economics. Prior to joining Barnard, Dr. Bell was the Provost and John B. Hurford Professor of Economics at Haverford College from 2007 to 2012 and a member of the faculty since 1992. Prior to her tenure at Haverford, Dr. Bell held visiting faculty appointments at Stanford University; the University of California, San Diego; the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University; and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Administration at Princeton University, and has taught at the Leonard N. Stern School of Business at New York University. Dr. Bell has also served as a research fellow at the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in Bonn, Germany since 2003, and as a senior consultant for the labor practice group of the National Economic Research Associates since 2006. Dr. Bell holds a Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University.

David P. Richards	71	2017	Mr. Richards has been a director of our Company, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners, since December 2017. Mr. Richards is the Chairman of Prodrive Holdings Ltd., a British motorsport and advanced engineering group, a position in which he has served since the firm’s founding in 1984. He previously served as Chairman of Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd., a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, from 2007 until 2013, and as a non-executive director of BGC European GP Limited from May 2009 until June 2017. Mr. Richards currently serves in the role of Chairman of the UK governing body of the Motor Sports Association and in June 2022 was appointed as a Member of the Board of Trustees at the FIA Foundation, an international charity focused on issues in the automotive world. Mr. Richards has been a director of Phytome Life Sciences, a U.K. plant-based medical research company, since August 2019. In the 2005 Queen’s New Year’s Honours, Mr. Richards was made a Commander of the British Empire, CBE, for his services to motorsport. Mr. Richards attended Brynhyfryd School in North Wales followed by five years of articles with a Liverpool firm of chartered accountants. He holds honorary doctorates and fellowships from the Universities of Wales, Coventry, Warwick and Cranfield.

VOTE REQUIRED FOR APPROVAL

The five nominees receiving a plurality of the votes cast via the internet, by telephone or by mail or represented by proxy at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors will be elected as directors. Withheld votes and broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of directors.

RECOMMENDATION OF OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THAT ALL STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR” THE ELECTION OF EACH OF THE FIVE NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR.

Independence of Directors

Our Board has determined that each of Dr. Bell and Messrs. Richards, Mbanefo and Addas qualifies as an “independent director” in accordance with the published listing requirements of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”). The Nasdaq independence definition consists of a series of objective tests, including that the director is not an officer or employee of ours and has not engaged in various types of business dealings with us. In addition, as further required by Nasdaq rules, our Board has made a subjective determination with respect to each independent director that no relationships exist which, in the opinion of our Board, would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment by each such director in carrying out the responsibilities of a director. In making these determinations, our Board has reviewed and discussed information provided by the individual directors and us with regard to each director’s business and personal activities as they may relate to us and our management, including participation on any boards of other organizations in which other members of our Board are members.

Meetings and Committees of Our Board of Directors

Our Board held 15 meetings during the year ended December 31, 2022. In addition to meetings, our Board and its committees reviewed and acted upon matters by unanimous written consent from time to time. During 2022, each independent director attended 100% of the total number of meetings of the Board and the committees of which he or she was a member, except Mr. Mbanefo who missed three meetings during the year ended December 31, 2022 due to personal family matters. In addition to regular committee meetings which are indicated below, the independent directors of the Board of BGC Partners held 13 joint or special project committee meetings in 2022.

During 2023, former director Martin Laguerre served on the Board of BGC Partners from January 2023 to June 2023. Mr. Addas joined the Board of BGC Group in July 2023.

Audit Committee

Our Board has an Audit Committee. The members of the Committee are currently Dr. Bell and Messrs. Richards, Mbanefo and Addas, all of whom qualify as “independent” in accordance with the published listing requirements of Nasdaq. Mr. Mbanefo serves as chair, replacing former director William Moran in April 2022. Former directors Stephen Curwood and William Moran were members of the Audit Committee during 2022. Messrs. Curwood and Moran departed the Board on December 30, 2022 following the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2022 Annual Meeting”). Mr. Laguerre joined the Audit Committee on January 25, 2023 and departed on June 30, 2023. Mr. Addas joined the Audit Committee on July 1, 2023. The members of the Committee also each qualify as “independent” under special standards established by the SEC for members of audit committees, and the Committee includes at least two members who are determined by our Board to also meet the qualifications of an audit committee financial expert in accordance with the SEC rules. Each of Messrs. Richards, Mbanefo and Addas is an independent director who has been determined to be an audit committee

financial expert. The Committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter, which is available at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Independent Audit Committee” or upon written request from BGC free of charge.

Our Audit Committee selects our independent registered public accounting firm (our “Auditors”), consults with our Auditors and with management with regard to the adequacy of our financial reporting, internal control over financial reporting and the audit process and considers any permitted non-audit services to be performed by our Auditors. The Committee also approves all related party transactions, oversees the management of our enterprise risk management program, oversees compliance with our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics (the “Code of Ethics”), and administers our whistleblower policy, including the establishment of procedures with respect to the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal controls and auditing matters, and the anonymous submission by employees of complaints involving questionable accounting or auditing matters. The Committee held 13 meetings during the year ended December 31, 2022.

During 2022, our Audit Committee engaged Ernst & Young LLP (“Ernst & Young”) to be our Auditors for the year ending December 31, 2022. Ernst & Young was also approved to perform reviews of each of our quarterly financial reports for the year ending December 31, 2022, and certain other audit-related services such as accounting consultations. Pursuant to our Audit Committee Charter, the Committee will pre-approve audit services, internal control-related services and permitted non-audit services (including the fees and other terms thereof) to be performed for us by Ernst & Young, as set forth in the Audit Committee Charter.

Compensation Committee

Our Board has a Compensation Committee. The members of the Committee are currently Dr. Bell and Messrs. Richards, Mbanefo and Addas, all of whom are independent directors. Each member of the Committee qualifies as “independent” in accordance with the published listing requirements of Nasdaq. Dr. Bell serves as chair, replacing Mr. Curwood in April 2022. Messrs. Moran and Curwood were members of the Compensation Committee during 2022. Messrs. Curwood and Moran departed the Board on December 30, 2022 following the 2022 Annual Meeting. Mr. Laguerre joined the Compensation Committee on January 25, 2023 and departed on June 30, 2023. Mr. Addas joined the Compensation Committee on July 1, 2023.

The Compensation Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all compensation arrangements for our executive officers and for administering the BGC Group, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan (the “BGC Group Equity Plan”) and the BGC Group, Inc. Incentive Bonus Compensation Plan (the “BGC Group Incentive Plan,” and together with the BGC Group Equity Plan, the “BGC Group Compensation Plans”). Prior to the Corporate Conversion, the BGC Partners Compensation Committee was responsible for reviewing and approving all compensation arrangements for our executive officers and for administering the BGC Partners, Inc. Eighth Amended and Restated Long Term Incentive Plan (the “BGC Partners Equity Plan”), the BGC Partners, Inc. Incentive Bonus Compensation Plan (the “BGC Partners Incentive Plan”) and the BGC Holdings Participation Plan (the “Participation Plan,” and together with the BGC Partners Equity Plan and BGC Partners Incentive Plan, the “BGC Partners Compensation Plans,” and the BGC Partners Compensation Plans together with the BGC Group Compensation Plans, the “BGC Compensation Plans”). See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters” for more information on the impact of the Corporate Conversion on the BGC Partners Compensation Plans and the BGC Group Compensation Plans.

The Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a Compensation Committee Charter, which is available at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Independent Compensation Committee” or upon written request from BGC free of charge. The Committee held 6 meetings during the year ended December 31, 2022.

ESG Committee

Our Board also has an Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Committee. The members of the Committee are currently Dr. Bell and Messrs. Richards, Mbanefo and Addas, each of whom is an independent director. Mr. Mbanefo serves as chair, replacing Mr. Curwood on December 30, 2022. Mr. Curwood departed the Board on December 30, 2022 following the 2022 Annual Meeting. Mr. Laguerre joined the ESG Committee on January 25, 2023 and departed on June 30, 2023. Mr. Addas joined the ESG Committee on July 1, 2023. Each member of the Committee qualifies as “independent” in accordance with the published listing requirements of Nasdaq. The Committee is responsible for working with management to review ESG initiatives and procedures appropriate to the Company, to provide periodic reviews of ESG practices and policies, to review management’s current ESG strategy to ensure the Company engages in appropriate practices and technologies and to otherwise make recommendations on these matters to the full Board. The Committee operates pursuant to an Environmental, Social and Governance Committee Charter, which is available at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Independent Environmental, Social and Governance Committee,” or upon written request from us free of charge. The Committee was formed in April 2021. The Committee held 5 meetings during the year ended December 31, 2022.

Nominating Process

All directors participate in the consideration of director nominees recommended for selection by a majority of the independent directors as defined by the published listing requirements of Nasdaq. Accordingly, our Board does not have a separate nominating committee or committee performing similar functions and does not have a nominating committee charter. Our Board believes that such participation of all directors is appropriate given the size of our Board and the level of participation of all of our independent directors in the nomination process. Our Board will also consider qualified director candidates identified by a member of senior management or by a stockholder. However, it is our general policy to re-nominate qualified incumbent directors, and, absent special circumstances, our Board will not consider other candidates when a qualified incumbent consents to stand for re-election. A stockholder wishing to submit a recommendation for a director candidate should follow the instructions set forth herein under the section below entitled “Communications with Our Board of Directors.”

Qualification Criteria and Diversity

Our Board considers the following minimum criteria when reviewing a director nominee: director candidates must (1) have the highest character and integrity, (2) be free of any conflict of interest which would violate applicable laws or regulations or interfere with the proper performance of the responsibilities of a director, (3) possess substantial and significant experience which would be of particular importance in the performance of the duties of a director, (4) have sufficient time available to devote to our affairs in order to carry out the responsibilities of a director, and (5) have the capacity and desire to represent the best interests of our stockholders. In addition, the Board considers as one factor among many the diversity of Board candidates, which may include diversity of gender, age and ethnicity. See “Environmental, Social and Governance Policies and Practices (ESG/Sustainability) – Board Diversity Matrix.” The Board also considers diversity of skills and experience, as well as geographic background. Our Board screens candidates, does reference checks and conducts interviews, as appropriate. Our Board does not evaluate nominees for director any differently because the nominee is or is not recommended by a stockholder.

With respect to qualifications of the members of the Board, the Board generally values the broad business experience and independent business judgment in the financial services or in other fields of each member. Specifically, Dr. Bell is qualified based on her experience as a university academic manager, as an academic researcher and professor in economics, and as a former director of a fully electronic exchange. Mr. Richards is qualified based on his global business experience and his status as an audit committee financial expert. Messrs. Mbanefo and Addas are qualified as a result of their broad experience in the financial services industry, their general business experience, and their status as audit committee financial experts.

The director qualifications matrix below summarizes some of the key attributes that the Board has identified as particularly valuable to the effective oversight of the Company and the execution of the Company’s corporate strategy. This director qualifications matrix is not intended to be an exhaustive list of each of the director’s skills or contributions to the Board.


Skills and Experience	Bell	Lutnick	Richards	Mbanefo	Addas
Business Operations	X	X	X	X	X
Finance/Accounting	X	X	X	X	X
Risk Management	X	X		X	X
Global Business	X	X	X	X	X
Human Capital Management	X	X			X
M&A		X		X	X
Other Public Company Board Service and Governance		X			X
Environmental	X	X	X	X	X
Global Financial Markets	X	X		X	X
Brokerage		X		X	X
Regulatory	X	X
Innovation and Strategy	X	X	X	X	X
Ethics and Integrity	X	X	X	X	X
Senior Leadership/CEO	X	X	X	X	X
Technology/Information Security	X	X

Chairman of the Board

Our Board has determined that in light of Mr. Lutnick’s control of the vote of our Company through his control of Cantor, having a separate Chairman of the Board and CEO is not efficient or appropriate for our Company. Additionally, our Board does not have a lead independent director for the same reasons.

We believe that the Company and its stockholders are best served by having Mr. Lutnick, our Chief Executive Officer, serve as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Lutnick’s combined role as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer promotes unified leadership and direction for our Board and executive management, and it allows for a single, clear focus for the chain of command to execute our strategic initiatives and business plans. Our strong and independent Board effectively oversees our management and provides vigorous oversight of our business and affairs and any proposed related party transactions. Our Board is composed of independent, active and effective directors. Four of our current five directors meet the independence qualifications in accordance with the published listing requirements of Nasdaq and the SEC and our Board’s standards for determining director independence. Mr. Lutnick is the only member of executive management who is also a director. Requiring that the Chairman of the Board be an independent director is not necessary to ensure that our Board provides independent and effective oversight of our business and affairs. Such oversight is maintained at the Company through the composition of our Board, the strong leadership of our independent directors and Board committees, and our highly effective corporate governance structures and processes.

Corporate Governance Guidelines

The Board has adopted Corporate Governance Guidelines that provide the framework for the governance of the Company. The Guidelines address, among other things, the composition and structure of the Board, including membership criteria, independence standards and limits on other directorships, duties and responsibilities of directors, meeting procedures, committees of the Board, executive officer leadership development and

stockholder engagement, including with respect to ESG matters. The Board reviews these principles and other aspects of governance annually. The Guidelines are available at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Corporate Governance Guidelines” or upon written request from the Company free of charge.

Executive Sessions

In order to comply with Nasdaq rules, the Board has resolved that it will continue to schedule and/or provide opportunities during at least two meetings per year in which the independent directors will meet without the presence of Mr. Lutnick.

Annual Meetings

The Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that each member of the Board is expected to attend Annual Meetings of stockholders of the Company. At the 2022 Annual Meeting, held on December 30, 2022, all of the Company’s directors were in attendance.

Communications with Our Board of Directors

Stockholders may contact any member of our Board, including to recommend a candidate for director, by addressing their correspondence to the director, c/o BGC Group, Inc., 499 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Our Corporate Secretary will forward all such correspondence to the named director.

The Board’s Role in Risk Oversight

Risk oversight is an integral part of Board and Committee deliberations throughout the year. The Audit Committee oversees the management of our enterprise risk management program, and it annually reviews an assessment prepared by management of the critical risks facing us, their relative magnitude and management’s actions to monitor and mitigate these risks.

Our management implemented an enterprise risk management program to enhance our existing processes through an integrated effort to identify, evaluate and manage risks that may affect our ability to execute our corporate strategy and fulfill our business objectives. The activities of the enterprise risk management program entail the identification, prioritization and assessment of a broad range of risks (e.g., strategic, operational, cybersecurity and information security, financial, legal/regulatory, credit, reputational and market) and the formulation of plans to mitigate their effects.

Our Board generally discusses cybersecurity and information security risks annually with the Chief Information Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer.

Similarly, in designing and implementing our executive compensation program, the Compensation Committee takes into consideration our operating and financial objectives, including our risk profile, and considers executive compensation decisions based in part on incentivizing our executive officers to take appropriate business risk consistent with our overall goals and risk tolerance.

Non-executive brokers, managers and other professionals are generally compensated based upon production or commissions, which may involve our committing to certain transactions. These transactions may expose the Company to risks by individual employees, who are motivated to increase production. While we have in place management oversight and risk management policies, there is an inevitable conflict of interest between our compensation structure and certain trading, transactional, or similar risks for a portion of our businesses.

Succession Planning

From time to time, the Board discusses succession planning, including our consideration of succession strategy, the impact of any potential absence due to illness or leave of certain key executive officers or employees, as well as competing demands on the time of certain of our executive officers who also provide services to Cantor, Newmark, and various other ventures and investments sponsored by Cantor. Our Board also discusses from time to time, as part of its succession planning, engagement and encouragement of future business leaders and the process of introducing directors to leaders in our business lines. The Board may also discuss short-term succession in the event that certain of the senior executive officers should, on an interim or unexpected basis, become temporarily unable to fulfill their duties. The Board also considers hiring and retention of leaders required for the changing business landscape and to lead future business lines. At the business and departmental levels, managers discuss and identify potential talent, opportunities for employee growth, successors, and future leaders.

Board of Directors and Executive Officers of BGC Group, Inc. Following the Corporate Conversion

Following the Corporate Conversion, the directors and officers of BGC Group remained the same as those of BGC Partners immediately prior to the Corporate Conversion, except for Mr. Laguerre, who departed the Board immediately prior to the Corporate Conversion, and Mr. Addas, who joined the Board following the Corporate Conversion. Please refer to “Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters” for additional information on the impact of the Corporate Conversion on the compensation of our executive officers, and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence – Corporate Conversion” for more information on the Corporate Conversion.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE POLICIES AND PRACTICES (ESG / SUSTAINABILITY)

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) / Sustainability Information

We believe that our ESG policies and practices will create sustainable long-term value for BGC, our stockholders and other stakeholders, our clients and our employees while also helping us mitigate risks, reduce costs, protect brand value, and identify market opportunities.

In April 2021, we established a Board-level ESG Committee to provide oversight with respect to our ESG and sustainability policies and practices. The ESG Committee charter may be found on our website at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Independent Environmental, Social and Governance Committee.” With the Board’s and the ESG Committee’s oversight, we are embedding social and human capital, employment, environmental, sustainability, charitable and corporate governance policies and practices into our corporate strategy, compensation, disclosure, and goals to maintain and advance long-term stockholder value.

For more information about these topics, new and evolving initiatives and specific examples of policies and practices, see our website at www.bgcg.com/esg and “Additional ESG / Sustainability Information” below. Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this ESG and sustainability section to our “employees” include our professionals who are independent contractors.

Our Fundamental Values

BGC is an organization built on strong values, employee engagement and ownership. At our core, we are committed to our employees by providing an opportunity to participate in our success. We believe that by cultivating a dynamic mix of people and ideas, we enrich the performance of our business, the experience of our increasingly diverse employee base and the dynamism of the communities in which we operate. We value hard work, innovation, superior client service, strong ethics and governance, equal opportunities, and philanthropy. These values are woven into our corporate culture. We believe these values foster sustainable, profitable growth. We strive to be exemplary corporate citizens and honor high ethical principles in our interactions with other businesses, our employees and the communities in which we live and work. We take corporate social responsibility and sustainability seriously: we want to contribute to the common good. Set forth below is a discussion of many of our ESG and sustainability policies and practices. These are our values in action.

Human Capital and Social Policies and Practices

We are committed to our people, our stockholders and the community as a whole. We have a variety of programs to incentivize and support our employees, from employee ownership to comprehensive benefits and training. We are also committed to equal opportunity, diversity and other policies and practices designed to fulfill our commitment to social and human capital development. We have a passionate commitment to charity.

Attracting and Retaining the Best Talent

Our recruitment, promotion and compensation processes are designed to enable us to treat employees fairly, and our compensation decisions are differentiated based on performance. Our success depends on our ability to attract and retain talented, productive and skilled brokers and technologists and other employees to transact with our customers in a challenging and regulated environment that is experiencing ever-increasing competition for talent. We are investing in creating a diverse, inclusive and incentivized work environment where our people can deliver their best work every day.

Talent remains at the core of who we are as a company, and we remain committed to having a culture built around inclusion which we expect will increase the diversity of our workforce. We continue to work to enhance our ability to attract, develop and retain top talent with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for representation of traditionally underrepresented groups at all levels of the organization, encompassing people early in their careers and experienced personnel, and hiring, retention, and development initiatives with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Our goal is to build an even more successful organization that more closely reflects our client bases and the population at large.

Retention Measures

To facilitate the retention of our employees, we have maintained our flexible work arrangements, where appropriate, made compensation adjustments, and provided additional benefits, including a 401(k) match for many of our U.S. support employees.

We have taken significant measures to develop a safe work environment for all employees which is conducive to work in our office locations, particularly for front-office brokers and revenue generating employees, subject to applicable state and local regulatory requirements. We have established a more flexible hybrid approach in many instances for non-revenue generating roles or for roles which are not office dependent, where appropriate. We have established vaccination requirements in accordance with applicable laws, including time-off for vaccines, coverage for COVID-19 testing and enhanced sick leave. We continue to offer employee assistance programs and additional avenues for mental health consultation and wellness. We continue to take significant steps to protect our employees and encourage them all to get vaccinated.

Performance-Based and Highly Retentive Compensation Structure

Virtually all of our executives and front-office employees have equity stakes in the Company and its subsidiaries and generally receive grants of deferred equity as part of their compensation. As of July 31, 2023, our employees, executive officers and directors owned approximately 23% of our equity, on a fully diluted basis.

We currently issue restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and, in the case of certain U.K. employees who held partnership units prior to the Corporate Conversion, restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), as well as other forms of equity-based compensation, to provide liquidity to our employees, to align the interests of our employees and management with those of common stockholders, to help motivate and retain key employees, and to encourage a collaborative culture that drives cross-selling and revenue growth. These awards contain extended vesting periods which in most cases are largely dependent upon continued service and are highly retentive.

Prior to the Corporate Conversion, we issued limited partnership units, as well as other forms of unit-based compensation, including grants of exchangeability of limited partnership units into shares of BGC Class A common stock and grants of shares of our restricted stock, to motivate and retain key employees. These limited partnership units, which could be redeemed at any time for zero, were subject to forfeiture if the non-compete, confidentiality or non-solicit provisions of the Second Amended and Restated BGC Holdings Limited Partnership Agreement, as amended (the “Partnership Agreement” or the “BGC Holdings limited partnership agreement”), related to these awards were violated, were also extremely retentive. In addition, prior to the Corporate Conversion, we paid amounts due to a partner upon termination of service over a number of years in order to ensure compliance with partner obligations.

We also enter into various agreements with certain of our employees whereby these individuals receive loans which may be either wholly or in part repaid from proceeds of the sale of the employees’ shares of BGC Class A common stock (or, prior to the Corporate Conversion, agreements with partners in BGC Holdings whereby they received loans that could be repaid from the distributions that these individuals received on some or all of their limited partnership units) or may be forgiven over a period of time. These loans provide incentives and promote retention. From time to time, the Company may also enter into agreements with employees to grant bonus and salary advances or other types of loans. These advances and loans are repayable in the timeframes outlined in the underlying agreements.

Retentive Nature of Equity Awards

We consider our RSUs to be highly retentive due to the vesting and forfeiture provisions relating to these awards, which have long-term vesting provisions conditioned upon, among other things, continued service through the vesting date.

We do not currently have a formal general compensation recovery or “clawback” policy for our executive officers and others. Accordingly, we do not require additional share ownership or hold-through-retirement thresholds.

Employee Diversity, Inclusion and Equal Opportunity

We believe that by cultivating a dynamic mix of people and ideas, we improve the performance of our business and enrich the experience of our employees. We are committed to equal opportunity, diversity and other policies and practices that we expect will result in the development of a diverse and inclusive workplace. We consider all qualified applicants for job openings and promotions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or reassignment, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, service in the armed forces, pregnancy or maternity, familial status, marriage and civil partnership, genetic information or any other characteristic that has no bearing on the ability of employees to do their jobs well. We continue to develop initiatives to support these values.

UK Women in Finance Charter

In the U.K., we have signed up to HM Treasury’s Women in Finance Charter, which commits signatory firms to set percentage targets to increase the proportions of women in senior roles and publicly report on their progress in seeking to meet these targets. We have also rolled out organizational Core Values (Integrity, Commitment and Opportunity) and appointed Culture Champions in the U.K., as well as further initiatives which seek to embed these values and drive an enhanced culture across our workforce.

Employee Resource Groups

In order to incentivize and enable our employees to grow both professionally and personally, we build employee resource groups. A number of initiatives across our geographic regions are in place to promote our corporate values and foster greater diversity and inclusion. Examples include a range of early career work experiences and internship programs focusing on diverse talent, mentorship programs, and initiatives to foster women’s leadership.

The Network of Women – The Network of Women (“NOW”) program supports the recruitment, development and retention of women across our organization. NOW strives to offer a variety of opportunities and tools to help our employees make new professional contacts, find mentors, and develop their careers with the goal of advancing our business reputation. These events and activities also provide opportunities for our members to support one another through a valuable exchange of experiences, advice and best practices for career success.

As an organization dedicated to economic growth, opportunity, integrity, and commitment, we seek to empower women within BGC and within the communities we affect and serve as a business. The work of our long-standing Network of Women is a key driving force in accomplishing this goal.

The Rising Professionals League – The Rising Professionals League (“RPL”) was introduced to build upon the legacy of Cantor Fitzgerald by inspiring early career professionals to grow professionally and socially while promoting a cohesive environment and positively impacting the community. RPL strives to instill a strong sense of inclusion and belonging for early career professionals through a variety of opportunities that promote professional development and support the community through acts of thoughtful service.

Employee Engagement, Communication, Management and Leadership Training and Development

We are investing in our employees’ long-term development and engagement by delivering training and development programs and fostering a culture where our people can thrive and maximize their potential. We require annual regulatory and mandatory training in anti-money laundering and anti-crime, global sanctions,

ethics, cyber-security and harassment prevention, among other topics. We also provide or support periodic job-specific and other developmental training for our employees so they can maximize their potential, as well as a tuition reimbursement program for eligible employees.

We provide virtual and in-person leadership training to managers on topics including management effectiveness, communication skills, interview skills and delivering effective performance evaluations, managing diverse teams and other topics. This training is supplemented by a library of online training courses that managers and employees have access to on a number of topics to assist them in their career development and, if applicable, management skills. Our individual business lines offer ongoing learning and development opportunities tied to deepening the understanding of the subject matter expertise of their professionals. We also have intern and early career programs throughout the year in various parts of our business.

Our success depends on employees’ understanding how their work and engagement contribute to our strategy, culture, values, and regulatory environment. We use various channels to facilitate open and direct communication, including internal calls and meetings with employees, training and policy updates, employee resource groups such as NOW, and social and family outings and events. We have also rolled out organizational Core Values (Integrity, Commitment and Opportunity) appointed Culture Champions in our London office, and implemented other initiatives which seek to embed these values and drive an enhanced culture across our workforce.

Charitable Policies and Practices

Beyond our own business, we have a passionate commitment to community service and charity. One way to give back to those communities is through volunteering and fundraising. At BGC, we have partnered with various organizations, such as Crossroads Community Services, NYC Parks, and Samaritan Village, to create opportunities for employees to volunteer and give back to local communities. We have also partnered with Cents Ability to launch a financial literacy program which benefits high school–level students in the New York metropolitan area.

Global Charity Day

Never has our relationship with our people and others been so evident as on September 11, 2001. Following the devastating attack on our headquarters at the World Trade Center on that day, our Chairman and CEO, Howard Lutnick, and our surviving employees and our affiliates created the Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund (“Cantor Relief Fund”) to take care of the families of the 658 colleagues and friends who perished on that day. We and our affiliates committed 25% of profits for five years and committed to pay for 10 years of healthcare for the families of those we lost.

Since 2001, that commitment to people has never faltered. Once a year, on the September 11^th anniversary, BGC and its affiliates, in conjunction with the Cantor Relief Fund, commemorate these 658 friends and colleagues, and 61 Eurobrokers employees, who perished on September 11, 2001. We host an annual Charity Day, where we donate our global revenue to the Cantor Relief Fund, which distributes these funds to over 150 charities worldwide. Charity Day’s unique way of creating something positive and life-affirming from the tragedy has raised over $200 million since inception. For more information on Charity Day, please visit www.bgcg.com/charity-day.

In 2021, we marked the 20-year anniversary of the loss of our colleagues with a 20^th anniversary Charity Day event honoring our legacy of charitable and community work and reminding others to “Never forget; Give back.”

Additionally, BGC currently matches 100% of individual employee donations to the Cantor Relief Fund made in September of each year up to $5,000 per individual employee. Employees have the option of designating a bona fide charity as the beneficiary of the donation and the match.

Disaster Relief and Volunteer Time Off

We also support victims of disasters because we were there once and understand that feeling all too well. Over the years, Cantor Relief Fund volunteers, along with some of our employee volunteers, have supported schools and communities devastated by natural disasters. Our volunteers often travel to those in need. For more information on the Cantor Relief Fund and its mission to deliver financial aid to people facing disasters around the world, please visit www.cantorrelief.org.

As part of these values in action, we offer a Volunteer Time Off program to support individual employee volunteerism in the communities in which they work and live. All full and part-time regular employees are eligible to utilize one paid workday (whole day or two half-days) each calendar year to volunteer with bona fide charitable organizations of their choice.

Additional charitable initiatives are in effect from time to time.

Our Environmental Focus, Environmental Markets and Sustainable Business Practices

We are focused on the environment and recognize the importance of treating our natural resources with the greatest respect, so that they are available to future generations. As a responsible business operating within financial services, we are actively aware of climate change and other major issues affecting the environment. Our philosophy is that long-term change in the way in which we use energy, and our collective impact on the environment, cannot happen without the involvement of the world’s capital markets.

Sustainable Business Practices

We aim to be a leading broker for the transition to a green economy, and we believe BGC Environmental Brokerage Services is a leader in the world’s environmental and green energy markets. Our Environmental Brokerage Services business, established in 2011, provides expert innovative carbon offset solutions and advice to the world’s green energy markets, from transactions and financing to technology and consulting. For decades, we have helped clients worldwide navigate complex financial requirements in order to achieve their environmental initiatives, thereby supporting our clients’ efforts to meet their emission reduction goals through the provision of brokerage services.

In 2023, we announced the launch of our Weather Derivatives business, expanding BGC’s brokerage business into the weather and climate space. The Weather Derivatives business helps market participants analyze climate-related risks and mitigate their financial exposure. We are providing liquidity to these increasingly important markets as the role of weather and climate change impacts the way risk is managed. The launch of this business highlights BGC’s commitment to expand and explore new opportunities across the global energy and commodities space.

For more information on BGC Environmental Brokerage Services, please visit www.bgcebs.com.

Workplace Strategies

In our workplaces, we are studying how to make our own contribution to state, national and global environmental initiatives and require the same of our vendors and suppliers when doing business with us. As part of this, we are considering how to minimize our future carbon footprint when planning office renovations and will continue to focus our attention in the near term on methods of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, increasing use of renewable energy, conserving water, and reducing waste generation.

BGC supports sustainable business practices and is focused on the steps necessary to establish a sustainability program internally as we focus on our own energy usage. We believe it is our responsibility to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption to protect the environment through continuous improvement of our energy use practices and increased scrutiny on the energy efficiency of the buildings we utilize for our space. We intend to continue to work on these initiatives.

For more information about these initiatives as they evolve, visit our website at www.bgcg.com/esg/environmental.

Corporate Governance Policies and Practices

Our commitment to good corporate governance policies and practices is demonstrated by our Corporate Governance Guidelines, our rigorous Code of Ethics, the charters of the Audit, Compensation and ESG Committees of our Board, our Hedging Policy, and our other corporate governance policies and practices. Some highlights of our corporate governance policies and practices include the following:

• Independence of a substantial majority of the members of the Board;

• Only independent directors serve on each committee;

• Annual independence review of independent outside directors;

• Diverse array of personal characteristics and professional experience of the Board, with independent directors (and Audit and Compensation Committees) consisting of 25% women and 25% persons identifying as ethnically-diverse; Audit Committee is chaired by an ethnically-diverse independent director and Compensation Committee is chaired by a female independent director;

• Consideration of factors including diversity of gender, age, ethnicity, skills, experience and geographic background in considering director candidates;

• Strict ethical and other criteria for membership on the Board;

• Annual election of each member of the Board – we do not have a classified (“staggered”) Board;

• Annual evaluation of the performance of our Chief Executive Officer;

• Procedures for establishing and disseminating agendas and materials for meetings of the Board and its committees in advance;

• Periodic executive sessions of independent directors;

• Detailed processes and review of all related party transactions and required approval by independent directors;

• Access of the Board and its committees to management and ability to retain outside independent advisors;

• Prohibitions against trading while in possession of material, non-public information;

• Prohibitions against hedging;

• The ability of our Board to require the resignation of a director who fails to obtain a majority vote for election;

• No stockholder rights plan or other “poison pill” or similar anti-takeover device;

• A prohibition on personal loans to directors and executive officers;

• Requirement for directors to inform the Board of changes in their principal job responsibilities;

• Limits on the service of directors and executive officers on other public company boards;

• Director orientation and continuing education;

• Annual self-assessments of the performance of our Board and its committees and individual directors;

• Annual review of our corporate governance policies and practices;

• Strict procedures and enforcement of our ethical standards and our conflict of interest policies, including our robust whistleblower policy – completely confidential and with a whistleblower hotline available 24/7;

• Diversified mix of cash and short- and long-term equity awards designed to be highly retentive and risk appropriate, and to align the interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders;

• Executive officers holding much of their personal net worth in our and our affiliates’ equity;

• Robust global annual review and oversight of Code of Ethics responses;

• Succession planning and management development of executive officers and potential senior managers having significant responsibility for business areas;

• Annual stockholder say-on-pay votes;

• Annual ratification of the appointment of our independent registered public accounting firm; and

• Our Board-level ESG Committee.

Business Continuity and Resiliency

We are implementing additional sustainability policies and practices to protect the continuity of our businesses and operations to maintain and advance long-term stockholder value. These policies and practices include disaster recovery and crisis management protocols to minimize the impact of health emergencies, including global pandemics, and natural or other disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, on our operations. We maintain three concurrent data centers in the United States and three data centers in the United Kingdom, providing backup of our computer systems and capacity for our employees to work remotely during crises. These policies and practices have enabled our employees to maintain a high level of performance while working in offices or remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic in compliance with relevant rules and regulations in applicable jurisdictions and in preservation of the health, safety and welfare of our workforce.

Board Diversity Matrix

The table below provides certain highlights of the composition of our Board members as of September 28, 2023. Each of the categories listed in the below table has the meaning as it is used in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5605(f).


Board Size:
Total Number of Current Directors	5
Gender:	Male	Female	Non-Binary	Gender Undisclosed
Number of directors based on gender identity	4	1	—	—
Number of directors who identify in any of the categories below:
African American or Black	1	—	—	—
Alaskan Native or American Indian	—	—	—	—
Asian	—	—	—	—
Hispanic or Latinx	—	—	—	—
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	—	—	—	—
White	3	1	—	—
Two or More Races or Ethnicities	—	—	—	—
LGBTQ+	—
Undisclosed	—

Whistleblower Complaint and Investigation Procedures for Accounting, Internal Controls, Auditing Matters and Employment and Labor Practices

We have a policy regarding reporting of complaints about accounting, internal controls, employment and labor practices, auditing matters, or questionable financial practices. The policy is designed to provide a channel of communication for employees and others who have concerns about our conduct or any of our directors or employees. Complaints are treated seriously and handled expeditiously. Any person may submit a complaint to our independent outside law firm through a dedicated hotline and email account available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Complaints that are accounting or financial in nature (“Accounting Complaints”) will be handled by the Chair of our Audit Committee and/or by our General Counsel, Corporate Secretary or designee.

Employees submitting an Accounting Complaint need not provide their names or other personal information, and reasonable efforts will be used to conduct the investigation that follows from an Accounting Complaint from an employee in a manner that protects the confidentiality and anonymity of the employee submitting the complaint.

Employees are reminded of the Whistleblower Policy at least annually and information is provided in more than a dozen local languages. We honor a culture of investigation, confidentiality and non-retaliation. Persons submitting complaints in good faith will not be subject to retaliation and the policy does not prohibit other actions protected under applicable law. Our whistleblower policy is publicly available on our website at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Whistleblower Complaint and Investigation Procedures for Accounting, Internal Controls, Auditing Matters and Employment and Labor Practices.”

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Professional Integrity

Our corporate values and strong policies and procedures regarding ethics, conflicts of interests, related party transactions and similar matters are contained in our Code of Ethics. This commitment applies to members of our Board, executive officers, other officers and our other covered employees globally. The Code of Ethics and its training modules are circulated in multiple local languages, and training and certifications are conducted annually worldwide using our online training platform. Annual written certifications are required. Potential violations and disclosures globally are reviewed annually by executive management and escalated to the Audit Committee. Director and executive officer disclosures are reviewed by the Audit Committee on an annual basis. The Code of Ethics is available on our website at www.bgcg.com/esg/governance/ under the heading “Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and Professional Integrity.” In 2021, we adopted a global anti-bribery and corruption policy. See “Compliance and Anti-Financial Crime Policy and Bribery and Corruption” below.

Compliance and Anti-Financial Crime Policy and Bribery and Corruption

We are committed globally to our policy regarding anti-money laundering and anti-financial crime, including anti-bribery and corruption, counter-terrorism financing and anti-fraud. Further information on this policy can be found on our website at the following link: www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Compliance & Anti-Financial Crime Program.” We are committed to compliance and training regarding all relevant laws, rules, and regulations designed to combat bribery and corruption, including, but not limited to, the UK Bribery Act of 2010 and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977. Further information on this policy can be found on our website at the following link: www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Compliance & Anti-Financial Crime Program.”

In addition, our Code of Ethics provides that we will not enter into a business relationship or engage in an activity if we know or have reasonable grounds to suspect that a business relationship or activity is connected with or facilitates bribery or corruption. It is the responsibility of each person covered under the Code of Ethics to comply with applicable anti-bribery and corruption laws. Persons covered under the Code of Ethics are required to report any suspicions of bribery or corruption to the Compliance Officer or, as appropriate, to the Audit Committee or the Board, or in accordance with our Whistleblower Policy. For more information on our Code of Ethics and Whistleblower Policy, see the section entitled “Code of Ethics and Whistleblower Procedures” in this Proxy Statement.

Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy

In 2021, we implemented a global policy to combat bribery and corruption through a clear set of policies and procedures outlining anti-bribery and corruption standards, procedures and annual employee training. The policy specifically defines “Bribery and Corruption” and provides for management and Board oversight. Further information on this policy can be found on our website at the following link: www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Global Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy.”

Annual Risk Evaluation and Board-Level Risk Oversight

The Board of Directors meets at least annually with our senior risk officer to review and evaluate our enterprise risk framework, risk management policies and practices, credit and risk mitigation policies and practices, and other related issues.

Focus on our Internal Control Environment

As described more fully in its Charter, the primary function of the Audit Committee is to assist the Board of Directors in its general oversight of the Company’s financial reporting, internal control over financial reporting and audit process. Management is responsible for the preparation, presentation and integrity of the Company’s financial statements; accounting and financial reporting principles; internal control over financial reporting; disclosure controls; and procedures designed to ensure compliance with accounting standards, applicable laws and regulations. In particular, our overall control environment is a focal point for our management, the Audit Committee and the Board. With this focus and with the oversight of the Audit Committee and the Board, management has taken steps to further enhance our overall control environment.

Cyber-Security and Informational Security Program

We are committed on a global basis to combating the global threat of cyber-attacks and to securing our business through our information security programs to operate with confidence, through a deep understanding of cyber-security risks, vulnerabilities, mitigations, and threats. We have a global cyber-security program applicable to all subsidiaries and business lines. We conduct periodic internal and external vulnerability audits and assessments and penetration testing and provide periodic cyber-security training to employees. Further information on this program can be found on our website at the following link: www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Cyber-Security and Informational Security Program.”

Data Privacy Policy

We have a global data privacy policy applicable to all subsidiaries and business lines. We are committed to conducting our business in line with the right to privacy set forth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 12). As such, we are committed to handling personal data responsibly and recognize the privacy rights of persons involved in our business dealings. Our policy provides a mechanism for data subjects to raise concerns about personal data and privacy as well as a right of access to personal information, rights to correct or amend such information and the right to request deletion of such personal information. Further information on this program can be found on our website at the following link: www.bgcg.com/esg/governance under the heading “Data Privacy Policy.”

Hedging Policy

We have a policy with respect to hedging of equity securities issued by BGC (collectively, “Company Equity Securities”). In this regard, we prohibit our directors, officers, and employees, including leased employees, brokers and independent contractors, from purchasing financial instruments (including prepaid variable forward contracts, equity swaps, collars, and exchange funds), or otherwise engaging in transactions that are designed to or have the effect of hedging or offsetting any decrease in the market value of Company Equity Securities held by such persons, except with the explicit approval of our Audit Committee or its designees. Additionally, we have pre-clearance procedures and processes for trades in Company Equity Securities that all our directors, executive officers, and other designated insiders and employees, including leased employees, brokers and independent contractors must follow. Under these procedures and processes, such persons’ trades are subject to pre-clearance through our legal and compliance department. Directors and executive officers are also required to advise management in advance of entering into any SEC Rule 10b5-1 trading plans or similar plans in accordance with applicable law. For avoidance of doubt, Cantor and its affiliated entities or any securities issued by such entities other than the Company are not covered under the hedging restrictions.

Additional ESG / Sustainability Information

To learn more about our policies and practices and our continuing efforts related to Human Capital Management, ESG and sustainability matters, please refer to the ESG and sustainability section of our website at

www.bgcg.com/esg and to our periodic reports filed under the Exchange Act for further information. You may also find our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Ethics, the charters of the committees of our Board of Directors, Hedging Policy, Environmental Policy, information about our charitable initiatives and other ESG and sustainability policies and practices on our website.

The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our websites or other websites referenced herein, is not part of, and not incorporated into, this document.

STOCKHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Our Board and management value the opportunity to engage with our stockholders and gain insight year-round on their views on a broad range of topics, including our strategy, financial performance, executive compensation, corporate governance, human capital management, including diversity and inclusion, and environmental and social goals. Our Board receives reporting on feedback from investors and stockholder voting results. In addition, our management routinely engages with investors at conferences and other forums. We also speak with proxy advisors to discuss, and receive feedback on, our governance practices and executive compensation programs. Feedback from investors informs our Board’s ongoing review of governance and compensation matters.

In recent years, we have also enhanced our engagement strategy through:

•

Information available on our website including SEC alerts, more detailed financial and operational disclosures in our investor presentations and supplemental Excel tables; and

•

Investor meetings, analyst and investor days, and conferences, including over 250 investor and analyst interactions in 2022.

In 2022 we reached out to institutions who collectively represented the majority of our shares held by active investors. These interactions covered topics including industry trends, business trends and strategy, capital allocation, geographic and business line expansion, our recruitment and retention policies, key drivers of our growth, ESG, corporate governance matters, board composition and diversity, our executive compensation program, and ways to enhance our disclosures. We also periodically engage a third-party research firm to conduct anonymous surveys of our top institutional owners and the broader investment community to solicit candid feedback on these and other issues.

We look forward to further expanding our communication with stockholders and will continue to consider their views and perspectives, as appropriate, in making governance decisions and establishing strategic direction for the Company going forward.

INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

Our executive officers are appointed annually by our Board and serve at the discretion of our Board. In addition to Mr. Lutnick, our Chief Executive Officer, who also serves as a member of the Board, our executive officers, their respective ages and positions and certain other information with respect to each of them are as follows:

Sean A. Windeatt, 50, has been our, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners’, Chief Operating Officer since January 2009, and was BGC Partners’ Interim Chief Financial Officer from December 2018 until December 31, 2019. Mr. Windeatt was Executive Managing Director and Vice President of BGC Partners from 2007 to 2009 and served as a Director of Cantor Fitzgerald International from 2004 to 2007. Mr. Windeatt also provides services to our operating partnerships and subsidiaries. Mr. Windeatt also served as a Business Manager and member of the finance department of Cantor Fitzgerald International from 1997 to 2003.

Jason W. Hauf, 54, has been our, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners’, Chief Financial Officer since June 6, 2022. Prior to his time at the Company, Mr. Hauf was at Exos Technology and Financial Partners, a private firm specializing in financial services for B2B institutional finance starting in 2017, and where he served as Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer from 2018 to 2022. Prior to his time at Exos, Mr. Hauf was Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer at Royal Bank of Scotland, Corporate and Institutional Banking Division, Americas and Vice President of AIG Financial Products Corp. He began his career at Coopers & Lybrand, where he was a Manager. Mr. Hauf holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Delaware.

Stephen M. Merkel, 65, has been our, and prior to the Corporate Conversion, BGC Partners’, Executive Vice President and General Counsel since September 2001 and was BGC Partners’ Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary from June 1999 to September 2001. Mr. Merkel was BGC Partners’ Secretary from September 2001 until January 2019. Mr. Merkel served as a director of BGC Partners from September 2001 until October 2004. Mr. Merkel has been Executive Managing Director, General Counsel and Secretary of Cantor since December 2000 and was Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Cantor from May 1993 to December 2000. He joined Cantor in 1993 and oversees all legal and compliance functions. Mr. Merkel has been Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer of Newmark since January 2019 and was its Corporate Secretary from December 2017 to January 2019. Mr. Merkel also holds offices at and provides services to various other affiliates of Cantor and provides services to our operating partnerships and subsidiaries, including BGC U.S. OpCo, BGC Global OpCo and Newmark OpCo. Mr. Merkel also served as the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of CF Finance Acquisition Corp. from October 2015 until consummation of its business combination with GCM Grosvenor in November 2020. Prior to joining Cantor, Mr. Merkel was Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Goldman Sachs & Co. From September 1985 to January 1990, Mr. Merkel was an associate with the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Mr. Merkel is a founding board member of the Wholesale Markets Brokers’ Association, Americas. Mr. Merkel graduated with a B.A. magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and received his law degree from the University of Michigan School of Law.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION

Newmark IPO, Separation Transaction and Spin-Off and its Effect on BGC’s Compensation

On December 19, 2017, BGC Partners’ former subsidiary Newmark completed its initial public offering (the “IPO”). Through the following series of transactions prior to and following the completion of the Separation (as defined below) and the IPO, Newmark became a separate publicly traded company. Prior to the closing of the IPO, on December 13, 2017, BGC Partners, BGC Holdings, BGC U.S. OpCo, Newmark, Newmark Holdings, L.P. (“Newmark Holdings”), Newmark OpCo and, solely for certain provisions listed therein, Cantor and BGC Global OpCo entered into the Separation and Distribution Agreement (such agreement, as amended from time to time, the “Original Separation and Distribution Agreement”). Pursuant to the Original Separation and Distribution Agreement, BGC, BGC Holdings and BGC U.S. OpCo and their respective subsidiaries (other than the Newmark group (defined below), the “BGC group”) transferred to Newmark, Newmark Holdings and Newmark OpCo and their respective subsidiaries (the “Newmark group”) the assets and liabilities of the BGC group relating to BGC’s real estate services business (such series of transactions that resulted in the transfer are herein referred to as the “Separation”).

In connection with the Separation, Newmark Holdings limited partnership interests, Newmark Holdings founding partner interests, Newmark Holdings working partner interests and Newmark Holdings limited partnership units were distributed to holders of BGC Holdings limited partnership interests, BGC Holdings founding partner interests, BGC Holdings working partner interests and BGC Holdings limited partnership units in proportion to such interests of BGC Holdings held by such holders immediately prior to the Separation. As holders of BGC Holdings limited partnership units, the executive officers of the Company received units of Newmark Holdings in connection with the Separation of Newmark.

On November 30, 2018, BGC Partners’ completed its distribution (the “Spin-Off”) of all of the shares of Class A common stock and Class B common stock of Newmark held by us to BGC Partners’ stockholders as of the close of business on November 23, 2018 through a special pro-rata stock dividend pursuant to which shares of Newmark’s Class A common stock held by BGC were distributed to holders of the Class A common stock of BGC and shares of Newmark’s Class B common stock held by BGC were distributed to holders of the Class B common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of BGC (“Class B common stock”) (which holders of Class B common stock of BGC were Cantor and another entity controlled by BGC Partners’ CEO, Howard W. Lutnick). Following the Spin-Off, BGC no longer held any shares of Newmark.

As a result of the Separation and Spin-Off, and due to the fact that (i) certain BGC awards granted pursuant to the BGC Partners Compensation Plans prior to the Separation became, upon the Separation, awards of interests in both BGC and Newmark entities and (ii) prior to the Spin-Off, (a) certain awards granted pursuant to the BGC Partners Compensation Plans were previously exchangeable for interests in Newmark and (b) certain executives may receive or have received awards under the Newmark Compensation Plans (as defined below), when we refer generally to partnership units that may be awarded as part of compensation (i.e., NPSUs, PSUs, PPSUs, LPUs and PLPUs) we are referring to such units as may be awarded under both the BGC Partners Compensation Plans, prior to the Corporate Conversion, and the Newmark Group, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan (the “Newmark Equity Plan”), the Newmark Group, Inc. Incentive Bonus Compensation Plan (the “Newmark Incentive Plan”), and the Newmark Holdings, L.P. Participation Plan (collectively, with the Newmark Equity Plan and the Newmark Incentive Plan, the “Newmark Compensation Plans”). When we refer to specific awards, we are referring to awards under the BGC Compensation Plans, unless otherwise indicated. The partnership transactions described in this Proxy Statement refer generally to BGC Holdings units and refer specifically to Newmark Holdings units where applicable.

The Compensation Committee is aware that certain of our executive officers, including Messrs. Lutnick and Merkel, also receive compensation from our affiliates, including Cantor and/or Newmark, but it generally does not specifically review the nature or amount of such compensation. During Steven Bisgay’s service as BGC

Partners’ Chief Financial Officer, until June 6, 2022, he also had duties at Cantor and was paid compensation from Cantor in addition to his BGC compensation. The portion of Messrs. Lutnick’s and Merkel’s compensation paid directly by Newmark is reviewed and approved by the compensation committee of the Newmark board of directors. Beginning in 2019, after completion of the Spin-Off, the BGC Partners’ Compensation Committee did not review the nature or amount of any compensation received by Mr. Lutnick or Mr. Merkel as compensation for services provided to Newmark. None of our executive officers has received any compensation for serving as directors of BGC or Newmark.

U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) compensation charges for all compensation paid by Newmark to Messrs. Lutnick and Merkel, including units and other equity awards acquired by them as a result of the Separation and Spin-Off, are taken by Newmark and appear in the Newmark compensation disclosures because such compensation relates to the issuer for which the services are rendered. Conversely, GAAP compensation charges with respect to compensation relating to Newmark units and other equity awards acquired by the other BGC executive officers (and by BGC’s independent directors) as a result of the Separation and Spin-Off are taken by BGC and appear in the BGC compensation disclosures because such executive officers (and independent directors) provide services to BGC and not to Newmark.

Compensation set forth below for Messrs. Lutnick and Merkel for 2020, 2021 and 2022 is for BGC Partners on a stand-alone basis. The discussion below primarily relates to the compensation decisions by the BGC Compensation Committee and all references below are to the BGC Compensation Committee unless specifically noted. For more detailed information regarding the executive compensation of Newmark on a stand-alone basis, see the proxy statement for Newmark’s 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, filed with the SEC on August 16, 2023.

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

EXPLANATORY NOTE RELATING TO OUR CORPORATE CONVERSION FROM BGC PARTNERS ON JULY 1, 2023

On July 1, 2023, BGC Group, BGC Partners, and BGC Holdings, along with certain other entities, completed the Corporate Conversion pursuant to which BGC Partners became a wholly owned subsidiary of BGC Group. To the extent statements in Compensation Discussion and Analysis and Executive Compensation, below, relate to compensation philosophy or the calculation or issuance of compensation or awards to “BGC,” “we,” “our,” “us,” or the “Company’s” directors and executive officers, such statements refer to BGC Partners prior to the closing of the Corporate Conversion, effective at 12:02 am Eastern Time on July 1, 2023, and to BGC Group on a going forward basis following the closing of the Corporate Conversion. See below and “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence – Corporate Conversion” for more information on the Corporate Conversion.

References to, and to awards made under, the Incentive Plan and Equity Plan prior to the closing of the Corporate Conversion refer to, and to awards made under, the BGC Partners Incentive Plan and BGC Partners Equity Plan, respectively. References to, and to awards made under, the Incentive Plan and Equity Plan following the closing of the Corporate Conversion and on a going forward basis refer to, and to awards made under, the BGC Group Incentive Plan and BGC Group Equity Plan, respectively. See “– Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters” for more information on the impact of the Corporate Conversion on the BGC Group Compensation Plans.

Corporate Conversion Compensation Matters

Corporate Conversion Overview and Impact on BGC Group Compensation Structure

On July 1, 2023, BGC Partners completed the Corporate Conversion to a Full C-Corporation in order to reorganize and simplify its organizational structure. As a result of the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group became the public holding company for, and successor to, BGC Partners, and its Class A common stock began trading on Nasdaq, in place of BGC Partners’ Class A common stock, under the ticker symbol “BGC.” Upon completion of the Corporate Conversion, the former stockholders of BGC Partners and the former limited partners of BGC Holdings now participate in the economics of the BGC businesses through BGC Group. The Corporate Conversion was approved by the Board of Directors of BGC Partners on the unanimous recommendation of the independent Joint Committee of the Board of Directors of BGC Partners, composed of the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee sitting jointly, and by the stockholders of BGC Partners on June 27, 2023.

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, our compensation structure was changed from a structure based on cash and partnership units in BGC Holdings to a structure based on equity awards in BGC Group. Upon the closing of the Corporate Conversion, the Participation Plan was terminated and the BGC Holdings limited partnership agreement was terminated. Going forward, the BGC Group Equity Plan will be the sole vehicle for granting equity-based incentive compensation. Accordingly, we no longer use partnership units in BGC Holdings to compensate our employees and other service providers, and all of our equity-based compensation awards will be granted under the BGC Group Equity Plan, including those awarded in payment of bonuses under the BGC Group Incentive Plan.

Upon the close of the Corporate Conversion, all equity-based awards and cash tax account awards (“Tax Accounts”) outstanding under the BGC Partners Equity Plan were assumed by BGC Group as awards under the BGC Group Equity Plan with the same terms and conditions that were applicable under prior to the Corporate Conversion. All outstanding BGC Holdings limited partnership units, including those held by our executive officers as set forth below, were substituted with awards under the BGC Group Equity Plan, with terms and conditions as set forth in the Corporate Conversion Agreement. The details of these assumed and substitute awards are set forth below under “—Compensation Actions Taken in Connection with the Corporate Conversion.”

Please refer to “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence – Corporate Conversion” for additional information on the Corporate Conversion.

BGC Group Equity Plan Following Corporate Conversion

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group assumed and adopted the BGC Partners Equity Plan, as amended and restated as the BGC Group Equity Plan, to effectuate the assumption of or substitution for certain outstanding awards in the Corporate Conversion, as well as to grant equity-based and cash compensation following the Corporate Conversion to advance the interests of BGC Group and its stockholders by providing a means to attract, retain, motivate and reward directors, officers, employees, consultants and other service providers of BGC Group. The BGC Group Equity Plan was approved by the BGC Partners Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee of the BGC Partners Board of Directors, as well as the shareholders of BGC Partners on June 27, 2023. See “—Equity Plan and Participation Awards—BGC Group Equity Plan” for more information on the BGC Group Equity Plan.

BGC Group Incentive Plan, BGC Group Deferral Plan and BGC Holdings Participation Plan Following the Corporate Conversion

Following the Corporate Conversion, BGC Group assumed and adopted the BGC Partners Incentive Plan, as amended and restated as the BGC Group Incentive Plan, and the BGC Partners Deferral Plan, as amended and restated as the BGC Group Deferral Plan, each providing a means to attract, retain, motivate and reward employees, consultants and other service providers of BGC Group going forward. See “— Bonus Compensation” for more information regarding our Incentive Plan.

Following the Corporate Conversion, the BGC Holdings limited partnership agreement was terminated, and the Participation Plan, which was in effect prior to the Corporate Conversion, was terminated.

Standing Policy and Redemptions and Exchanges for Messrs. Merkel and Lutnick

In December 2010, as amended in 2013 and in 2017, the Audit Committee and the Compensation Committee approved a standing policy that gave Mr. Lutnick the same right, subject to certain conditions, to accept or waive opportunities offered to other executive officers to monetize or otherwise provide liquidity with respect to some or all of their limited partnership units of BGC Holdings or to accelerate the lapse of or eliminate any restrictions on equity awards, and provided generally that Mr. Lutnick would be treated no less favorably than, and in proportion to, any other executive officer with respect to the change, right or modification of partnership or equity awards. Mr. Lutnick historically has elected to waive his right to participate in most such opportunities under the standing policy.

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, on May 18, 2023 the BGC Partners Compensation Committee approved the redemption of all of the non-exchangeable BGC Holdings units held by Mr. Stephen Merkel at that time. In connection with the Corporate Conversion and, as a result of the monetization event for Mr. Merkel, on May 18, 2023 Mr. Lutnick elected to exercise in full his monetization rights regarding his non-exchangeable BGC Holdings units under the standing policy, which he had previously waived in prior years, and to exchange his exchangeable BGC Holdings units for shares of Class A common stock. As a result of the various transactions on May 18, 2023, on that date, Messrs. Merkel and Lutnick no longer held any limited partnership units of BGC Holdings. See “— Historical Standing Policy for Mr. Lutnick” for more information.

On July 1, 2023, in connection with the Corporate Conversion, the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of BGC Group approved the assumption and adoption of the standing policy, as amended to apply to all equity-related awards that may be granted to Mr. Lutnick by BGC Group under the BGC Group Equity Plan. See “— Standing Policy for Mr. Lutnick Following the Corporate Conversion” for more information.

Compensation Actions Taken in Connection with the Corporate Conversion

In connection with the Corporate Conversion, certain of the following executive officers, the executive officers as a group, the non-executive directors as a group, and the non-executive officer employees and service providers as a group of BGC Partners held outstanding awards (other than exchangeable rights) under the BGC Partners Equity Plan or non-exchangeable partnership unit awards under the Participation Plan that were assumed or replaced by substitute awards under the BGC Group Equity Plan as a result of the Corporate Conversion. The assumed and substitute awards issued under the BGC Group Equity Plan at the closing of the Corporate Conversion are detailed in the table below. The shares that were or will be issued with respect to these assumed and substitute awards denominated below in shares of BGC Group Class A common stock reduced or will reduce the number of shares available for issuance pursuant to future equity-based awards under the BGC Group Equity Plan.


Name and Position	Assumed RSUs (BGC Group Class A common stock)⁽²⁾			Assumed RSAs (BGC Group Class A common stock)⁽²⁾		Substitute RSUs (BGC Group Class A common stock)⁽³⁾			Substitute RSAs (BGC Group Class A common stock)⁽⁴⁾			Substitute Tax Account Awards (Cash) ($)⁽⁵⁾
Mr. Lutnick, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman⁽¹⁾		—			—		—			—		$	—
Mr. Merkel, Executive Vice President and General Counsel⁽¹⁾		—			—		—			—		$	—
Mr. Windeatt, Chief Operating Officer		—			—		930,547	⁽⁶⁾		398,439	⁽⁷⁾	$	1,292,575	⁽⁸⁾
Mr. Hauf, Chief Financial Officer		—			—		43,900	⁽⁹⁾		—		$	156,249
Executive Group		—			—		974,447			398,439		$	1,448,824	⁽¹⁰⁾
Non-Executive Director Group		62,193	⁽¹¹⁾		—		—			—		$	—
Non-Executive Officer Employee and Service Provider Group		12,224,374			4,982,463		46,830,010			38,211,794		$	121,670,595

Total		12,286,567			4,982,463		47,804,457			38,610,233		$	123,119,419

(1)

As a result of the May 18, 2023 redemption and exchange transactions described under “— Historical Standing Policy for Mr. Lutnick,” all of the outstanding partnership units held by Messrs. Lutnick and Merkel were redeemed on that date, and neither held any partnership units at the closing of the Corporate Conversion.

(2)

Assumed RSUs and RSAs consist of BGC Group Equity Plan awards relating to BGC Partners RSUs and RSAs that were outstanding immediately prior to closing of the Corporate Conversion. In each case, such assumed BGC Group RSUs and RSAs have the same terms and conditions as were applicable to the BGC Partners awards to which they relate.

(3)

Substitute RSUs consist of BGC Group Equity Plan awards that replaced certain non-exchangeable BGC Holdings limited partnership units, including Grant Units, HD-Units, REUs, RPUs, PSUs, PSIs, PSEs, NPSU-CVs, and NPSUs. The terms of the substitute RSUs vary depending upon the type of limited partnership unit that they replaced, in accordance with the terms of the Corporate Conversion Agreement.

(4)

Substitute RSAs consist of BGC Group Equity Plan awards that replaced certain non-exchangeable BGC Holdings limited partnership units, including LPU-NEWs, LPUs, NLPU-CVs, NLPU-NEWs, NLPUs, PLPUs, and NPLPUs. The terms of the substitute RSAs vary depending upon the type of limited partnership unit that they replaced, in accordance with the terms of the Corporate Conversion Agreement.

(5)

Substitute cash Tax Account awards consist of BGC Group Equity Plan awards that replaced certain non-exchangeable BGC Holdings Preferred Units, including PPSUs, PPSIs, PPSEs, PREUs, PRPUs, NPPSU-CVs, and NPPSUs. The terms of the substitute cash Tax Account awards vary depending upon the type of Preferred Unit that they replaced, in accordance with the terms of the Corporate Conversion Agreement.

(6)

Consists of (i) 673,570 RSUs that will vest on July 1, 2033, provided that Mr. Windeatt remains employed through such vesting date, and (ii) 256,977 RSUs that will vest on July 1, 2033, provided that Mr. Windeatt remains employed through such vesting date, and contingent upon BGC Group generating at least $5 million in revenue for the quarter in which the vesting occurs. See “—2023 Actions Regarding Outstanding Awards” for discussion of the accelerated vesting of certain of these RSUs on July 12, 2023.

(7)

Consists of (i) 239,990 RSAs that will vest on April 18, 2025, provided that Mr. Windeatt remains employed through such vesting date, and subject to other obligations as set forth in the applicable award agreement, and (ii) 158,449 RSAs that will vest on March 14, 2024, provided that Mr. Windeatt remains employed through such vesting date, and subject to other obligations as set forth in the applicable award agreement.

(8)

These substitute cash Tax Account awards relate to the substitute RSUs described in footnote (6), and will be settled for cash to cover withholding taxes paid when the related RSUs vest. See “—2023 Actions Regarding Outstanding Awards” for discussion of the accelerated vesting of certain of these substitute Tax Account awards on July 12, 2023.

(9)

Consists of (i) 6,808 RSUs which will vest on July 1, 2033, provided that Mr. Hauf remains employed through such vesting date, and contingent upon BGC Group generating at least $5 million in revenue for the quarter in which the vesting occurs, and (ii) 37,092 RSUs which will vest on July 1, 2033, provided that Mr. Hauf remains employed through such vesting date.

(10)	These substitute cash Tax Account awards relate to the substitute RSUs described in footnote (9), and will be settled for cash to cover withholding taxes paid when the related RSUs vest.

(11)

Consists of assumed RSUs held by Dr. Bell and Messrs. Mbanefo and Richards. Mr. Laguerre departed the BGC Partners Board immediately before the closing of the Corporate Conversion. In connection with his departure from the BGC Partners Board, the vesting of Mr. Laguerre’s 16,335 RSUs was accelerated immediately before the closing of the Corporate Conversion.

Assumption of Employment Agreements and Compensation Arrangements Following the Corporate Conversion

On July 1, 2023, in connection with BGC Group as successor entity of BGC Partners following the Corporate Conversion, the Board of Directors and Audit Committee of BGC Group approved the assumption of BGC Partners’ previously approved employment agreements, change of control agreements, retention agreements, and other arrangement, with such modifications thereto as necessary to reflect the Corporate Conversion. Please refer to “—Change in Control Agreements,” “Executive Compensation—Potential Payments Upon Change in Control—Change in Control Agreements” and “Executive Compensation—Potential Payments Upon Change in Control—Employment Agreements and Deeds of Adherence” for more information.

Structure Before and After the Corporate Conversion

Pre-Corporate Conversion Structure of BGC Partners, Inc. as of June 30, 2023

The diagram below reflects the ownership structure of BGC Partners and BGC Holdings as of June 30, 2023 and prior to the Corporate Conversion.

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The diagram reflects the following activity of BGC Class A common stock and BGC Holdings partnership unit activity from January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 as follows: (a) 16.1 million shares of BGC Class A common stock issued for vested N Units; (b) 2.4 million shares of BGC Class A common stock issued for vested RSUs; (c) an aggregate of 4.3 million limited partnership units granted by BGC Holdings; (d) 10.7 million shares of BGC Class A common stock repurchased by BGC Partners; (e) 2.8 million shares of Class A common stock issued by BGC Partners under its acquisition shelf Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-169232), of which there were no shares remaining available for issuance under such Registration Statement as of June 30, 2023, and 2.3 million shares of Class A common stock issued by BGC Partners under its acquisition shelf Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-233761) but not the 17.7 million of such shares remaining available for issuance by BGC Partners under such Registration Statement as of June 30, 2023; (f) 0.5 million limited partnership units forfeited; (g) 0.7 million limited partnership units related to prior period adjustments; (h) 0.8 million limited partnership units for vested N Units; and (i) 20 thousand shares issued by BGC Partners under its Dividend Reinvestment and Stock Purchase Plan (“DRIP”) Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-173109), but not the 9.2 million of such shares remaining available for issuance by BGC Partners under the DRIP Registration Statement as of June 30, 2023.

Post-Corporate Conversion Structure of BGC Group, Inc. as of August 31, 2023

The diagram below reflects our ownership structure as of August 31, 2023, following the Corporate Conversion. The diagram does not reflect certain ownership of BGC Group as follows: (a) 26.6 million shares of BGC Group Class A restricted common stock as these are not entitled to receive any dividends (included for voting power of BGC Group); (b) 12.1 million assumed RSUs; (c) 46.5 million substitute RSUs converted from former partners’ units in BGC Holdings; (d) RSU Tax Accounts associated with certain RSUs; (e) 7.1 million RSUs; (f) 5.7 million contingent shares issued in exchange for former partners’ units in BGC Holdings; and (f) 0.8 million contingent shares issued in exchange for acquisition units.

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*	Percentage includes restricted shares issued in exchange for former partners’ units in BGC Holdings.

The diagram reflects the BGC Class A common stock and BGC Holdings partnership unit activity from January 1, 2023 through June 30, 2023 as described above under the heading “—Pre-Corporate Conversion Structure of BGC Partners, Inc. as of June 30, 2023.” In addition, the diagram reflects the following activity of BGC Class A common stock, BGC Class B common stock, and BGC Holdings partnership unit activity from July 1, 2023 through August 31, 2023 as follows: (a) 64.0 million shares of BGC Class B common stock issued to Cantor in exchange for Cantor’s 64.0 million BGC Holdings partnership units; (b) 5.8 million shares of restricted BGC Class A common stock issued for limited partnership interests; (c) 15.8 million shares of BGC Class B common stock distributed by Cantor in satisfaction of its remaining deferred share distribution obligations pursuant to distribution rights provided to certain current and former partners of Cantor; (d) the restrictions released on 6.2 million shares of BGC Class A common stock; (e) 0.4 million shares of BGC Class A common stock which were converted from 0.4 million shares of Class B common stock distributed by Cantor in satisfaction of its remaining deferred share distribution obligations pursuant to distribution rights provided to certain current and former partners of Cantor; (f) 4.6 million shares of BGC Class A common stock repurchased by us; (g) 0.8 million shares of BGC Class A common stock issued for vested RSUs; (h) 0.4 million shares of

BGC Class A common stock issued for contingent shares issued in exchange for acquisition units; and (i) 0.3 million shares of BGC Class A common stock issued for contingent shares issued in exchange for former partners’ units in BGC Holdings. No shares of Class A common stock were issued by us under our acquisition shelf Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-233761) between July 1, 2023 and August 31, 2023; 17.7 million of such shares remain available for issuance by us under such Registration Statement. Also, an immaterial number of shares of Class A common stock were issued by us under our DRIP Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-173109) between July 1, 2023 and August 31, 2023; 9.2 million of such shares remain available for issuance by us under the DRIP Registration Statement..

Compensation Philosophy

Our executive compensation program, which is under the direction and control of our Compensation Committee, is designed to integrate compensation with the achievement of our short- and long-term business objectives and to assist us in attracting, motivating and retaining the highest quality executive officers and rewarding them for superior performance. Different components of our executive compensation program are geared to short- and longer-term performance, with the goal of increasing stockholder value over the long term.

We believe the compensation of our executive officers should reflect their success in attaining key corporate objectives, such as growth or maintenance of market position, success in attracting and retaining qualified brokers and other professionals, increasing or maintaining revenues and/or profitability, developing new products and marketplaces, completing acquisitions, dispositions, restructurings, and other value-enhancing transactions and integrating any such transactions, as applicable, meeting established goals for operating earnings, earnings per share and increasing the total return for stockholders, including stock price and/or dividend increases, and maintaining and developing customer relationships and long-term competitive advantage. Such objectives may also include the ability to respond to extraordinary events and manage the business under changing health, environmental and financial circumstances. Although the vote is advisory and non-binding on the Board, the Compensation Committee considers the results of the “say-on-pay” vote.

Executive compensation should also reflect achievement of individual managerial objectives established for specific executive officers. Specific significant events led by executives, including acquisitions, dispositions and other significant transactions, should also be given significant weight. The performance of our executives in managing our Company, and in the provision of services to our operating partnerships and subsidiaries, considered in light of general economic and specific Company, industry and competitive conditions should be the basis for determining their overall compensation.

Although reviewed by the Committee, our policy is generally that the compensation of our executive officers should not be based on the short-term performance of our Class A common stock, whether favorable or unfavorable, since we believe that the price of our stock will, in the long term, reflect our overall performance and, ultimately, the management of our Company by our executives. Long-term stock performance is reflected in executive compensation through the grant of various equity and, historically, partnership, awards, as described below.

Historically, our compensation philosophy and structure has been based on the use of cash and partnership units. However, following the Corporate Conversion, the equity portion of our compensation structure will no longer be based upon the issuance of partnership units and we will instead shift to the use of equity awards issued under the Equity Plan in order to incentivize and retain our employees, executive officers, and directors, such as RSUs.

Our Board and our Compensation Committee initially determined that Messrs. Lutnick, Merkel, Windeatt, and Bisgay were our executive officers for 2022. On June 6, 2022, Mr. Hauf became Chief Financial Officer and an executive officer. Mr. Bisgay resigned as Chief Financial Officer on that date and no longer serves as an executive officer.

Overview of Compensation and Processes

For 2022, executive compensation was composed of the following principal components: (i) a base salary, which was designed to retain talented executive officers and contribute to motivating, retaining and rewarding individual performance; (ii) an incentive bonus award under our Incentive Plan, that was intended to tie financial rewards to the achievement of our short- or longer-term performance objectives; and (iii) an incentive program under our Equity Plan and Participation Plan, which was designed to promote the achievement of short- and long-term performance goals, and to align the long-term interests of our executive officers with those of our stockholders through the grant of awards. In all cases, performance objectives and goals relate to the performance of our executives at the Company and in the provision of services to our operating partnerships and subsidiaries. Going forward, our compensation philosophy is generally expected to remain the same, except that following the Corporate Conversion, the equity portion of our compensation structure will no longer be based upon the issuance of partnership units and we will instead shift to the use of equity awards issued under the Equity Plan.

From time to time, we may also restructure the existing compensation arrangements of our executive officers, as described below. We may also adopt various policies related to or in addition to such restructurings, including with respect to the acceleration of the lapse of restrictions on restricted stock or acceleration of the vesting of RSUs. We may also issue potential extraordinary grants to executive officers which could be based on performance measures, including stock price increase or other measures to be specified.

From time to time, we have also used employment agreements, change of control agreements, retention agreements, and other arrangements, including some with specified target or guaranteed bonus components, and extraordinary bonuses to attract, motivate and retain talented executives. Any such specific arrangements with our executive officers are summarized below.

Our Compensation Committee, with the assistance where appropriate of special project committees or advisors, approves and recommends to our Board that it approve the salaries, bonuses and other compensation of our executive officers. In addition, the Committee approves grants to executive officers under and otherwise administers the Incentive Plan, the Equity Plan and, prior to the Corporate Conversion, the Participation Plan.

From time to time, our Compensation Committee has engaged a compensation consultant in connection with its compensation decisions. With respect to 2022, Korn Ferry (the “Advisor”) advised the Committee. The Committee retained the Advisor to provide surveys, information, and other assistance with respect to pay practices and compensation levels at our peer group and other companies, and the Committee discussed with the Advisor all compensation arrangements for 2022. For 2022, the Committee and the Advisor also reviewed additional pay for performance considerations and metrics and other measures including GAAP and non-GAAP financial results, results of certain businesses such as Fenics, growth in margins, front-office productivity, catalyst transactions, acquisitions, and strategy and management responsibility, challenges and risk management, and other specific line items and measures in order to review additional performance metrics. The Committee reviewed the Company’s total revenues as a key performance measure for 2022. The Committee also reviewed various tax and other considerations with respect to the monetization of executive partnership units, including in connection with the Corporate Conversion. While the Committee does take into consideration such peer data and percentiles, the Committee does not attempt solely to benchmark our executive compensation against any level, range, or percentile of compensation paid at any other companies, does not apply any specific measures of internal or external pay equity in reaching its conclusions, and does not employ tally sheets, wealth accumulation, or similar tools in its analysis. Our Compensation Committee considered whether the Advisor had any conflicts of interest in advising the Committee. In doing so, the Committee considered whether the Advisor had been providing services of any other nature to us; the amount of fees received from us by the Advisor; the policies and procedures adopted by the Advisor that have been designed to prevent conflicts of in

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by BGC Partners Inc