Hefner, Leading the Private Playboy, Has Salary Set at $1M

HOLMBY HILLS, Calif. — In a sea of filings with the Security Exchange Commission, founder Hugh Hefner and his team have outlined Playboy's transition to a private company.

Hefner, according to one of the numerous filings, will agree to an annual base salary of $1 million and entitled to his permanent residence at the Playboy Mansion. Hefner's salary in 2009, the last year recorded, also was $1 million.

The filings with regulators include all kinds of information on the company in presentations to board members on company divisions, including pay per view, and investor institutions.

The filings also include letters to shareholders and the formal offer to purchase statements.

Hefner’s plan remains a good one for the Playboy founder, who has been its chief creative officer ever since its beginning in 1953. Hefner is 84.

“If Mr. Hefner’s employment is terminated for cause or Mr. Hefner resigns for good reason, then during the remainder of his life, he may continue to reside in the Playboy Mansion ...," Playboy said in the regulatory statement.

The new agreement also spells out terms of using the Playboy name past his life.

"Following Mr. Hefner’s death or any time at which he no longer owns any equity in purchaser, the surviving corporation may continue using the licensed property in connection with then-existing uses that were previously approved by Mr. Hefner for an annual license fee of $250,000 payable to a charitable foundation or other nonprofit designated by Mr. Hefner or his estate," Playboy said in the filing.

"The surviving corporation also receives a right of first negotiation/offer if Mr. Hefner ever elects to sell, assign or transfer the licensed property to a third party."

Playboy also said that CEO Scott Flanders will receive an annual base salary of $900,000, with an annual increase of $25,000 commencing in March, and an annual bonus opportunity of up to 100 percent of his base salary.

Hefner, who controls Icon Acquisition Holdings, plans on taking Playboy private along with investment firm Rizvi Traverse Management LLC, which was first approached by Playboy to go private in December 2009.

Previous to today's tender offer, Hefner owned about 70 percent of Playboy's Class A common stock and 28 percent of its nonvoting Class B stock.

The transaction values the company at about $207 million, topping Hefner's offer of $5.50 per share in July, though just shy of an offer made by FriendFinder Networks that's valued at $210 million.

Playboy's board of directors revealed in the filing Monday night it had turned down a higher price offer from FriendFinder , indicating the bid's value was less than that of Hefner's all-cash proposal.

Monday night’s SEC filings relative to Playboy can be viewed on its website here.

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Online Industry Veteran Joe E. Passes Away

Online industry veteran Joe E. has passed away, according to friends and industry associates.

Judge Acquits Backpage Defendants of Most Charges Before 2nd Retrial

A federal judge acquitted former co-owner of Backpage.com Michael Lacey and two co-defendants on most of the counts remaining from the protracted trial launched against the website operators by the Justice Department in 2018.

Adult Time Partners With Animation Studio 3DGspot

Adult Time has signed a deal to distribute content on its streaming platform from animation studio 3DGspot.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Signs Age Verification Bill Into Law

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law on Tuesday a bill that includes Georgia’s version of the age verification of adult content provisions being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

AEBN Publishes Popular Searches by Country for February, March

AEBN has released the popular searches from its straight and gay theaters in more than three dozen countries during February and March.

Willow Ryder, Angelina Diamanti Topline 'Lesbian Neighbor Affairs'

Willow Ryder and Angelina Diamanti headline "Lesbian Neighbor Affairs," from Girlfriends Films.

Cherie DeVille Discusses Doc Johnson Collabs in Vice TV's 'Sex Before the Internet'

2023 XBIZ Performer of the Year Cherie DeVille is featured on Vice TV’s “Sex Before the Internet,” discussing her Doc Johnson celebrity strokers in the episode “Sex Toy Empire.”

HardWerk Relaunches Through YourPaysitePartner

HardWerk.com has relaunched through YourPaysitePartner (YPP).

SINematica Names Silvia Dellai 'Most Valuable Performer' for April

SINematica has crowned Czech-Italian star Silvia Dellai as Most Valuable Performer for the month of April, with a spotlight scene opposite Yannick Shaft and Erik Everhard.

Aylo Asks Judge to Trim Sweeping GDP-Related Lawsuit

Aylo asked a California federal judge during a hearing on Monday to drop trafficking claims from a sweeping lawsuit brought by a former GirlsDoPorn model.

Show More