Planet Payment, Inc., a leading provider of international payment processing and multi-currency processing services, is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has appointed Carl Joseph Williams as a Director of the Company and Mr. Williams has accepted such appointment, with immediate effect.
In connection with the appointment, the Board was expanded to seven directors.
Carl Williams' career in financial services spans 30 years and includes several high profile industry positions. He is currently CEO and founder of Baikal Group, LLC a consultancy and advisory company. From May 2012 until July 2013, he served as Managing Director of Pay Anywhere, LLC. Until recently he was also an advisor to Global Payments Inc. Previously, Mr. Williams was President of World Wide Payment Processing for Global Payments, a role that he held from 2004-2009, while living in Prague and Hong Kong. Mr. Williams also served as President of the Merchant Services Division of National Processing Company, one of the nation's largest processors of credit card, debit and check transactions. Mr. Williams has served as an advisor to Planet Payment, Inc. since 2010. Mr. Williams holds a B.A. from La Salle University in Philadelphia.
Mr. Williams was appointed as a Class I Director of the Company, along with Jonathan Kaiden and Cameron R. M. McColl. Mr. Williams will hold office for a term expiring at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the Company, when he will be eligible for re-election as a director by the shareholders.
In accordance with the Company's non-employee director compensation policy, Mr. Williams has been granted 50,000 options over shares of common stock of the Company under the 2012 Equity Incentive Plan, at an exercise price of $2.21 per share. In addition Mr. Williams has a 50% interest in Baikal Group, LLC which owns 15,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock.
Commenting on the appointment, Philip Beck, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Payment, said:
"We are delighted to welcome Carl Williams to the Board. Carl brings a lifetime of industry experience and knowledge to Planet Payment and we look forward to benefitting from his insight."
Mr. Williams added:
"Having watched Planet Payment for many years, I believe it is one of the more innovative companies in the payments industry. I am excited to join the Board and I look forward to helping the Company continue to move forward to future successes."