Board information - Compustat / Execucomp

Not all databases provide information on executive boards, governance or any other relevant board information.This post will seek to provide an overview of some databases that do.

Compustat / Execucomp (WRDS databases)
Compustat North America has got a sub database called Execucomp (executive compensations). Its main aim is to provide information on remunerations, pensions, awards etc. for executives from American companies.
Compustat Global does unfortunately not have such a database.

The data can be very specific and detailed. Understanding of executive compensations might be of great help. I'll stick to Annual compensations (which are things like salary and bonusses etc.)
Unless you upload a file you have to look up companies manually. Comopany Identifiers used in execucomp are most often GVKEY, Ticker, CUSIP, SIC (industries)  (there may be vatiations) and an id identifying the executive ??


Example: Annual Compensation

Getting meta data on the executives (not the remunerations)

Step 1
First set your desired Time window in Step 1.
This specific database deals with annual data, hence the data options.

Step 2
You can manually look for companies or upload lists of

 * * * * Uploading a list  * * * *
When working with a workset within WRDS the most commonly used identifier will be the GVKEY.

Use this link and another menu opens with a Browse button (bladeren)
Click this and an expplorer screens opens where you can select your file.
Note: be certain to store your identifier in a single file as the system doesn't recognise composed files.
The format has to be a TXT file.
Select your file.
 * * *

Select the radio box GVKEY in STEP 2 (GVKEY)

Press "Contains" this way you are save from exact phrases / search terms

Select e.g. GVKey codes and > Add to list (this implies you can search for more than one company at a time)
 

Press button add codes to querry (brings back to th general menu)

Step 3: Selecting variables
First section : general company info (name, location etc)
Second section: executive information

(meta data ececutives)
Dowload output: recommended is saving as as TXT file (eithjer fixed width or tab delimited)
Save with right click on the TXT link

Opening in Excel calls up a wizard.

Continue untill this screen. Scroll all the way to the right and Shift-click to select all columns. Confirm the text file with the radio button text (top left of the wizard)

Result:

The meta data can basically be downloaded from any section in Execucomp.
Finacial data can be downloaded for a stretch of years, and Execucomp  provides much information.

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But there are other board structures and functions.
Think of auditors and various committees.

More databases offering board information

Database Asset4

In Lexis/ Nexis (News)

In Audit analytics

In Bureau van Dijk databases (Amadeus, Bankscope, REACH)