Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”), has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), as of the end of the period covered by this report.
Based on that evaluation, our CEO and CFO have concluded that, as of December 31, 2023, our disclosure controls and procedures are effective. The Company’s disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our Exchange Act reports is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that such information is accumulated and communicated to management, including our CEO and CFO, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosures.
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Management’s report on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 is included in Part II, Item 8 “Financial Statements.” The effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023 has been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm. Their report appears in Part II, Item 8 “Financial Statements.”
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended December 31, 2023 that have materially affected, or that are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
During the three months ended December 31, 2023, none of the Company's directors or officers (as defined in Rule 16a-1(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) adopted , terminated or modified a Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement or non-Rule 10b5-1 trading arrangement (as such terms are defined in Item 408 of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended).
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.
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Part III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers and Corporate Governance
Certain of this information will be contained in our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Information about our Executive Officers
The following table sets forth information regarding our current executive officers, including their ages. Executive officers serve at the request of the Board of Directors. There are no family relationships among any of our executive officers.
Name Age Position
Eilif Serck-Hanssen 58 Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
Richard M. Buskirk 47 Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Marcelo Barbalho Cardoso 52 Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Richard H. Sinkfield III 54 Chief Legal Officer and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer
Eilif Serck-Hanssen has served as our Chief Executive Officer since January 2018 and became our President in July 2019. From March to December 2017, Mr. Serck-Hanssen served as our President and Chief Administrative Officer as well as our Chief Financial Officer. From 2008 to March 2017, Mr. Serck-Hanssen served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Before joining the Company, Mr. Serck-Hanssen served as Chief Financial Officer and President of International Operations at XOJET, Inc. and was part of the team that founded premium airline, Eos Airlines, Inc., where he served Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to starting Eos Airlines, Mr. Serck-Hanssen served in several executive positions at US Airways, Inc. (now American Airlines, Inc.) and Northwest Airlines, Inc. (now Delta Airlines, Inc.), including serving as a Senior Vice President and Treasurer of US Airways, Inc. Before joining the airline industry, Mr. Serck-Hanssen spent over five years with PepsiCo, Inc. in various international locations and three years with PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (formerly Coopers & Lybrand Deloitte) in London. He is an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. Mr. Serck-Hanssen earned a B.S. in civil engineering from the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, a B.A. in management science from the University of Kent at Canterbury (United Kingdom), and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Richard M. Buskirk has served as our Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since April 2021. Mr. Buskirk previously served as our Senior Vice President, Corporate Development from 2018 to April 2021 and as our Vice President, Global Financial Planning & Analysis from 2015 to 2018. Prior to joining Laureate, Mr. Buskirk was a CPA with Ernst & Young LLP, and an investment banker with Deutsche Bank, and worked for multiple global brands, including Vodafone, NII Holdings, Inc. (formerly Nextel International) and Sprint/Nextel in a range of financial, strategy and advisory positions. Mr. Buskirk earned a B.S. in accounting from the University of Maryland and a dual M.B.A. from Columbia University and London Business School.
Marcelo Barbalho Cardoso has served as our Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since June 2021 and has also served as our Chief Executive Officer, Mexico since June 2022. Mr. Cardoso has been with Laureate since 2011, holding several leadership positions across our Brazil operations including Chief Executive Officer of Laureate Brazil from 2019 to June 2021, Global Chief Transformation Officer during 2019, Chief Operating Officer of Laureate Brazil from 2017 to 2018, and Vice President of Operations and President of FMU from 2013 to 2017. Prior to joining Laureate, Mr. Cardoso served as Latin America Vice President, Business Ops & CFO for Dell EMC Computer Systems and held senior leadership positions at Johnson Controls. Mr. Cardoso earned an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering from Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Brazil) and an MBA in management from the University of Michigan.
Richard H. Sinkfield III has served as our Chief Legal Officer and Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer since June 2020. Mr. Sinkfield previously served as Laureate’s Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel, Latin America. He has been with Laureate since 2004, and during this time has overseen the work of corporate and university counsel across eight countries, including serving as Regional General Counsel for Brazil for five years. Prior to joining Laureate, Mr. Sinkfield practiced law at several top U.S. law firms, including the Washington D.C. offices of Sidley Austin LLP and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. He also has taught as an adjunct professor at the George Washington University Law School and has served on
101
multiple non-profit boards in the United States and across Latin America. Mr. Sinkfield earned a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
This information will be contained in our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
This information will be contained in our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions, and Director Independence
This information will be contained in our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year, and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 14. Principal Accountant Fees and Services
This information will be contained in our definitive proxy statement for the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be filed within 120 days following the end of our fiscal year, and is incorporated herein by reference.
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Part IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statement Schedules
(a) The following documents are filed as part of this report:
(1) Financial Statements (certain schedules are omitted because they are not applicable or not required, or because the required information is included in the consolidated financial statements or notes thereto).
(2) Those exhibits required by Item 601 of Regulation S-K and by paragraph (b) below.
(b) The following exhibits are filed as part of this Annual Report or, where indicated, were filed and are incorporated by reference:
Exhibit
No.
Exhibit Description Form File Number Exhibit
Number
Filing Date
2.2# Sale and Purchase Agreement, dated April 12, 2018, among LEI European Investments B.V., Laureate International B.V. and Global University Systems Germany B.V.
8-K 001-38002
2.1 04/18/2018
2.5# Sale and Purchase Agreement, dated December 12, 2018, by and among Iniciativas Culturales de España S.L., Laureate I B.V. and Samarinda Investments, S.L.
10-K 001-38002 2.5 02/28/2019
2.6# Share Purchase Agreement relating to the sale and purchase of equity shares of Pearl Retail Solutions Private Limited, M-Power Energy India Private Limited and Data Ram Sons Private Limited
8-K 001-38002 2.1 05/13/2019
2.7# Share Purchase Agreement relating to all the shares in the capital of Education Turkey B.V.
8-K 001-38002 2.1 08/29/2019
2.8# Equity Purchase Agreement, dated January 10, 2020, by and among SP Costa Rica Holdings, LLC, Laureate International B.V. and Laureate Education, Inc.
10-K 001-38002 2.8 02/27/2020
2.9# Sale and Purchase Agreement, dated July 29, 2020, by and among LEI AMEA Investments B.V., Laureate Education, Inc., SEI Newco Inc. and Strategic Education, Inc.
10-Q 001-38002 2.9 11/05/2020
2.10# Master Agreement, dated September 10, 2020, by and among Laureate International B.V., Laureate I, B.V., Servicios Regionales Universitarios LE, S.C. and Fundación Educación y Cultura
10-Q 001-38002 2.10 11/05/2020
2.11# Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated September 11, 2020, by and between Laureate Education, Inc. and Adtalem Global Education Inc.
10-Q 001-38002 2.11 11/05/2020
2.12#
Transaction Agreement, dated October 30, 2020, by and among Laureate Education, Inc., Laureate Netherlands Holding B.V., ICE Inversiones Brazil, SL, Rede Internacional de Universidades Laureate Ltda., Ânima Holding S.A., VC Network Educação S.A., and, solely for the purposes of certain provisions thereof, the controlling shareholders of Ânima Holding S.A.
10-K 001-38002 2.14 02/25/2021
2.13#
Waiver and Amendment to Membership Interest Purchase Agreement by and between Adtalem Global Education Inc. and Laureate Education, Inc., dated as of July 21, 2021
8-K 001-38002 2.1 07/27/2021
2.14#
Amendment dated August 10, 2021 to Membership Interest Purchase Agreement, dated September 11, 2020, by and between Laureate Education, Inc. and Adtalem Global Education Inc.
10-Q 001-38002 2.2 11/04/2021
2.15 First Amendment dated April 19, 2022 to the Transaction Agreement, dated October 30, 2020, by and among Laureate Education, Inc., Laureate Netherlands Holding B.V., ICE Inversiones Brazil, SL, Rede Internacional de Universidades Laureate Ltda., Ânima Holding S.A., and VC Network Educação S.A.
10-Q 001-38002 2.1 08/04/2022
3.1 Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation
S-1/A 333-207243 3.1 01/31/2017
3.2 Amended and Restated Bylaws
S-1/A 333-207243 3.2 01/31/2017
3.3 Certificate of Retirement of Convertible Redeemable Preferred Stock, Series A
8-K 001-38002 3.1 07/20/2018
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Exhibit
No.
Exhibit Description Form File Number Exhibit
Number
Filing Date
3.4 Certificate of Retirement of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock
8-K 001-38002 3.1 12/17/2021
4.1 Description of Capital Stock of Laureate Education, Inc.
10-K
001-38002
4.1 02/23/2023
10.1† 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan Form of Stock Option Agreement effective as of September 11, 2013
S-1/A 333-207243 10.34 11/20/2015
10.2† Form of Management Stockholder’s Agreement for equityholders
S-1/A 333-207243 10.36 11/20/2015
10.3† Employment Offer Letter, dated July 21, 2008, between Laureate Education, Inc. and Eilif Serck‑Hanssen
S-1/A 333-207243 10.40 11/20/2015
10.4† Amendment to Employment Offer Letter, dated December 9, 2010, between Laureate Education, Inc. and Eilif Serck‑Hanssen
S-1/A 333-207243 10.41 11/20/2015
10.5† Form of Stockholders’ Agreement for Entity‑Appointed Directors
S-1/A 333-207243 10.47 11/20/2015
10.6† Form of Stockholders’ Agreement for Individual Directors
S-1/A 333-207243 10.48 11/20/2015
10.7† 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Stock Option Agreement for 2016 for Named Executive Officers
S-1/A 333-207243 10.57 05/20/2016
10.8† 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Stock Option Agreement for 2016
S-1/A 333-207243 10.58 05/20/2016
10.9 Subscription Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2016, by and among Laureate Education, Inc., Macquarie Sierra Investment Holdings Inc., and each of the other Persons listed on Schedule A and Schedule B thereto.
S-1/A 333-207243 10.63 12/15/2016
10.10 Registration Rights Agreement by and among Laureate Education, Inc., each of the Investors set forth on Schedule A thereto, Douglas L. Becker and Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership
10-K 001-38002 10.29 03/20/2018
10.11 Investors’ Stockholders Agreement by and among Laureate Education, Inc., Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership and the Investors set forth on Schedule A thereto
10-K 001-38002 10.30 03/20/2018
10.12 Amended and Restated Securityholders Agreement by and among Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership, Laureate Education, Inc. and the other parties thereto
8-K 001-38002 10.1 02/06/2017
10.13 Amendment No. 1 dated October 28, 2021 to the Amended and Restated Securityholders Agreement, dated as of February 6, 2017, among Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership, Laureate Education, Inc. and the other parties thereto
10-K 001-38002 10.16 02/24/2022
10.14 Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement by and among Wengen Alberta, Limited Partnership, Wengen Investments Limited, Laureate Education, Inc. and the other parties thereto
8-K 001-38002 10.2 02/06/2017
10.15 Amended and Restated Guarantee, dated as of April 26, 2017, by Laureate Education, Inc. and certain domestic subsidiaries of Laureate Education, Inc. party thereto from time to time, as guarantors, in favor of Citibank, N.A., as collateral agent
10-Q 001-38002 10.83 05/11/2017
10.16 Amended and Restated Pledge Agreement, dated as of April 26, 2017, among Laureate Education, Inc. and certain domestic subsidiaries of Laureate Education, Inc. party thereto from time to time, as pledgors, and Citibank, N.A., as collateral agent
10-Q 001-38002 10.84 05/11/2017
10.17 Amended and Restated Security Agreement, dated as of April 26, 2017, among Laureate Education, Inc. and certain domestic subsidiaries of Laureate Education, Inc. party thereto from time to time, as grantors, and Citibank, N.A., as collateral agent
10-Q 001-38002 10.85 05/11/2017
10.18 Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of October 7, 2019, among Laureate Education, Inc., the lending institutions from time to time parties thereto, and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent
8-K 001-38002 10.1 10/11/2019
10.19 First Amendment to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2020, by Laureate Education, Inc. and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent
10-Q 001-38002 10.57 11/05/2020
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Exhibit
No.
Exhibit Description Form File Number Exhibit
Number
Filing Date
10.20 Second Amendment dated as of December 23, 2022 to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2020, by Laureate Education, Inc. and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent
10-K
001-38002
10.20 02/23/2023
10.21 Third Amendment dated as of September 18, 2023 to Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement by Laureate Education, Inc. and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent
10-Q
001-38002
10.1 11/02/2023
10.22†
Laureate Education, Inc. Amended and Restated 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan
8-K 001-38002 10.1 06/20/2017
10.23†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Performance-based Stock Option Agreement for 2017
10-Q 001-38002 10.52 08/08/2017
10.24†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Time-based Stock Option Agreement for 2017
10-Q 001-38002 10.53 08/08/2017
10.25†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Performance-based Stock Option Agreement for 2017 for Certain Executives
10-Q 001-38002 10.56 08/08/2017
10.26†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Time-based Stock Option Agreement for 2017 for Certain Executives
10-Q 001-38002 10.57 08/08/2017
10.27†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Time-based Stock Option Agreement for 2018 Grants
10-K 001-38002 10.29 02/24/2022
10.28†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Time-based Stock Option Agreement for 2019 Grants
10-K 001-38002 10.30 02/24/2022
10.29† Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Restricted Stock Units Notice and Agreement for 2021-2022 Grants for Certain Executives
10-K 001-38002 10.32 02/24/2022
10.30†
Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Performance Share Units Notice and Agreement for 2021-2022 Grants
10-K 001-38002 10.34 02/24/2022
10.31† Amended and Restated 2013 Long‑Term Incentive Plan Form of Performance Share Units Notice and Agreement for 2023 Grants
10-Q 001-38002 10.1 05/04/2023
10.32† 2013 Long-Term Incentive Plan Form of Restricted Stock Units Agreement for Non-Employee Directors
10-K 001-38002 10.35 02/24/2022
10.33†
Form of Director Indemnity Agreement
10-Q 001-38002 10.64 08/08/2019
10.34†
Form of Director and Officer Indemnity Agreement
10-Q 001-38002 10.1 08/04/2022
10.35†◊
Form of Retention Letter for Certain Corporate Executives
10-Q 001-38002 10.53 05/07/2020
10.36†
Letter Agreement dated October 9, 2022 between Laureate Education, Inc. and Eilif Serck-Hanssen
8-K 001-38002 10.1 10/14/2022
10.37
Amended and Restated Employment Letter Agreement dated November 8, 2023 between the Company and Eilif Serck-Hanssen
8-K 001-38002 10.1 11/13/2023
10.38† Promotion Offer Letter, dated July 8, 2020, between Laureate Education, Inc. and Richard H. Sinkfield III
10-K 001-38002 10.45 02/25/2021
10.39†
Promotion Offer Letter, dated March 16, 2021, between Laureate Education, Inc. and Richard M. Buskirk
10-K 001-38002 10.44 02/24/2022
10.40†
Independent Contractor and Consultant Agreement, dated May 28, 2021, between Laureate Education, Inc. and Marcelo Barbalho Cardoso
10-K 001-38002 10.46 02/24/2022
10.41†
Amendment dated July 21, 2022 to Independent Contractor and Consultant Agreement, dated May 28, 2021, between Laureate Education, Inc., Marcelo Barbalho Cardoso and MC Consultoria and Assesoria Empresarial LTDA
10-K
001-38002
10.43 02/23/2023
10.42†
Second Amendment to Independent Contractor and Consultant Agreement as of March 1, 2022 between Laureate Education, Inc. and MC Consultoria and Assesoria Empresarial LTDA
10-K
001-38002
10.44 02/23/2023
105
Exhibit
No.
Exhibit Description Form File Number Exhibit
Number
Filing Date
10.43†
Third Amendment to Independent Contractor and Consultant Agreement as of March 1, 2023 between Laureate Education, Inc. and MC Consultoria and Assesoria Empresarial LTDA
10-Q 001-38002 10.2 05/04/2023
10.44†
Fourth Amendment to Independent Contractor and Consultant Agreement as of September 18, 2023 between Laureate Education, Inc. and MC Consultoria and Assesoria Empresarial LTDA
10-Q 001-38002 10.2 11/02/2023
10.45*† Form of Annual Incentive Plan for Certain Executives
21.1* List of Subsidiaries of the Registrant
23.1* Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
31.1* Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes‑Oxley Act of 2002
31.2* Certification pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes‑Oxley Act of 2002
32* Certifications pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes‑Oxley Act of 2002
97*
Laureate Education, Inc. Incentive Compensation Clawback Policy
Ex. 101.INS* XBRL Instance Document - - the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document
Ex. 101.SCH* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
Ex. 101.CAL* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
Ex. 101.LAB* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
Ex. 101.PRE* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
Ex. 101.DEF* Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted in Inline XBRL and contained in Exhibit 101)
* Filed herewith.
# The exhibits, disclosure schedules, and other schedules, as applicable, have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K.
† Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement.
◊ Certain identified information has been omitted from this exhibit because it is both (1) not material, and (2) is the type that the Company treats as private or confidential.
The agreements and other documents filed as exhibits to this report are not intended to provide factual information or other disclosure other than the terms of the agreements or other documents themselves, and you should not rely on them for that purpose. In particular, any representations and warranties made by the Company in these agreements or other documents were made solely within the specific context of the relevant agreement or document and may not describe the actual state of affairs at the date they were made or at any other time.
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
None.
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Signatures
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, on February 22, 2024.
Laureate Education, Inc.
By: /s/ RICHARD M. BUSKIRK
Richard M. Buskirk
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Name Title Date
/s/ EILIF SERCK-HANSSEN President, Chief Executive Officer and Director February 22, 2024
Eilif Serck-Hanssen (Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ RICHARD M. BUSKIRK Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer February 22, 2024
Richard M. Buskirk (Principal Financial Officer)
/s/ GERARD M. KNAUER Vice President, Accounting and Global Controller February 22, 2024
Gerard M. Knauer (Principal Accounting Officer)
/s/ KENNETH W. FREEMAN
Chairman of the Board February 22, 2024
Kenneth W. Freeman
/s/ ANDREW B. COHEN Director February 22, 2024
Andrew B. Cohen
/s/ PEDRO DEL CORRO Director February 22, 2024
Pedro del Corro
/s/ ARISTIDES DE MACEDO Director February 22, 2024
Aristides de Macedo
/s/ BARBARA MAIR Director February 22, 2024
Barbara Mair
/s/ GEORGE MUÑOZ Director February 22, 2024
George Muñoz
/s/ DR. JUDITH RODIN Director February 22, 2024
Dr. Judith Rodin
/s/ IAN K. SNOW Director February 22, 2024
Ian K. Snow
107