Paul J. Hennessy is the CEO of Shutterstock, Inc., a role he assumed on July 1, 2022. Before joining Shutterstock, he had a robust career in the tech and travel sectors. He was the CEO of priceline.com, where he honed...

Paul J. Hennessy is the CEO of Shutterstock, Inc., a role he assumed on July 1, 2022. Before joining Shutterstock, he had a robust career in the tech and travel sectors. He was the CEO of priceline.com, where he honed his leadership skills in a fast-paced online environment. Prior to that, he worked with Booking.com as the Chief Marketing Officer, pushing boundaries in the online travel space. Hennessy sits on the board of directors for Vroom, Inc., a platform for buying pre-owned cars. Besides his professional achievements, he's been involved with Shutterstock since April 2015, showing a commitment to the company and its mission for years. In 2023, he earned $8.11 million in total compensation, primarily from salary and bonuses tied to company performance. Hennessy has made notable stock trades, with transactions reaching as high as $24 million in a single month before the pandemic. His journey reflects a deep understanding of technology and market dynamics, which he uses to steer Shutterstock's strategy forward.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Shutterstock CEOs

S

Paul J. Hennessy

CEO of Shutterstock

Education

Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Villanova University

Field of Expertise

Sales & Marketing - Marketing

Sector of Economy

Communication Services

Born

April 15, 1967 - 58 years ago

CEO of Shutterstock for

2 years 10 months (Jul 2022 - Present)

Previous Experience

Chief Executive Officer of Vroom, Inc.; Chief Executive Officer of priceline.com; Chief Marketing Officer of Booking.com; Chief Distribution Officer of priceline.com

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Paul J. Hennessy

Holdings

See how much did Paul J. Hennessy make over time.

Paul J. Hennessy has had some interesting fluctuations in his stock holdings. He started trading Shutterstock shares in 2019, with values around $594.61K. However, he saw a significant spike in 2020 when his holdings skyrocketed to an impressive $24.01 million...

Paul J. Hennessy has had some interesting fluctuations in his stock holdings. He started trading Shutterstock shares in 2019, with values around $594.61K. However, he saw a significant spike in 2020 when his holdings skyrocketed to an impressive $24.01 million by August. After this peak, there was a notable decline, with values dropping to lower millions in 2021 and 2022. Recently, in January 2023, his holdings hit $2.25 million, indicating some recovery. As of late 2023, Hennessy has consistently traded millions of dollars worth of stock each month. This volatility shows his active involvement in managing his wealth tied to the company’s performance, reflecting both the opportunities and risks of stock trading in a tech-driven market.

Mar 18, 2025

S

shares

SSTK @ $19.32

V

shares

VRM @ $27.00

Total Stock Sold

$533.88M

VRM

$533.88M

2,117.363 VRM shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Paul J. Hennessy didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra VRM2,117.363 shares worth $8.11M.
This is -98.48% and $525.77M less than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Paul J. Hennessy.

SSTK

$479.70K

SSTK at $38.38/share

May 23, 2024

Purchase

SSTK

$564.70K

SSTK at $56.47/share

Jun 10, 2022

Purchase

VRM

$57.09K

VRM at $2.94/share

Mar 29, 2022

Sale

VRM

$2.19M

VRM at $44.11/share

Jun 25, 2021

Sale

VRM

$17.61K

VRM at $44.02/share

Jun 23, 2021

Sale

VRM

$2.21M

VRM at $44.10/share

May 21, 2021

Sale

VRM

$2.20M

VRM at $44.10/share

Apr 22, 2021

Sale

VRM

48,881 shares

VRM

Mar 8, 2021

Received

SSTK

4,062 shares

SSTK

Jun 4, 2020

Received

SSTK

3,758 shares

SSTK

Jun 6, 2019

Received

Compensation History

See how much did Paul J. Hennessy make over time.

In 2023, Paul J. Hennessy's total compensation was $8,113,511, a significant jump from the previous year's $400,880. This year's earnings included a base salary of $700,000 and a bonus of $750,400, reflecting performance metrics based on company revenue and adjusted EBITDA. However, 2023 saw no grants of stock or options, which might indicate a shift in how the company rewards executive performance amid changing market conditions. In contrast, Hennessy received a hefty stock grant of 262,789 restricted stock units valued at $15 million in 2022. His compensation strategy aligns with broader corporate goals, aiming to attract and retain talent while motivating executives based on performance. Hennessy's overall earnings structure showcases the blend of fixed and variable pay, designed to keep him closely tied to the company's success.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$1.47M

Salary

$700.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to attract, motivate, and retain high-performing executives while aligning their interests with those of stockholders through performance-based incentives.

Bonus

$750.40K

Board Justification

Annual cash bonus based on achievement of individual and company performance-based objectives, with a target award equal to 100% of his base salary.

Other

$18.95K

Board Justification

Includes 401(k) matching contributions, group term life insurance premium, and mobile phone allowance.

Restricted Stock

$0.00(0 N/A)

Board Justification

No stock grants were vested in 2023 as Mr. Hennessy did not receive any new stock grants in 2023.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2023 included revenue and adjusted EBITDA, with a relative weighting of 50% each.

Other Shutterstock CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Shutterstock

Jonathan Oringer

Founder and Ex-CEO of Shutterstock

May 2022 - July 2022