Michael Marino

Mike Marino is a Managing Director with over 25 years of compensation consulting and corporate experience. Prior to joining FW Cook in 2009, Mike was a senior executive compensation consultant at another leading consulting firm. He began his career in the investment banking division of Merrill Lynch.

Mike works with a broad range of clients spanning most industries and across a wide spectrum of market cap and revenue, with considerable experience advising large, complex organizations. He advises on all aspects of executive compensation, including transformational business transactions and CEO employment negotiations. In addition, Mike works closely with private equity firms, their portfolio companies, and family-owned businesses.

As a thought leader in the executive compensation field, Mike most recently co-authored an executive compensation article in Harvard Business Review titled “Compensation Packages that Actually Drive Performance.” He has authored numerous research reports, blogs and alert letters on compensation-related topics and is a frequent speaker at compensation forums including the Conference Board, National Association of Corporate Directors, the Practicing Law Institute, Harvard Business School and Stanford University.

Mike serves on the Board of Directors of FW Cook, and is a member of the New Jersey Chapter of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and chapter sponsor for New Jersey. Outside of work, he is actively involved in youth sports and serves on a women’s youth lacrosse board and is a swim official for the Lakeland Hills YMCA.

Relevant Experience

• Comp Committee Advisor
• Total Compensation Reviews
• Spin-off / M&A Transactions
• Strategic Incentives
• Specific Plan Reviews
• Competitive Comparisons
• Peer Group Development
• Director Compensation
• Executive Recruitment/Retention
• CIC and non-CIC Severance
• Equity Incentives
• Regulatory Services
• Private Companies/Pre-IPO
• Corporate Governance

Speaking Engagements and Presentations

November 12, 2025
NACD New Jersey
Compensation Roundtable
Read More

November 12, 2024
NACD New Jersey
Board Oversight of Private Companies – Challenges and Opportunities
Read More

May 29, 2024
NACD New Jersey 
Compensation Committee Roundtable
Read More

April 10, 2024
Cornell University
Consulting & Compensation Forum: Insights from Industry Leaders
Read More

December 5, 2023
NACD New Jersey
The Challenge of Managing Culture and Talent with 5 Generations in the Workplace
Read More

Publications

March 1, 2021
Compensation Packages That Actually Drive Performance
Read More

May 4, 2020
Incentives in the Pandemic
Read More

April 14, 2020
The Executive Pay Dilemma
Read More

October 22, 2018
ISS Seeks Comment on Draft 2019 Policy Updates
Read More

October 4, 2017
SEC Issues Significant Guidance on Pay Ratio Disclosure Rules
Read More