SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Eastern Bankshares Inc.

March 27, 2025

Dear Shareholder:

I am pleased to invite you to attend the 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. The meeting will be held on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time online via the Internet. Details regarding the business to be conducted at the meeting are described in the notice of the meeting and our proxy statement.

Shareholders will receive a notice describing how to access our proxy materials over the Internet, how to request a paper copy of proxy materials, and how to register to attend the meeting virtually. Our proxy materials, including this proxy statement and our 2025 annual report to shareholders, contain our audited financial statements and information about our business.

Your vote is very important. You can ensure your shares of our common stock are represented and are voted by submitting your instructions by telephone, the Internet, or in writing by returning your proxy card or voting form. We encourage you to consider registering for and attending our virtual 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

Thank you for your support and continued interest in Eastern Bankshares, Inc.

March 27, 2025

To Shareholders of

Eastern Bankshares, Inc.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

The 2025 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (“the Company”) will be held on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time online via the Internet. The purpose of the meeting is to consider and take action upon the following matters:

The record date for the determination of the shareholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting is Friday, March 14, 2025. Our stock transfer books will remain open.

Our Bylaws require that the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock, issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting, be present online or in person, or represented by proxy at the meeting in order to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Accordingly, it is important that your shares be represented at the meeting regardless of the number of shares you may hold. Please ensure that your shares of our common stock are present and voted at the meeting by submitting your instructions by telephone, the Internet, or in writing by completing, signing, dating and returning your proxy card or voting form. If you choose to attend the virtual 2025 Annual Meeting, you may also vote your shares through the Internet during the meeting.

You are entitled to participate in the 2025 Annual Meeting if you were a shareholder at the close of business on Friday, March 14, 2025, the record date, or hold a legal proxy for the meeting provided by your bank, broker or nominee as of such record date.

Your control number can be found on your proxy card, vote authorization form or the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials.

If you join the virtual 2025 Annual Meeting, you can submit questions in writing during the meeting through the Q&A tab on the virtual platform. We intend to answer as many questions that pertain to Company matters as time allows during the meeting. Questions that are substantially similar may be grouped or not answered to ensure we are able to address as many topics as possible.

A complete list of registered shareholders will be made available to shareholders of record at the meeting and in accordance with our Bylaws by emailing [email protected].

This notice, the proxy and proxy statement are sent to you by order of our Board of Directors on behalf of the Company.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROXY STATEMENT

We are furnishing this proxy statement (“the Proxy Statement”) in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (which we sometimes refer to as “Board”) of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (which we may also refer to as “we” “us” or “the Company” throughout this Proxy Statement; Eastern Bank is sometimes referred to herein as the “Bank,” and Eastern Bankshares, Inc. and Eastern Bank are sometimes collectively referred to herein as “Eastern”) for use at our 2025 annual meeting of shareholders (“Annual Meeting” or “the Meeting”) to be held on Monday, May 19, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time online via the Internet and at any adjournment of that meeting. The mailing address of our principal executive office is 125 High Street, Boston, MA 02110. The Notice of Annual Meeting and this Proxy Statement are first being furnished to our shareholders on or about March 27, 2025.

INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS

Our proxy materials are available over the Internet. Shareholders will receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice”) on or about March 27, 2025, to comply with the 40-day requirement pursuant to Rule 14a-16(a) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). The Notice contains instructions on how to access our proxy materials, including our Proxy Statement, in connection with the Annual Meeting and submit your proxy or vote authorization form. The Notice also provides information on how to request paper copies of our proxy materials. If you have previously requested a paper copy of the proxy materials, you will receive a paper copy of our proxy materials by mail. If you have previously elected to receive our proxy materials electronically, you will continue to receive these materials electronically unless you elect otherwise. If you receive more than one Notice, it means that your shares are registered in more than one name or are registered in different accounts. In order to vote the shares you own, you must vote pursuant to the instructions on each Notice.

VOTING PROCEDURES

Purpose of Annual Meeting

Shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting will consider and act upon the matters outlined in the notice of meeting accompanying this Proxy Statement, including the election of five individuals to our Board of Directors, each to be elected for a two-year term expiring in 2027 (Proposal 1); approval, by non-binding advisory vote, of the compensation of our named executive officers (Proposal 2); and ratification of the appointment by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2025 fiscal year (Proposal 3).

Voting Securities and Record Date

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on Friday, March 14, 2025 (“Record Date”), are entitled to vote at the meeting or any adjournment of the Meeting. Our outstanding capital stock entitled to vote at the meeting as of the Record Date consisted of 213,500,243 shares of our common stock, $0.01 par value per share. Each holder of record of our common stock on the Record Date is entitled to one vote per share of common stock held, except that, as provided in our Articles of Organization, a person who beneficially owns more than 10% of our shares will be entitled to cast only one one-hundredth (1/100th) of a vote per share for each share in excess of the 10% limit.

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In accordance with our amended and restated bylaws (“Bylaws”), a list of shareholders of record as of the Record Date (“Shareholder List”) will be available for inspection by any shareholder, beginning two business days after notice is given of the Meeting and continuing through the Annual Meeting. The Shareholder List may be accessed during the Annual Meeting through the virtual meeting platform. In addition, you may contact our Corporate Secretary by submitting an email to [email protected] and requesting a time to view the Shareholder List virtually, for any purpose germane to the Annual Meeting, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., local time, on any business day from Monday, March 31, 2025, to the time of the Annual Meeting.

Quorum

The holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock that are issued and outstanding and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the Annual Meeting. If a quorum is not present, the Annual Meeting will be adjourned until a quorum is obtained. For purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum, abstentions and broker non-votes will be counted as present. A “broker non-vote” is a proxy from a broker or other nominee indicating that such person has not received instructions from the beneficial owner on a particular matter with respect to which the broker or other nominee does not have discretionary voting power. Brokers have the discretion to vote their clients’ proxies only on routine matters.

Attending the Annual Meeting

We invite all shareholders as of the Record Date to attend the Annual Meeting, which will be held online.

If you own an interest in our common stock through the Company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (“ESOP”) or 401(k) Plan, you may register to attend, but may not vote at, the Annual Meeting.

Even if you plan to attend the virtual Annual Meeting, we encourage you to vote in advance by Internet, telephone, or mail so that your vote will be counted in the event you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting.

Manner of Voting

Each share of common stock you hold is entitled to one vote for or against a proposal. Shares entitled to be voted at the Annual Meeting can only be voted if the shareholder of record of such shares is present at the Annual Meeting, returns a signed proxy card, or authorizes proxies to vote his or her shares by telephone or over the Internet. Shares represented by valid proxy will be voted in accordance with your instructions. If you choose to vote your shares by telephone or over the Internet, you may do so until the dates and times set forth below, by following the instructions on the proxy card or the Notice.

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Shareholders of Record

If you are a shareholder of record of our common stock as of the Record Date, you may vote in one of the following ways:

You may revoke your proxy at any time before the shares are voted at the Annual Meeting by entering new voting instructions by telephone or over the Internet until the close of polls at the Annual Meeting, by written notice received by our Corporate Secretary before the Annual Meeting, by executing and returning a new proxy bearing a later date, or by voting online during the Annual Meeting. Attendance at the Annual Meeting without voting by ballot will not revoke a previously submitted proxy.

You may specify your choices by marking the appropriate box on the proxy card. If your proxy card is signed and returned without specifying choices, your shares will be voted in accordance with the recommendation of our Board of Directors and as the individuals named as proxy holders on the proxy card deem advisable on all other matters that may properly come before the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR the listed nominees for director; FOR the approval of an advisory vote on compensation paid to our Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”); and FOR ratification of the appointment by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2025 fiscal year.

Shareholders in “Street Name”

If you hold your shares in “street name,” generally the broker or other representative may only vote the shares that it holds for you in accordance with your instructions. However, if the broker or other representative has not timely received your instructions, it may vote on certain matters for which it has discretionary voting authority. Brokers have the discretion to vote their clients’ proxies only on routine matters.

At our Annual Meeting, only the ratification of the appointment of our auditors is considered a routine matter. The vote on election of directors and the advisory vote on executive compensation are non-discretionary voting matters, and therefore your broker will not be able to vote on any of these matters without receiving your instructions. Your broker or other representative will generally provide detailed voting instructions with your

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proxy materials. These instructions may include information on whether your shares can be voted by telephone or over the Internet and the manner in which you may revoke your votes. Please reach out to your broker, bank or other intermediary if you have not received such instructions or have questions.

Participants in the Company’s 401(k) Plan or ESOP

If you are a participant in the Company’s ESOP or 401(k) Plan, you will receive a Notice by e-mail or by mail. Under the terms of these plans, the trustee or administrator votes all shares held by the plan, but each participant may direct the trustee or administrator how to vote the shares of our common stock allocated to his or her plan account. Using the Control Number received on your Notice, follow the instructions above (for “Shareholders of Record”) to provide your voting instructions to the applicable plan trustee or administrator by Internet or telephone. If you own shares through any of these plans and you do not provide your voting instructions by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, the respective plan trustees or administrators will vote your shares in accordance with the terms of the respective plans. Please note that plan participants must provide voting instructions by the specified deadline (May 14, 2025), which is earlier than the voting deadline for shareholders of record (who may vote through the closing of the polls at the Annual Meeting). In addition, due to the earlier voting deadline for plan participants, you cannot provide your voting instructions at the Annual Meeting. However, you may still register for and attend the Annual Meeting and ask questions.

Vote Required

Assuming a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting, the vote required to adopt each of the proposals is as follows:

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock as of Friday, March 14, 2025, with respect to:

Unless otherwise indicated, the address of any person or entity listed is c/o Eastern Bankshares, Inc., 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. The applicable percentage of beneficial ownership is based on 213,500,243 shares of our common stock outstanding as of March 14, 2025. Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC. Unless otherwise indicated, we believe, based on information furnished by such persons, that each person listed below has sole voting and investment power with respect to the shares of Company common stock shown as beneficially owned. Securities that may be beneficially acquired within 60 days of Friday, March 14, 2025 are deemed to be beneficially owned by the person holding such securities for the purpose of computing ownership of such person but are not treated as outstanding for the purpose of computing the ownership of any other person.

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* Less than 1%

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Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our directors, executive officers and beneficial owners of more than 10% of our common stock to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of our securities. Based solely upon a review of these filings, all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to such persons were complied with during 2024 on a timely basis.

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PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Currently, our Board of Directors is divided into three classes of directors serving staggered terms, with each class being as equal in number as possible. Directors for each class are elected at the annual meeting of shareholders held in the year in which the term for their class expires. Five directors are standing for election at the Annual Meeting.

Based on the recommendation of its Nominating and Governance Committee, our Board of Directors has nominated Messrs. Holbrook, Markell, and Zelleke and Mses. Jackson and Williams for election as directors for the two-year term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders. Messrs. Holbrook, Markell, and Zelleke and Mses. Jackson and Williams are each currently members of our Board of Directors. If any nominee becomes unable to serve as a director, the proxy holders may vote the proxy for the election of a substitute nominee to be designated by our Board of Directors. We do not expect that any nominee will be unable to serve. Directors serve until the expiration of their terms and until their successors have been elected and qualified or until their earlier retirement or their resignation, death or removal in accordance with our Bylaws.

In accordance with an amendment approved by our shareholders in 2022, our Articles of Organization have been amended to provide that for our annual meetings of shareholders in 2025 and 2026, the classes of directors whose terms expire at those meetings will be nominated for re-election for two- and one-year terms, respectively, and our Board of Directors will be fully declassified, with all directors standing for annual election, beginning with the Company’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders.

Recommendation

Each of our nominees has considerable professional and business expertise. Our Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” each nominee based on its carefully considered judgment that the experience, qualifications, attributes and skills of each nominee qualify him or her to serve on our Board of Directors and its belief that the election of Messrs. Holbrook, Markell, and Zelleke and Mses. Jackson and Williams as directors is in the best interests of the Company. Information regarding the experience and qualifications of each of our directors, including our five director nominees, is provided below.

Nominees for Class II Directors for the Two-Year Term That Will Expire in 2027

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Our directors listed below are not up for election this year, and each will continue in office for the remainder of his or her specified term of office or until his or her earlier resignation, death, or removal in accordance with our Bylaws.

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Class III Directors Continuing in Office (Term Will Expire in 2026)

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Class I Directors Continuing in Office (Term Will Expire in 2027)

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Corporate Governance Matters

Our Board of Directors believes that good corporate governance is important to ensure that the Company is managed for the long-term benefit of its shareholders. Current copies of our Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Conduct, and charters for our Audit, Compensation and Human Capital Management, Nominating and Governance, and Risk Management Committees are available on our website, investor.easternbank.com, in the Governance section under the caption “Governance Documents.” We may also use our website in the future to make certain disclosures required by the rules of the Nasdaq Global Select Market (“Nasdaq”), on which our common stock is listed.

Director Independence

Based upon information requested from and provided by each director concerning his or her background, employment and affiliations, family and other relationships, including if applicable those relationships described under the section of this Proxy Statement entitled “Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions,” our Board of Directors has determined that each of the following directors qualifies as an “independent director,” as defined in the listing requirements of Nasdaq: Mses. Jackson, Harlam, Harney, Hessan, Schmidt and Williams and Messrs. Bane, Borgen, Chung, Markell, Palandjian and Zelleke. Messrs. Rivers, Sheahan and Holbrook each do not qualify as an “independent director” under the Nasdaq rules. Messrs. Rivers and Sheahan are not considered independent because they currently serve as our Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), respectively. Mr. Holbrook served as our CEO from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2016, and he continued to receive compensation through January 2022 in connection with his retirement. In making these determinations on the independence of our directors, our Board of Directors considered the relationships that each such non-employee director has with the Company and all other facts and circumstances our Board of Directors deemed relevant in determining independence. Our Board of Directors also determined that each member of the Audit, Compensation and Human Capital Management, and Nominating and Governance Committees satisfies the independence standards for such committees established by the SEC and the Nasdaq listing rules, as applicable.

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The Company has also adopted a Director Independence Policy that incorporates the requirements for independence set forth in the SEC and Nasdaq independence rules, as well as prudential standards of the Federal Reserve Board, and an Audit Committee Independence Policy that establishes separate and higher standards of independence for members of the Audit Committee, consistent with the SEC and Nasdaq rules and guidelines of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Our Board of Directors has determined that each of Mses. Jackson, Harlam, Harney, Hessan, Schmidt and Williams and Messrs. Bane, Borgen, Chung, Markell, Palandjian and Zelleke is an “independent director” under the Director Independence Policy; that Mr. Borgen meets the enhanced independence standards applicable to the Chair of the Risk Management Committee under the Director Independence Policy; and that each of Messrs. Bane and Markell and Mses. Harney and Williams meets the enhanced independence standards for Audit Committee members set forth in the Company’s Audit Committee Independence Policy.

Board Composition and Leadership Structure of the Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors oversees and advises our Executive Chair and management team, exercising their business judgment in good faith to ensure the long-term interests of our shareholders are being served. As of March 27, 2025, our Board of Directors was composed of fifteen (15) directors, reflecting the addition of four directors from the merger with Cambridge Bancorp effective July 12, 2024 (Messrs. Sheahan, Palandjian and Zelleke and Ms. Schmidt) as well as the retirement of Messrs. Connolly and Spiess at the end of 2024 in accordance with the age 75 retirement provision in our Corporate Governance Guidelines.

The Board does not have a fixed policy regarding the separation of the offices of the chair of the Board of Directors and the principal executive officer (“PEO”) of the Company and believes that it should maintain the flexibility to select the chair of the Board of Directors and its board leadership structure, from time to time, based on the criteria that it deems to be in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. At this time, Mr. Rivers serves as both the principal executive officer of the Company and its Board Chair. He served as the Company’s CEO from January 2017 through the merger with Cambridge, becoming the Executive Chair effective July 12, 2024. As Executive Chair, he continues to serve as the Company’s PEO and as Chair of its Board of Directors. With over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including over 17 years with us, Mr. Rivers has the knowledge, expertise, and experience to understand the opportunities and challenges facing our Company, as well as the leadership and management skills to promote and execute our values and strategy.

In accordance with what we believe are governance best practices, the Board of Directors has established the position of Lead Director. As further set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Lead Director is independent and is recommended by our Nominating and Governance Committee and elected by the Board of Directors. Since January 2018, Ms. Jackson has served in that role, performing many of the functions that an independent chair would perform for the Company. Those functions include serving as a key source of communication between the independent directors and the Company’s principal executive officer, consulting with the chair of the Board of Directors in establishing the agenda for each meeting of the Board, presiding in executive sessions of meetings of the Board of Directors, and coordinating the agenda for and leading meetings of the independent directors, as needed.

The Company believes that having the same person serve as the Company’s principal executive officer and Board Chair focuses leadership, responsibility, and accountability in a single person while the Lead Director provides for effective checks and balances and helps ensure the independent directors work effectively in the board setting. The Board of Directors reviews its leadership structure periodically in light of the composition of the Board of Directors and the needs of the Company and its shareholders.

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Committees of our Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors has established four standing committees: an Audit Committee, a Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee, a Nominating and Governance Committee, and a Risk Management Committee, each with the composition and responsibilities described below. Each committee operates under a charter that has been approved by our Board of Directors. Current copies of the committee charters are posted on our website, investor.easternbank.com, in the Governance section under the caption “Governance Documents.”

The table below reflects the composition of the Board’s four standing committees as of March 14, 2025:

(1) Lead Independent Director

(2) Chair of the Board of the Directors

Attendance at Meetings

In 2024, our Board of Directors met fifteen times for 8 regular and 7 special meetings, the Audit Committee met for 8 regular and 1 special meeting, the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee met 6 times, the Nominating and Governance Committee met 3 times, and the Risk Management Committee met 4 times. Each director attended over 75% of all meetings of our Board of Directors and committees on which he or she served that were held during 2024. Our Directors are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting, to the extent practicable. All of our Directors then-serving on the Board of Directors of the Company attended the 2024 annual meeting of shareholders held on May 13, 2024.

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Board Self-Evaluation and Individual Director Evaluation

Our Board of Directors conducts an annual self-evaluation of the Board’s performance as a whole to determine whether it and its committees are functioning effectively. The Nominating and Governance Committee receives comments from all directors and reports the results of the board and committee evaluations to the Board of Directors and its committees. The results are discussed with the full Board of Directors and among the respective committees, as applicable. Our Board of Directors believes such evaluations are valuable tools in assessing the Board’s effectiveness in performing its oversight of management and fulfilling its responsibilities.

Audit Committee

The current members of our Audit Committee are Mr. Markell (chair), Mses. Harney and Williams and Mr. Bane. Their committee report is included in this Proxy Statement under the heading “Audit Committee Report.” Each of the Audit Committee members is independent under the listing standards of Nasdaq, including under Rule 10A-3 of the Exchange Act, and our Audit Committee Independence Policy. Mr. Markell has also been designated by our Board of Directors as an “audit committee financial expert” (as defined in applicable SEC regulations). None of the Audit Committee members is an employee of ours or any of our subsidiaries, nor simultaneously serves on the audit committees of more than two public companies, including ours.

The Audit Committee meets regularly with management and our independent registered public accounting firm to discuss the annual audit of our financial statements, our disclosures in the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in our annual and quarterly reports filed with the SEC, the quarterly reviews of our financial statements and our quarterly and annual earnings disclosures prior to their release. The Audit Committee also reviews the experience and qualifications of the lead partner and other senior members of Ernst & Young LLP, our independent registered public accounting firm (“Ernst & Young” or “EY”), including compliance with applicable rotation requirements, and considers whether there should be rotation of the firm itself.

The Audit Committee has authority under its charter to obtain advice and assistance from outside legal counsel and accounting or other outside advisors as deemed appropriate to perform its duties and responsibilities.

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Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee

The current members of the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee (“CHCM Committee”) are Mr. Chung (chair), Mses. Hessan, Jackson and Schmidt, and Mr. Markell. Each member of the CHCM Committee is independent under the listing standards of Nasdaq, including the heightened standards that apply to compensation committee members.

The CHCM Committee has authority under its charter to obtain advice and assistance from outside legal counsel and other outside advisors as deemed appropriate to perform its duties and responsibilities. For 2024, the CHCM Committee engaged an independent compensation consultant, Pearl Meyer & Partners, LLC (“Pearl Meyer”) to advise on compensation matters and provide experiential guidance on what is considered fair and competitive practice in our industry, primarily with respect to the compensation of our executive officers, and also with regard to director compensation.

The CHCM Committee has the authority to delegate to subcommittees of the CHCM Committee, to the chair of the CHCM Committee, or one or more of our executive officers, as permitted under applicable law. The CHCM Committee may also delegate to a committee of one or more directors, or one or more of our executive officers, subject to certain restrictions, the power to grant equity awards to employees who are not subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act pursuant to the 2021 Equity Plan (as defined below). References to the CHCM Committee in this Proxy Statement also refer to its subcommittees and its delegates, where applicable.

Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

During 2024, none of our officers, former officers or employees served on our CHCM Committee. None of our executive officers serves or has served as a member of a compensation committee, other board committee, or full board of directors performing equivalent functions of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as one of our directors or on our CHCM Committee.

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Nominating and Governance Committee

The current members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Mr. Bane (chair), Mses. Harlam, Hessan, and Jackson, and Messrs. Chung and Zelleke. Each member of the Nominating and Governance Committee is independent under the listing standards of Nasdaq.

The Nominating and Governance Committee has authority under its charter to obtain advice and assistance from outside legal counsel and other outside advisors as deemed appropriate to perform its duties and responsibilities.

Nomination of Directors

The Nominating and Governance Committee of our Board of Directors identifies and evaluates director candidates and recommends to our Board of Directors qualified candidates for nomination as directors for election at our annual meeting of shareholders or to fill vacancies on our Board of Directors. The process followed by the Nominating and Governance Committee in fulfilling its responsibilities includes requests to board members and others for recommendations, meetings to evaluate biographical information, experience and other background material relating to potential candidates, and interviews of selected candidates.

In considering candidates, the Nominating and Governance Committee reviews a candidate’s qualifications and independence based on the criteria set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, its Director Independence Policy, Audit Committee Independence Policy, and the Nominating and Governance Committee’s charter (or the charter of a particular committee). The Nominating and Governance Committee considers the composition of the Board or committees; succession planning; and current challenges and needs of the Board, its committees, the Company and the Bank, while taking into account factors such as professional and business experience, leadership, skill, expertise, judgment, background, collegiality, availability, teamwork, and other factors.

In the recent past, Nasdaq listing requirements required each listed company to have, or explain why it does not have, two diverse directors on its board of directors (subject to exceptions set forth in the Nasdaq rules). The composition of our current Board of Directors, set forth in the table below, complies with this former requirement.

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Each category has the meaning as it was used in Nasdaq Rule 5605(f).

We do not have a formal policy on board diversity. We are proud of the talent, expertise and experiences of our Board and our management team, and our Nominating and Governance Committee and Board of Directors are committed to actively seeking qualified candidates for directors. The Nominating and Governance Committee does not assign specific weights to particular criteria, and no particular criterion is necessarily applicable to all prospective nominees. The Nominating and Governance Committee believes that the backgrounds and qualifications of our Company’s directors, considered as a group, should provide a significant breadth of experience, knowledge and abilities to assist our Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities.

After completing its evaluation of potential nominees, the Nominating and Governance Committee makes a recommendation to our Board of Directors as to the persons who should be nominated for election to our Board of Directors, and our Board of Directors determines the nominees after considering the recommendation and report of the committee.

The Nominating and Governance Committee will consider candidates recommended by individual shareholders in accordance with the procedures and other requirements set forth in the Bylaws. Names and credentials must be provided to the committee on a timely basis for consideration prior to the Annual Meeting. Shareholders who wish to recommend an individual to the Nominating and Governance Committee for consideration as a potential candidate for director should submit the individual’s name, together with appropriate supporting documentation, to the Nominating and Governance Committee at the following address: Nominating and Governance Committee, c/o Corporate Secretary, Eastern Bankshares, Inc., 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. A submission will be considered timely if it is made during the timeframes disclosed in this Proxy Statement under “Shareholder Proposals.” If our Board of Directors determines to nominate and recommend for election a shareholder-recommended candidate, then the candidate’s name will be included in the Company’s proxy card for the next annual meeting of shareholders.

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Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee of our Board of Directors assists the board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to oversight of Eastern Bank’s enterprise risk management (“ERM”) practices and procedures, as well as its ERM framework (“ERM Framework”). The current members of the Risk Management Committee are Mr. Borgen (chair), Mses. Harney and Williams, and Messrs. Bane, Holbrook, Markell, Palandjian, Rivers, and Sheahan. The chair of the Risk Management Committee meets the criteria contained in the Federal Reserve Board’s Enhanced Prudential Standards (12 C.F.R. § 252.33(a)(4)(ii)), as required by our Director Independence Policy.

The Risk Management Committee has authority under its charter to obtain advice and assistance from outside legal counsel and other outside advisors as deemed appropriate to perform its duties and responsibilities.

Board Role in Risk Oversight

Our Board of Directors administers its internal controls and risk management oversight function directly and through its Audit, CHCM and Risk Management Committees. In general, management is responsible for the day-to-day management of the risks our Company faces, while the Board of Directors, acting as a whole and through its committees, has responsibility for the oversight of risk management. In its risk oversight role, the Board of Directors has the responsibility to satisfy itself that the risk management processes designed and implemented by management are adequate and functioning as designed.

Our Board of Directors has formed the Risk Management Committee to assist it in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to management’s identification, evaluation, management and monitoring of our Company’s critical enterprise risks, including major operational, strategic and financial risks and cyber risks inherent in our business.

The Board of Directors and the Audit Committee regularly discuss with management, our independent auditors and our Sarbanes-Oxley controls group the Company’s major risk exposures, their potential financial impact on the Company, and the steps we take to manage these risks. The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to risk management in the areas of financial reporting, internal controls and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, the Audit Committee discusses policies with respect to our internal auditors and Sarbanes-Oxley controls group, as well as our independent auditors.

The CHCM Committee assesses whether our compensation arrangements encourage inappropriate risk-taking, and whether risks arising from our compensation arrangements are reasonably likely to have a material adverse

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effect on the Company. Additionally, the CHCM Committee considers risk management in assessing the performance and performance-related compensation of executive management. See the “Compensation Disclosure and Analysis” section for information regarding the CHCM Committee’s assessment of risks arising from our compensation practices.

Board Refreshment

Our Board of Directors believes that our Board represents a balance of experience in the industries served by our Company and in the financial and business communities, which provides effective guidance and oversight to management. Our Board of Directors also recognizes the desire to keep our Board of Directors “refreshed” and has adopted a policy limiting director tenure to age 75 for members. Directors retire at the end of the year in which they turn age 75.

Declassified Board of Directors

Historically, our Board of Directors has been divided into three classes of directors serving staggered three-year terms. Directors for each class are elected at the annual meeting of shareholders in the year in which the term for their class term expires. However, in accordance with an amendment approved by our shareholders in 2022, our Articles of Organization have been modified such that for our annual meetings of shareholders in 2025 and 2026, the classes of directors will be nominated for re-election for two- and one-year terms, respectively. Our Board of Directors will be fully declassified, with all directors standing for annual election, beginning with the Company’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders.

Communications with Directors

Shareholders and other interested parties who wish to send written communications on any topic to our Board of Directors, or the presiding director of executive sessions of the non-employee and independent directors, may do so by addressing such communications to our Board of Directors, c/o Corporate Secretary, Eastern Bankshares, Inc., 125 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Communications will be distributed to the chair of the Board, the Lead Director or the other members of the Board as appropriate depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication received.

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics

Our Company’s Code of Conduct is applicable to all our employees, officers and directors, as well as those representing the Company in an official capacity. A current copy of our Code of Conduct is posted on our website at investor.easternbank.com under “Governance Documents” in the “Corporate Governance” section. We intend to satisfy disclosure requirements of the SEC and Nasdaq regarding amendments to, or waivers of, our Code of Conduct by providing information on our website.

Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions

We review relationships and transactions between our Company and our directors, nominees for director, executive officers and their immediate family members to determine whether these individuals have a direct or indirect material interest in a transaction, based on the facts and circumstances. Directors and executive officers are canvassed in writing to determine whether such related party transactions exist or are under consideration, and are required under our Code of Conduct to disclose to us potential conflicts of interest with our Company.

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SEC rules require us to disclose certain relationships and related party transactions our Company enters into with our directors, nominees for director, executive officers, owners of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, or members of their immediate families. In accordance with the charter of the Nominating and Governance Committee and our written Related Party Transaction Policy (“RPT Policy”), the Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving related party transactions. If it is not feasible to approve related party transactions in advance, the Nominating and Governance Committee is permitted to ratify such transactions after the Company has entered into them, subject to the procedures and considerations described below.

The RPT Policy applies to any transaction, arrangement or relationship, or series of similar transactions, arrangements or relationships (including any indebtedness or guarantee of indebtedness) in which:

Under the RPT Policy, a related person is:

Under the RPT Policy, a related entity is:

The RPT Policy also provides that certain types of related party transactions are deemed to be pre-approved or ratified, even if the aggregate amounts involved exceed $120,000, and do not require review or approval of the Nominating and Governance Committee. Such transactions include:

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The Nominating and Governance Committee is provided with the material facts of all transactions that require the Nominating and Governance Committee’s approval under the RPT Policy. In determining whether to approve or ratify a particular transaction, the Nominating and Governance Committee will take into account, among other factors it deems appropriate, whether the transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction.

Under the RPT Policy, a director is not permitted to participate in any discussion or approval of a transaction for which he or she (or an immediate family member) is the related person, and such director must provide the Nominating and Governance Committee with all material information concerning the transaction. If an approved transaction is ongoing, the Nominating and Governance Committee may establish guidelines for management to follow in its dealings with such person and will annually review and assess compliance with such guidelines, and whether the transaction remains appropriate for the Company.

Transactions with Certain Related Persons

Our Company has not entered into any such disclosable relationships or transactions under the RPT Policy since the beginning of our 2024 fiscal year and no such disclosable relationships or transactions are currently proposed.

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 generally prohibits publicly traded companies from making loans to their executive officers and directors, but it contains a specific exemption for loans made by federally insured financial institutions, such as Eastern Bank, to their executive officers and directors in compliance with federal banking regulations. During 2024, certain directors and executive officers of the Company and Eastern Bank, as well as related persons and entities associated with those directors and executive officers, were customers of Eastern Bank and had loans outstanding. Such loans were made in the ordinary course of business, were made on substantially the same terms, including interest rates and collateral, as those prevailing at the time for comparable loans with persons not related to Eastern Bank, and, in the opinion of management, did not involve more than the normal risk of collectability or present other unfavorable features.

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INFORMATION ABOUT OUR EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The following table provides certain information regarding our current executive officers who are not directors. Ages are as of the date of this Proxy Statement. Our executive officers serve at the discretion of our Board of Directors.

Quincy L. Miller - President and Chief Operating Officer, Eastern Bankshares, Inc.; Vice Chair, President and Chief Operating Officer of Eastern Bank

Mr. Miller is President and Chief Operating Officer of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. and Vice Chair, President and Chief Operating Officer of Eastern Bank. Mr. Miller joined Eastern in 2016 as Chief Banking Officer and was promoted to President of the Bank in 2017 and to President and Chief Operating Officer in July 2024. He oversees Eastern’s Consumer Bank, Credit Division and operational divisions including Technology, Operations and Human Resources, and with the Executive Chair and Chief Executive Officer leads the overall strategic direction of Eastern. Prior to joining Eastern, Mr. Miller served as the President of Citizens Bank, Massachusetts, and President of its Business Banking division. He started his career in consumer banking at M&T Bank in New York City in 1997. Mr. Miller is a founding member of The New Commonwealth Fund. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, The Boys and Girls Club of Boston, and Nectar Community Investments. Mr. Miller earned a B.A. in economics and business from Lafayette College where he currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees. He graduated from the Consumer Bankers Association’s Executive Banking School and is the immediate past chair of The Consumer Bankers Association Board of Directors.

David Rosato - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, Eastern Bankshares, Inc; Chief Financial Officer of Eastern Bank

Mr. Rosato is the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. and Chief Financial Officer of Eastern Bank, joining Eastern in August 2024 with 40 years of extensive experience in regional and community banking. Prior to his most recent role as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Berkshire Hills Bank, he spent over 15 years at People’s United Financial, Inc., including nine years as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He has extensive M&A experience, including the multi-billion dollar sale of People’s United to M&T Bank. Previously, he served as Senior Vice President & Treasurer at Webster Financial Corporation, and as a Senior Vice President, Asset/Liability Manager at M&T Bank Corporation. Mr. Rosato sits on the NASDAQ Exchange Board and the Board of Returned.com. He is a former board member of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston. He earned both a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Economics and an MBA degree from the University of Maryland. He is a chartered Financial Analyst.

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Steven L. Antonakes - Executive Vice President, Enterprise Risk Management of Eastern Bank

Mr. Antonakes is the Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at Eastern Bank. He oversees Eastern’s independent risk management function and its Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering, Compliance, Credit Risk Review, Information Security, Financial and Model Risk Management, and Operational Risk Departments. He joined Eastern Bank in 2015 as Senior Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer. Mr. Antonakes previously served as the Deputy Director and the Associate Director for Supervision, Enforcement, and Fair Lending at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Prior to joining the Bureau, Mr. Antonakes served as the Massachusetts Commissioner of Banks from 2003 to 2010. Preceding his appointment as Commissioner, Mr. Antonakes served in a variety of managerial positions at the Division of Banks, having joined the agency as an entry-level bank examiner in 1990. During his 25-year regulatory career, Mr. Antonakes staffed the Financial Stability Oversight Council, served as the first state-voting member of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council, Vice Chairman of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors, and was a founding member of the governing board of the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System. Mr. Antonakes serves on the Board of Trustees of Mass General Brigham Salem Hospital, as Board Emeritus of Camp Fire North Shore, and on the FDIC’s Advisory Committee for Economic Inclusion. Mr. Antonakes earned his B.A. from Penn State University, an MBA from Salem State University, and a Ph.D. in Law and Public Policy from Northeastern University.

Kathleen C. Henry - Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Eastern Bankshares, Inc.; Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Human Resources Officer of Eastern Bank

Ms. Henry is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Eastern Bankshares, Inc. and Executive Vice President, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Human Resources Officer of Eastern Bank. Ms. Henry joined Eastern Bank in 2016 as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary as a Senior Vice President and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 2018. She currently oversees various divisions at Eastern, including the Legal Department, the Human Resources Division and Internal Communications and Public Relations. She advises the Board of Directors and executive management on legal, transactional and governance matters. Before joining Eastern, she was General Counsel and before that Deputy General Counsel of Plymouth Rock Assurance Corporation and a litigation partner and associate at Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP. Ms. Henry was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Maura T. Healey to serve as Vice-Chair of the Judicial Nominating Commission in April 2023. Ms. Henry also serves on the board of directors of the Political Asylum Representation Project, on the Advisory Board for the Northeastern University School of Law’s Women in the Law Conference, and as trustee of the Boston Bar Foundation. She earned a B.A. in journalism from Boston University and a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

Donald M. Westermann - Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer of Eastern Bank

Mr. Westermann is an Executive Vice President and the Chief Information Officer at Eastern Bank. He joined Eastern in 2007 as Senior Vice President, Technology Engineering & Operations, a position he held until 2010. He served as Senior Vice President, Chief Technology Officer from 2010 to 2015, when he was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer. Currently, he leads the Technology, Operations and Eastern Labs Teams and is responsible for all aspects of the technology, operations and innovation strategy for Eastern, including digital, cyber-security, innovation, software engineering, data management, and delivery. He recently assumed oversight of the consumer banking and product divisions to more closely align them with innovation and digital strategies. Prior to joining Eastern, Mr. Westermann served as a Senior Manager with Grant Thornton and before that served as a consultant with Arthur Andersen, in each case in positions focused on technology and management information systems. Mr. Westermann earned a B.S. in Business Administration and Management Information Systems from Villanova University and an MBA from the Sloan School of Management of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

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COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Overview

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis section (“CD&A”) describes the material elements of our executive compensation program. It also discusses the compensation earned in 2024 by our Principal Executive Officer (“PEO”) and other Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”) listed below as well as the rationale supporting the compensation decisions made by our Compensation and Human Capital Management (“CHCM”) Committee. Our NEOs for 2024 were:

Executive Summary

Since 2019, Eastern has executed a long-term strategic plan that has elevated the Company from a $12 billion mutual bank into Greater Boston’s leading local bank. The end of 2024 marked the culmination of an extraordinary five-year journey, over which we achieved the following:

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Our progress has significantly enhanced profitability and growth, creating a strong foundation for future success.

Key Accomplishments in 2024. The past year was marked by significant achievements that strengthened our position as a leading financial institution in the Greater Boston region. Key accomplishments included:

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Leadership Built for Growth

Expanded Leadership Team. In 2024, we fortified the structure of our senior leadership team to align with the broader scope and growth of the Company as highlighted below:

Onboarding New Leadership. To seamlessly onboard Messrs. Sheahan and Rosato to the senior leadership team, the CHCM Committee approved the following new-hire compensation packages:

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2024 Compensation Highlights

Our compensation program includes three main elements: base salary, annual cash incentives (as part of our MIP) and long-term equity compensation (granted pursuant to our Equity LTIP). Each of these compensation elements serves a specific purpose in our compensation strategy. Base salary is an essential component to any market-competitive compensation program. Annual cash incentives reward the achievement of annual goals, while long-term incentives drive our NEOs to focus on long-term sustainable shareholder value creation. After several years of keeping target incentive award opportunities under the LTIP unchanged, and prior to the Cambridge merger, the CHCM Committee adjusted the incentive targets of the NEOs to better align them with the market, as reflected below. In addition, the CHCM Committee approved LTIP target award opportunities to Messrs. Sheahan and Rosato of 135% and 100% of base salary, respectively. Notably, Mr. Rivers’ total compensation has decreased by 38% since 2022, as further detailed in the 2024 Summary Compensation Table, from $6,743,680 in 2022 to $4,186,137 in 2024.

Based on our performance and consistent with the design of our program, the CHCM Committee made the following executive compensation decisions for fiscal year 2024 (see “Our 2024 Executive Compensation Program in Detail” within this CD&A section for more information):

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(1) “KRX” refers to the KBW Regional Banking Index, an index that is designed to track the performance of regional banks and thrift institutions that are publicly traded in the U.S. “KRX Banks” refers to the companies that comprise the KRX as of the last day of the performance period, excluding companies that have any of the following characteristics: (1) headquartered in Puerto Rico; (2) announced target of a pending acquisition; and/or (3) less than three years of performance history or trading data.

Shareholder Advisory Votes on Executive Compensation

At our 2024 annual meeting of shareholders, we received strong support for our NEO compensation program, as 85.5% of the total votes cast on the advisory say-on-pay proposal voted to approve it. The CHCM Committee has considered, and each year will consider, the results of the prior advisory vote as it reviews and determines the total compensation packages for our NEOs. The Company highly values input from its shareholders, and the CHCM Committee incorporates this feedback when making compensation decisions.

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Compensation Governance Practices

The Company has in place a number of executive compensation best practices and policies which promote sound compensation governance and are in the best interests of our shareholders:

What Guides Our Program

Philosophy and Objectives of Executive Compensation

Our executive compensation philosophy is to attract, motivate, and retain the executive talent we need to achieve the short-term and long-term goals of the Company while creating long-term shareholder value through the implementation of sound compensation principles and policies. These principles include paying for performance, ensuring equity, fairness and non-discrimination in pay and compensation risk mitigation.

Principal Elements of Compensation

Our executive compensation program includes three main elements: base salary, short-term cash incentives (as part of our MIP), and long-term equity compensation (granted pursuant to our Equity LTIP).

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Pay Mix

The charts below show the target pay mix for our PEO, Mr. Rivers, and our other current NEOs for fiscal year 2024, of which the variable pay portion has increased to continue to strengthen pay for performance. These charts illustrate that a majority of PEO target total direct compensation for 2024 is variable at 71%. The average target total direct compensation for our other current NEOs for 2024 is 64% variable. Variable compensation is represented by both MIP and annual equity grants at target. (These charts do not include any one-time awards or grants.)

The Decision-Making Process

The Role of the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee. The CHCM Committee is composed entirely of non-employee directors who meet the Nasdaq standards for independence, including the heightened standards applicable to compensation committee members. The CHCM Committee oversees executive compensation of our executive officers, including our NEOs. The CHCM Committee regularly reviews the structure of our executive compensation program to ensure it aligns with Company strategy, philosophy, market practices, risk tolerance and the interests of our shareholders. The CHCM Committee reviews compensation and performance of peer companies (detailed below) as it considers executive compensation. The CHCM Committee’s specific responsibilities are set forth in its charter, which can be found on the Company’s Investor Relations website at investor.easternbank.com under “Governance Documents” in the “Corporate Governance” section. The CHCM Committee approves all NEO compensation, other than that of our Executive Chair and CEO, including base salary, annual incentives and long-term incentives. The CHCM Committee also recommends our Executive Chair and CEO’s compensation, which is approved by the independent members of the Board.

The Role of Management. Select senior members of our management team attend regular meetings of the CHCM Committee at which executive compensation, Company performance, peer group, market and competitive compensation levels and compensation policies and practices are discussed, including in executive session without management members present. However, only members of the CHCM Committee vote on decisions about compensation for our NEOs (other than our Executive Chair and CEO), and the independent members of our Board of Directors vote on our Executive Chair and CEO’s compensation. Our Executive Chair and CEO are not involved in decisions or deliberations about their own compensation.

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The Role of Our Independent Compensation Consultant. The CHCM Committee has the authority to engage its own advisors to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities. As part of its oversight of executive compensation and director compensation, the CHCM Committee seeks input from its independent compensation consultant. In connection with 2024 executive compensation decisions, the CHCM Committee engaged Pearl Meyer to advise the CHCM Committee on the amount and form of executive compensation. The independent compensation consultant reports directly to the CHCM Committee and does not provide any other services to the Company. The CHCM Committee has conducted an independence assessment of Pearl Meyer in accordance with SEC and Nasdaq listing rules. Based on this review and in reliance upon a letter from the firm confirming its independence based on factors set forth in the Nasdaq rules for compensation committee advisors, the CHCM Committee determined that Pearl Meyer is an independent advisor.

The Role of Peer Market Data. We believe that a competitive pay package is a critical tool in our efforts to attract and retain qualified executives. The CHCM Committee’s goal is to ensure that we continue to measure our compensation practices against organizations similar to us in size and scope that compete with us for key executives, which are considered important benchmarks in our industry.

The CHCM Committee uses a criteria-based approach in selecting peer companies. The criteria include banks and thrifts on a national exchange, geography (U.S.-based and major metropolitan areas), financial institutions of similar size (assets and revenue ranging from 0.5x to 2.0x the Company’s size), similar loan and business mix, and comparable market capitalization. For purposes of setting 2024 compensation levels, our compensation peer group included the following 21 companies, all of which were publicly traded commercial banks at the time of their selection to our peer group:

In addition to peer group data, the CHCM Committee also considers other factors when setting NEO compensation, including the skill sets and responsibilities of the NEOs, their individual performances, Company performance, retention risk, their tenure with the Company and non-Company experience, and succession planning.

2024 Compensation Decisions

Based on the Company’s performance for 2024 and consistent with the design of our compensation program and practices described above, the CHCM Committee (or the Board, with respect to Messrs. Rivers and Sheahan) made the following executive compensation decisions for fiscal year 2024.

Base Salary

Base salaries are set at a level to maintain market competitiveness in attracting and retaining highly skilled, talented executives. Base salaries of NEOs are reviewed annually by the CHCM Committee (or by the

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independent members of the Board of Directors, as to the Executive Chair and CEO) and any increases are driven primarily by a NEO’s demonstrated value to the organization and tenure in the position, as well as internal equity and market competitiveness considerations. Salaries are not increased annually as a matter of course. For example, Mr. Rivers’ salary has not increased for the fourth consecutive year, as the Company has increasingly focused on performance and equity-based compensation.

For 2024, the CHCM Committee approved the following base salary increases:

Management Incentive Plan (“MIP”)

The MIP provides for the payment of annual cash incentive awards to the Company’s PEO, its other NEOs, members of its management committee, and select management employees (“Participants”). The CHCM Committee believes the MIP further aligns its executive officers’ incentives with shareholder value creation. Each year, a Participant is assigned a target award opportunity as a percentage of base salary, based in part on job responsibilities and market data. Actual award payouts are determined by measurement against one or more corporate performance measures and individual performance, as appropriate, and may range between 0% and 150% of target. Company performance measures are approved by the CHCM Committee, and performance goals with respect to such performance measures are established by the Board of Directors. Individual performance is determined by the CHCM Committee for NEOs and by the Board of Directors for the Executive Chair and CEO.

MIP Target Award Opportunities. The annual target award opportunities for the NEOs in 2024 are set forth below.

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MIP Funding Pool. All awards are paid from a funding pool. The target funding pool (“Target Funding Pool”) is an amount equal to the sum of all Participants’ target awards for the year. After the end of the year, the CHCM Committee determines performance against the applicable company performance measures including whether minimum performance thresholds have been met. The funding pool from which awards under the MIP (“MIP Awards”) are actually paid (“Actual Funding Pool”) is an amount that is based on the Target Funding Pool but is adjusted to reflect the Company’s performance against the company performance measures for such year.

Individual MIP Awards are paid out of the Actual Funding Pool. The MIP Awards for the Company’s NEOs (other than the Executive Chair and CEO) are approved by the CHCM Committee, with input from the Executive Chair and CEO. MIP Awards for the Executive Chair and CEO are approved by the independent members of the Board of Directors. The CHCM Committee and the independent members of the Board, as appropriate, have discretion to modify the individual MIP payouts to executives based on their individual performance.

2024 Company Performance Measure and Results. For 2024, the CHCM Committee approved Operating Net Income as the sole company performance measure under the MIP. The CHCM Committee chose Operating Net Income because it believes that it provides a useful metric for measuring and understanding the Company’s core earnings performance. Considering the pending acquisition at the time 2024 performance goals were established, the CHCM Committee determined that Operating Net Income (rather than GAAP Net Income, the measure used in prior years), which removes the impact of non-core items, provided a clearer and more transparent view of management’s execution against core earnings objectives established at the beginning of the year and improved year-over-year comparability. Excluding these non-core items facilitates greater visibility for investors into our core business as well as underlying trends that may, to some extent, be obscured by inclusion of such items in the corresponding GAAP financial measures.

The CHCM Committee established the 2024 Operating Net Income target at $180.5 million, representing a 6% increase over 2023 Operating Net Income results of $163.2 million, reinforcing our commitment to accountability and disciplined growth. Linear interpolation is used for performance between threshold and maximum. Performance below threshold results in no award payouts under the MIP.

The following table shows the financial performance requirements established by the CHCM Committee to fund the MIP pool at threshold (50% of Target Funding Pool), target (100%), and maximum (150%), along with actual results for 2024:

As described above in the “Business Overview” section of this CD&A, 2024 Operating Net Income results were $192.6 million, resulting in an Actual Funding Pool of 113% of target. This represents a year-over-year increase of $29.4 million, or 18%, compared to 2023 Operating Net Income of $163.2 million, reflecting strong performance and growth in our core operations.

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2024 MIP Award Payouts. The table below summarizes the 2024 MIP awards earned by each of the NEOs. As reflected below, the majority of NEOs received awards based on the Actual Funding Pool of 113% of target.

Long-Term Equity Compensation (“Equity LTIP”)

Equity LTIP awards for 2024 were structured to reflect the CHCM Committee’s commitment to putting forth a long-term incentive program that incentivizes executives to execute on longer-term financial goals that drive shareholder value creation and supports the Company’s leadership retention objectives. Equity LTIP awards are delivered using a mix of performance-based and time-based equity vehicles. Following vesting, shares are delivered net of any shares withheld to meet the recipient’s tax obligations. The 2024 awards were structured with an increased emphasis on performance shares, as follows:

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The table below shows the target Equity LTIP award values granted in fiscal year 2024 for each of the NEOs:

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PSUs Earned and Vested in 2024 (January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2024)

In March 2022, the CHCM Committee and Board approved a one-time equity award for the Company’s executive officers at the time, including Messrs. Rivers, Fitzgerald and Miller, and Ms. Henry. These awards were classified as “one-time” because, unlike regular, annual Equity LTIP awards, they addressed two specific items: (1) the absence of grants in 2020 and 2021 in anticipation of the Company’s 2020 IPO; and (2) recognizing the executives’ critical contributions to the IPO’s success.

These one-time equity awards included target PSUs, which would be earned and vested based on two measures at the end of the three-year performance period (2022-2024): (1) the Company’s TSR performance relative to that of KRX Banks; and (2) the growth of the Company’s EPS compared to that of the KRX Banks over the performance period. Depending on the Company’s performance relative to these measures, the earned PSUs could range from 25% (threshold) to 150% (maximum) of the target award. If performance fell below the threshold level, no PSUs would be earned. Note: Payouts are linearly interpolated for performance between threshold and maximum.

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Based on overall results, PSUs for the 2022-2024 performance period were earned at 75% of target as follows:

Eastern Insurance Sale Transaction Awards for Certain NEOs

As disclosed in our 2024 Proxy Statement, the completion of the Eastern Insurance sale to Gallagher for $515 million and an after-tax gain of $294.5 million was a major factor in the Company’s notable success in 2023. For more than two decades, Eastern Insurance grew into one of the premier bank-owned insurance brokerage firms in the country, making it a highly-valuable enterprise. The success and valuation premium of the sale gave the Company the ability to place a stronger focus on its core long-term goals for the banking business and redeploy capital for in-market strategic growth opportunities, including the announced merger with Cambridge Bancorp.

This milestone accomplishment required significant, additional efforts by two executive team members: Mr. James Fitzgerald and Ms. Kathleen Henry, who led all aspects of the sale, ensuring maximum value was delivered to Company Shareholders while retaining the Eastern Insurance team through the close of the sale in Q4 2023. The work supporting the successful transaction was in addition to the more usual work each Executive undertook in 2023, and in addition to their key roles in driving the merger with Cambridge Trust, which was announced with the Eastern Insurance sale.

In recognition of the extraordinary financial result obtained, and efforts expended, in connection with the sale of Eastern Insurance, and in light of the fact that the sale was not factored into any element of our 2023 executive compensation program, in March of 2024, the CHCM Committee approved one-time, transaction awards of $500,000 each to Mr. Fitzgerald and Ms. Henry. Mr. Fitzgerald’s and Ms. Henry’s awards were delivered in 50% cash and 50% equity. The equity portion of the award was delivered using a mix of 60% PSUs and 40% RSUs, which places a heavier emphasis on performance-based equity and is consistent with the structure of our regular, annual LTI grants for 2024. The PSUs will be measured over a three-year performance period (January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2026) based on the Company’s total shareholder return (“TSR”) relative to that of the KRX Banks over the performance period. The number of earned PSUs can range between 25% (threshold) and 150% (maximum) of the target award ($150,000). If the Company’s performance is below the threshold achievement level, no PSUs will be earned. If the Company’s absolute TSR is negative over the performance period, any earned payout will be capped at target regardless of relative performance rating. The RSUs will vest in equal installments over a three-year period tied to the anniversary of the grant date, March 1, 2024. These transaction awards were unique to the sale of Eastern Insurance in 2023 and do not represent the regular pay program of the Company.

(Note: Pursuant to proxy statement disclosure rules, the cash portion of this award was initially disclosed in the Bonus Column of the Summary Compensation Table in the 2024 Proxy Statement. The equity portion of this award is being disclosed in the Stock Awards Column of the Summary Compensation Table in this Proxy Statement.)

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Other Compensation Practices, Policies and Guidelines

Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Company’s Board of Directors believes that the Company’s most senior executives (including its NEOs) should hold meaningful equity ownership positions in the Company, in part to align the NEOs’ interests with those of the Company’s shareholders. Under the management stock ownership guidelines, each NEO is required to hold shares of the Company’s stock as set forth below:

To attain this ownership threshold, each NEO will have the longer of five (5) years from (i) the date of implementation of the stock ownership guidelines (September 2021), or (ii) the date that a NEO becomes a member of the Company’s management committee. There shall be a one-year holding period for 50% of a NEO’s vested shares (except in order to satisfy tax withholding obligations or to satisfy payment of an option exercise price) until the NEO has met, and continues to meet, his or her applicable minimum holding requirement.

Holdings that satisfy a NEO’s stock ownership requirement include all outstanding shares held, shares held through a 401(k), savings and profit-sharing plans, and all unvested time-based RSUs awarded to a NEO. Unvested awards of PSUs, stock options, warrants or other rights not listed above exercisable for or convertible into shares of common stock do not count towards satisfying the ownership requirement unless and until shares under such awards are issued to a NEO.

Compliance with stock ownership guidelines is evaluated annually. A NEO is not required to purchase additional shares to satisfy the applicable ownership requirement in the event of a decline in the Company’s stock price, but the NEO is generally prohibited from selling or transferring shares until the minimum ownership requirement has been achieved, except as otherwise determined by the CHCM Committee. All NEOs employed as of December 31, 2024, were on track to meet the stock ownership guidelines.

Clawback Policy

The Company has a formal Clawback Policy that adheres to the listing standards of the Nasdaq and the rules of the SEC (the “Clawback Policy”). This policy empowers the CHCM Committee to recoup cash and equity incentive-based compensation received by executive officers and other covered employees in the event the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to material noncompliance with financial reporting requirements under federal securities laws. Under the Clawback Policy, the CHCM Committee will require recoupment from an executive officer if it determines that incentive-based compensation received by the executive officer exceeds the amount of incentive-based compensation that otherwise would have been received, had it been calculated based on the restated amounts.

Anti-Hedging and Anti-Pledging Policy

The Company has an Insider Trading Policy that, among other things, prohibits all our employees (including officers) and directors from engaging in hedging or other speculative transactions relating to shares of the

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Company’s stock. Prohibited transactions include short sales, derivative securities (such as put and call options, or other similar instruments) and other hedging transactions (such as equity swaps, prepaid variable forwards, or similar instruments), or any transactions that have or are designed to have the effect of hedging or offsetting any decrease in the market value of the Company’s securities. In addition, Section 16 officers and directors are generally prohibited from holding the Company’s securities in a margin account or otherwise pledging the Company’s securities as collateral for a loan.

Double Trigger Change in Control Agreements

The Company has entered into change in control agreements (“CiC Agreements”) with the NEOs and its most senior executive officers. With certain exceptions noted below, the CiC Agreements are substantially similar to each other, and provide that if, during a potential change in control period or within 18 months after the consummation of a change in control, the executive’s employment is involuntarily terminated for reasons other than for “cause,” disability or death, or the executive voluntary resigns for “good reason,” the executive would be entitled to a lump sum severance payment equal to a multiple of (a) his or her base salary, plus (b) the greater of the executive’s annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurred and the average of the executive’s bonuses for the three years immediately preceding the year in which the termination occurred. For Messrs. Rivers, Sheahan and Miller, the applicable multiplier is 300%; for each of the other executives who are current officers of the Company (Mr. Rosato and Ms. Henry), the multiplier is 200%. As noted above, any payment required under the CiC Agreements will be reduced to the extent necessary to avoid penalties under (“Section 280G”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), but only if such reduction would result in a higher after-tax amount to the executive. In exchange for the lump sum severance payments and other benefits, the CiC Agreements provide for certain post-employment obligations with respect to the executive’s ability to compete with the Company and solicit our employees or customers.

In addition, if the NEO was participating in the Company’s group health and dental plans immediately prior to the their termination and elects COBRA health continuation, then the Company shall pay to the NEO a monthly cash payment for 18 months or the NEO’s COBRA health continuation period, whichever ends earlier, in an amount equal to the monthly employer contribution that the Company would have made to provide health and dental insurance to the NEO if the NEO had remained employed by the Company. The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide for such payments in a manner that allows the NEO to exclude such payments from income, unless the NEO’s COBRA health continuation period ends prior to the end of the eighteen-month payment period or the Company reasonably determines such payment to be discriminatory under Section 105(h) of the Code.

No Tax Gross Ups

Our CHCM Committee has determined that no tax gross-ups for purposes of excess parachute payments under Section 280G shall be provided to our executives as part of our executive compensation program. The dollar amount of the severance payment due under our CiC Agreements (as defined and further described below) will not be reduced in order to avoid an excess parachute payment under Section 280G, except in circumstances in which the application of the excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code (“Section 4999”) on the full amount of severance and other compensation deemed to be an excess parachute payment under Section 280G would leave the executive with a lower net after-tax amount than having the severance and other compensation reduced to the extent necessary so the excise tax would not apply. In circumstances in which the amount of severance and other compensation deemed to be a parachute payment under Section 280G is not reduced, the executive would owe the excise tax under Section 4999 and would not be entitled to a gross-up or reimbursement of that excise tax payment under his or her CiC Agreement.

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Severance Agreements

The provision of reasonable severance benefits can be important in recruiting and retaining key executives. Thus, the Company has in place separate agreements with three NEOs, Messrs. Rivers, Sheahan and Miller, governing certain terms of their employment with and separation from the Company in circumstances not involving a change in control of Eastern. Under the terms of those agreements, in the event an executive is terminated for cause, the executive will receive all earned but unpaid salary, all accrued but unused vacation pay, vested and accrued bonuses or other incentive compensation, and reimbursements for any reasonable, necessary and properly documented expenses. In the event of termination without cause, in addition to the payments outlined above, the Company will pay to the executive within 60 days of his termination a lump sum payment equal to 200% of his annual base compensation plus a prorated share of the annual incentive payment to which the executive would have been eligible under the MIP (described above) during the calendar year in which the termination date falls. If Messrs. Rivers or Sheahan elects COBRA coverage, each will also receive 24 months of continued participation in Eastern group health and dental insurance plans, with Eastern Bank paying or reimbursing Messrs. Rivers and Sheahan for the cost of such premiums, and Mr. Miller will receive a lump sum payment equivalent to 24x the amount of Eastern’s standard monthly contributions to Mr. Miller’s Eastern Bank group health and dental insurance premiums. The agreements provide for certain restrictive covenant obligations, which include each of Messrs. Rivers, Sheahan and Miller agreeing not to solicit customers and employees of Eastern Bank during their employment with Eastern Bank and continuing for a period ending 24 months following their termination of employment. In addition, Mr. Miller’s agreement also specifies that while he is employed, he will receive an annual base salary of not less than $450,000 (subject to adjustment), discretionary incentive and/or bonus compensation, and participation on generally applicable terms and conditions in other compensation and fringe benefit plans, an automobile allowance of $700 each month, and reimbursement of country club membership fees, if sought. Mr. Rivers’ agreement does not address compensation or benefits during employment.

Mr. Sheahan’s separation agreement also provides for separation benefits in the event of termination on or before the first anniversary of the Cambridge Change in Control, or prior to July 13, 2025, to include (a) Mr. Sheahan’s termination without Cause or (b) Mr. Sheahan’s termination of his employment for Good Reason. Upon such event, Mr. Sheahan would be entitled an enhanced severance payment equal to 300% of his average highest three years of annual base compensation plus and cash bonus at Cambridge Trust; and if Mr. Sheahan elects COBRA coverage, continued participation in Eastern’s group health and dental plans for twenty-four months with Eastern paying the monthly premiums.

Risk Assessments of Incentive Compensation Plans

The Company conducts a continuous review of compensation programs from design to actual results. This helps ensure that employees are not driven to take excessive risk that could have a significant negative impact on the Company’s annual results or future safety and soundness. The Company’s compensation philosophy is “risk-reflective,” meaning the pay structure and programs are created to appropriately reward the returns from acceptable risk-taking through optimal pay mix, performance metrics, calibration and timing. Employees eligible for incentives or commissions for new business are not permitted to make credit, investment, or consumer pricing decisions independently. The Company has no “highly-leveraged” incentive plans. Plan sponsors, who are those executives in charge of business lines in which incentive plans exist, are not eligible for awards under the plans they sponsor. All incentive and commission plans are tied to performance metrics related to revenue and/or profitability and all incentive plans have a trigger, where payments are not made if certain profitability hurdles are not met by the Company. Finally, all incentive plans undergo an annual incentive plan risk assessment led by leaders from the Internal Audit, Enterprise Risk Management, Legal and Human Resources Departments, with the results reported to the CHCM Committee.

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Policy for Granting Certain Option Awards

Although the Company has not historically issued option awards to employees as part of its equity compensation program, the Company maintains an Employee Equity Award Grant Policy (the “Equity Policy”) that sets forth guidelines for the timing of any option grants that could be made by the Compensation Committee in the future in order to effectively incentivize future employees. The Equity Policy provides that the Company will not grant stock options in anticipation of the release of material non-public information that is likely to result in changes to the price of Eastern’s common stock, including (i) during “blackout” periods or outside of a prescribed trading window established in connection with the public release of the Company’s earnings information under the Company’s Insider Trading Policy, or (ii) at any time during the four business day-period prior to, or one business day following, the filing of the Company’s periodic reports or the filing or furnishing of a Form 8-K that discloses material non-public information.

Other Programs

Benefit Plans

401(k) Plan. Our 401(k) Plan allows executives and other plan participants to make elective deferrals of their compensation to the 401(k) Plan up to limits of the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS“), and in 2024 the Company made a safe harbor contribution to eligible participants’ accounts equal to maximum of 3% of the participant’s eligible plan compensation earned during the plan year subject to IRS limits.

Employee Stock Ownership Plan. Eastern Bank has an ESOP, an employee stock ownership plan, for eligible employees. Management believes the ESOP aligns the interests of all eligible employees – not just senior executives – with shareholders to create better alignment with total shareholder value.

At the time of the IPO, the ESOP trustee purchased 14,940,652 shares of the Company’s common stock funded with a loan from the Company (“ESOP Loan”). The ESOP Loan is repaid principally through Eastern Bank’s contribution to the ESOP and dividends payable on common stock held by the ESOP over the term of the loan. The ESOP’s independent trustee holds the shares purchased by the ESOP in an unallocated suspense account, and releases shares on a pro rata basis as the loan is repaid. Released shares are allocated among participants on the basis of each participant’s proportional share of eligible compensation relative to the compensation of all participants. A participant cliff-vests in their benefits after three years of vesting service with Eastern Bank or a participating subsidiary. Credited service includes both calendar years of service from January 1, 2020 (the initial effective date of the ESOP) and years of vesting service that a participant has earned under the Bank’s defined benefit pension plan prior to the adoption of the ESOP. A participant also will become fully vested in their benefit upon normal retirement, early retirement, death or disability, a change in control, or termination of the ESOP. A vested participant is entitled to receive a distribution from the ESOP upon separation from service or, if earlier, plan termination. The ESOP permits a participant to direct the trustee as to how to vote the shares of common stock allocated to their account. The ESOP trustee votes unallocated shares and allocated shares for which participants do not provide voting instructions on a matter in the same ratio as those shares for which participants provide instructions, subject to fulfillment of the trustee’s fiduciary responsibilities.

In October 2024 a portion of the ESOP Loan was repaid, and in February 2025, the ESOP trustee allocated shares to eligible participants for 2024. The Company makes allocations annually to eligible participants in accordance with the terms of the ESOP.

Defined Benefit Pension Plan. Eastern Bank provides pension benefits (the “Pension Plan”) to its employees, including our NEOs, through membership in the Savings Bank Employees’ Retirement Association. The

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Company’s Pension Plan is a noncontributory, defined benefit plan. Our annual contribution to the Pension Plan is based upon standards established by the Pension Protection Act. The contribution is based on an actuarial method intended to provide not only for benefits attributable to service to date but also for those expected to be earned in the future. Cambridge Trust also had a Defined Benefit Pension Plan which has been frozen to new participants as of December 31, 2011 with benefit accruals frozen as of December 31, 2017. The Cambridge Trust Pension Plan was merged into the Eastern Pension Plan at the end of 2024.

Frozen Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan. Eastern had historically offered a defined contribution supplemental executive retirement plan (“SERP”), in which Messrs. Rivers, Miller, and Fitzgerald participated. Benefit accruals were frozen for then-active participants as to compensation received for work performed after 2021, and the SERP was closed to new participants. Under the SERP, each participating executive is entitled to receive a benefit following his or her separation from service. Mr. Sheahan participates in the Cambridge SERP under which benefit accruals were frozen as of December 31, 2024.

Benefit Equalization Plan. The Company maintains a non-qualified benefit equalization plan (“BEP”) to provide a pension supplement to restore pension benefits for employees whose compensation exceeds the annual statutory compensation maximum that can be considered under the defined benefit plan, and/or exceeds the annual permitted pension benefit amount under the Code. The benefit formula is the same as provided in the Pension Plan, with an offset for benefits provided by that plan. Benefits generally are paid in a lump sum in the year following retirement or death.

Non-qualified Deferred Compensation Plans. The Company maintains a non-qualified deferred compensation plan that allows directors and selected executives to defer compensation. In addition, Eastern continues to administer a legacy Cambridge non-qualified deferred compensation plan.

Executive Perquisites. Executive perquisites are not a core component of our executive compensation program. We do offer, however, our NEOs allowances for automobiles and parking. Our NEOs are entitled to reimbursement for costs associated with membership in a country club, but all of our NEOs declined to accept these club fees in 2024.

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COMPENSATION AND HUMAN CAPITAL MANAGEMENT REPORT

The Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee of our Board of Directors has reviewed and discussed the preceding Compensation Discussion and Analysis with management. Based on such review and discussions, the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee has recommended to our Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

By the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee of the Board of Directors,

Joseph T. Chung (Chair)

Diane S. Hessan

Deborah L. Jackson

Peter K. Markell

Cathleen A. Schmidt

PROPOSAL 2

ADVISORY VOTE ON EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

The Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement describes our executive compensation program and the compensation decisions that the Compensation and Human Capital Management Committee and Board of Directors made in 2024 with respect to the compensation of our NEOs. The Board of Directors is asking shareholders to cast a non-binding, advisory vote FOR the following resolution:

As we describe in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement, our executive compensation is designed to closely align the interests of our NEOs with those of our shareholders on both a short-term and long-term basis, and to attract and retain key executives critical to our success.

We urge shareholders to read the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement and to review the 2024 Summary Compensation Table and related compensation tables and discussion, which provide detailed information on the Company’s executive compensation policies and practices. The Company is committed to ensuring it receives timely feedback from shareholders on their alignment with the Company’s executive compensation practices.

Recommendation

Our Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR Proposal 2.

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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

2024 Summary Compensation Table

The table below sets forth the total compensation paid to, or earned by, our NEOs for the years ended December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 in accordance with applicable SEC rules.

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