ecpg-20240425

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

________________________________________________

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No. )

________________________________________________


Filed by the Registrant ☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:
☐			Preliminary proxy statement
☐			Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
☒			Definitive proxy statement
☐			Definitive Additional Materials
☐			Soliciting Material under §240.14a-12

ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)


Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
☒			No fee required.
☐			Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
☐			Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

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ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

350 Camino De La Reina, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON JUNE 7, 2024

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Date and Time:			June 7, 2024, at 12:00 P.M., Eastern Time
Place:			The annual meeting will be a virtual meeting via live webcast on the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ECPG2024
Items of Business:			1.To elect nine directors, each for a term of one year; 2.To approve, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of our named executive officers (often called the “say-on-pay” vote); 3.To ratify the appointment of BDO USA, P.C. (f/k/a BDO USA, LLP) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024; and 4.To transact such other business that may properly come before the meeting.
Record Date:			April 11, 2024 (the “Record Date”) Only stockholders of record at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to notice of and to vote at the annual meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof.
Mail Date:			We intend to mail the Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials, or the proxy statement and proxy card, as applicable, on or about April 26, 2024, to our stockholders of record on the Record Date.
Participation in Virtual Meeting:			We are pleased to invite you to participate in our annual meeting, which will be conducted exclusively online at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ECPG2024. To participate in the annual meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number included on your notice, on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.
Voting:			Your vote is important. Whether or not you plan to virtually attend the meeting, please submit your vote as soon as possible using one of the voting methods described in the attached materials. Submitting your voting instructions by any of these methods will not affect your right to virtually attend the meeting and vote should you so choose.


			By Order of the Board of Directors,

			Andrew Asch
			Secretary

April 26, 2024

San Diego, California

This proxy statement and our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, are available at www.proxyvote.com.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS


Questions about the Meeting			1

Corporate Governance and the Election of Directors
Corporate Governance			5
PROPOSAL 1 - Election of Directors			12
Executive Officers			16
Environmental, Social and Governance			17

Compensation
Compensation Discussion and Analysis – Executive Summary			19
Compensation Discussion and Analysis			23
Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation			33
Compensation Committee Report			34
Risks Related to Compensation Policies and Practices			35
Summary Compensation Table			36
Grants of Plan-Based Awards			38
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End			40
Option Exercises and Stock Vested			43
Potential Payments Upon a Termination or Change In Control			44
CEO Pay Ratio			49
Pay Versus Performance			50
Compensation of Directors			54
PROPOSAL 2 - Non-Binding Vote to Approve the Compensation of the Named Executive Officers			56

Other Matters
Certain Relationships and Related Transactions			57
Security Ownership of Principal Stockholders and Management			58
Equity Compensation Plan Information			60
PROPOSAL 3 - Ratification of Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm			61
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm			62
Report of the Audit Committee			63
Stockholder Proposals and Nominations			64
Additional Information			64
Other Matters			65

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ENCORE CAPITAL GROUP, INC.

350 Camino De La Reina, Suite 100

San Diego, CA 92108

858-309-6442

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

PROXY STATEMENT

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________


QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING
Why am I receiving these materials?

The Board of Directors (our “Board”) of Encore Capital Group, Inc. (“Encore” or the “Company”) has made these materials available to you in connection with the Board’s solicitation of proxies for use at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders of Encore Capital Group, Inc., to be held via a live webcast on the internet at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ECPG2024 on June 7, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time, or at such other time and place to which the annual meeting may be adjourned or postponed. We are pleased to be furnishing our proxy materials to stockholders primarily over the internet. We believe this process will expedite stockholders’ receipt of proxy materials, lower the costs, and reduce the environmental impact of our 2024 annual meeting. On or about April 26, 2024, we will mail to our stockholders of record on April 11, 2024 a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, which contains instructions on how to access this proxy statement and our annual report, and how to vote online. If you would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials instead of downloading a printable version from the internet, please follow the instructions for requesting such materials included in the Notice.


What is the purpose of the annual meeting?

At our annual meeting, stockholders will act upon the matters outlined in the accompanying notice of meeting, including (1) the election of nine directors, (2) the approval, by non-binding vote, of the compensation of our named executive officers, and (3) the ratification of the appointment of BDO USA, P.C. as our independent registered public accounting firm. In addition, representatives of BDO USA, P.C. will be given an opportunity to make a statement and to respond to questions regarding the audit of our consolidated financial statements.


Who is entitled to vote?

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on the record date, April 11, 2024, are entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting and to vote the shares that they held on that date at the meeting, or any postponement or adjournment of the meeting. At the close of business on the record date, April 11, 2024, there were 23,686,865 outstanding shares of our common stock, each of which is entitled to cast one vote.


Information about the Virtual Annual Meeting

The 2024 Annual Meeting will be a virtual-only meeting held via webcast on June 7, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The annual meeting will be accessible at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ECPG2024. We are utilizing the virtual meeting format to enhance stockholder access and encourage participation and communication with our management. We believe this format facilitates stockholder attendance and participation by enabling all stockholders to participate fully, and equally, using any internet-connected device from any location around the world at no cost. We believe a virtual meeting protects the health and safety of attendees, and saves the Company’s and stockholders’ time and money.

We want to ensure that all stockholders are afforded the same rights and opportunities to participate, including access to the Board and our management, as they would at an in-person meeting. All members of the Board and all executive officers are expected to join the annual meeting and be available for questions, and we are committed to acknowledging each relevant question we receive, subject to the guidelines described below and in our Rules of Conduct and Procedures, which will be available on the annual meeting website.

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How to Access and Participate in the Annual Meeting

•Visit the annual meeting website at www.virtualshareholdermeeting.com/ECPG2024; and

•Enter your 16-digit control number included on your notice, on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.

Only stockholders of record at the close of business on the record date, April 11, 2024, are entitled to vote their shares and have the opportunity to submit questions during the Annual Meeting. Stockholders will need their unique 16-digit control number to vote and submit questions. All others without a control number will be able to join the meeting as guests; however, will not be able to vote or submit questions during the meeting.


How to Submit Questions for the Annual Meeting

Stockholders may submit questions during the Annual Meeting by:

•accessing the annual meeting website as described above;

•typing the question into the “Submit a Question” field; and

•clicking “Submit.”

Questions submitted that are pertinent to the Company and the items being voted on by stockholders during the Annual Meeting will be read aloud and answered, as time permits and in accordance with Annual Meeting Rules of Conduct and Procedures. Questions regarding personal matters, including those related to employment or service issues, or related to strategic transactions are not pertinent to meeting matters and, therefore, will not be answered. Questions and answers will be grouped by topic and substantially similar questions will be grouped, summarized and answered together due to time constraints. Our Investor Relations representative or General Counsel will respond to other questions not answered during the Annual Meeting, as appropriate.


Technical Assistance

If you encounter any technical difficulties when accessing or using the annual meeting website, please call the technical support number that will be posted on the annual meeting website login page. The annual meeting website is supported on browsers and devices running the most updated version of applicable software and plugins.


Who can attend the meeting?

All stockholders as of the record date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the meeting. Others may attend the meeting at our discretion. If you have any questions or wish to obtain directions to virtually attend the annual meeting and to vote, please call our Investor Relations representative, at 858-309-6442.


What constitutes a quorum?

The presence at the meeting, virtually or represented by proxy, of a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote on the record date will constitute a quorum, which will permit us to hold the annual meeting and conduct business. Proxies received but marked as abstentions, withheld votes and broker non-votes will be included in the calculation of the number of shares considered to be present at the meeting. Abstentions include shares virtually present at the meeting but not voting and shares represented by proxy but with respect to which the holder has abstained from voting. Broker non-votes occur when a nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the nominee does not have discretionary voting power on that item and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner.


How do I vote by proxy before the meeting?

Before the meeting, you may vote your shares in one of the following three ways if your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, LLC (formerly American Stock Transfer & Trust Company):

•By internet at www.proxyvote.com;

•By telephone at 1-800-690-6903; or

•By mail, if you received a printed copy of the proxy materials, by completing, signing, dating and returning the enclosed proxy card in the postage paid envelope provided.

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Please refer to the proxy card for further instructions on voting via the internet and by telephone. Please follow the directions on your proxy card carefully. If your shares are held in a brokerage account in the name of a bank, broker or other nominee (this is called “street name”), then you are the beneficial owner of the shares and these proxy materials are being forwarded to you by that organization. The organization holding your account is considered the stockholder of record for purposes of voting at the annual meeting. You have the right to direct your bank or broker on how to vote the shares in your account, and your ability to vote by telephone or via the internet depends on the voting procedures used by your broker. You may receive a separate voting instruction form with this proxy statement, or you may need to contact your broker, bank or other nominee to determine whether you will be able to vote electronically using the internet or telephone.


May I vote my shares at the meeting?

Yes. You may vote your shares electronically at the virtual meeting, even if you previously submitted a proxy card or voted by internet or telephone. Whether or not you plan to attend the meeting, however, we encourage you to vote your shares by proxy before the meeting. To participate in the annual meeting, you will need the 16-digit control number included on your notice, on your proxy card or on the instructions that accompanied your proxy materials.

Please note that if your shares are held in “street name” and you wish to vote at the meeting, you will not be permitted to do so unless you first obtain a legal proxy issued in your name from the broker, bank or nominee that holds your shares.


What if I submit a proxy and then change my mind?

You may revoke your proxy at any time before it is exercised:

•By filing with the Corporate Secretary of Encore a notice of revocation at the address shown on the first page of this proxy statement;

•By sending in another duly executed proxy bearing a later date; or

•By virtually attending the meeting and casting your vote electronically.


What are the Board’s recommendations for how I should vote my shares?

If you sign and return your proxy card with voting instructions, the persons named as proxies will vote the shares represented by your proxy in accordance with your instructions. If you sign and return a proxy card but do not fill out the voting instructions on the proxy, the persons named on the proxy card will vote in accordance with the recommendations of our Board. The Board recommends that you vote your shares as follows:

Proposal 1 – FOR the election of each of the nine director nominees for a term of one year.

Proposal 2 – FOR, in a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of our named executive officers (often called the “Say-on-Pay Vote”).

Proposal 3 – FOR the ratification of the appointment of BDO USA, P.C. (f/k/a BDO USA, LLP) as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024.

With respect to any other matter that properly comes before the meeting, the proxy holders will vote as recommended by the Board or, if no recommendation is given, in their own discretion.


What vote is required to approve each item?

Election of Directors. Directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast, meaning that the nine nominees who receive the most votes will be elected to our Board. With respect to the election of directors for the Board, you may vote “FOR” or “WITHHOLD” with respect to each nominee. A properly executed proxy marked to withhold with respect to the election of one or more directors will have no effect on the proposal to elect the directors other than that it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum present at the annual meeting. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we have adopted a Majority Voting Policy that is described on page 11 of this proxy statement.

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Other Items. For each other item, the affirmative vote of the majority of the shares voting for or against, represented at the meeting or by proxy, on the item will be required for such item’s approval, meaning that a majority of votes cast must be voted “For” the proposal for it to be approved. With respect to any proposal other than the election of directors you may vote “For,” “Against” or “Abstain.” A properly executed proxy marked “Abstain” with respect to any such matter will not be voted and will not be counted in determining the number of shares necessary for approval, although it will be counted for purposes of determining whether there is a quorum.

Effect of Broker Non-Votes. If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker or other nominee, your broker or nominee may not be permitted to exercise voting discretion with respect to some of the matters to be acted upon. Thus, if you do not give your broker or nominee specific instructions, your shares may not be voted on those matters and will not be counted in determining the number of shares necessary for approval. Shares represented by such “broker non-votes” will, however, be counted in determining whether there is a quorum.


Who pays for the cost of this proxy solicitation?

We will bear the cost of solicitation of proxies, including the charges and expenses of brokerage firms and others for forwarding solicitation material to beneficial owners of our outstanding common stock. In addition to the solicitation of proxies by mail, our officers, directors and employees may solicit proxies in person, by telephone or by facsimile, none of whom will receive additional compensation for those services.


How many annual reports and proxy statements are delivered to the same address?

If you and one or more of our other stockholders share the same address, it is possible that only one annual report and proxy statement was delivered to your address unless we have received contrary instructions from one or more of the stockholders. This is known as “householding.” Any registered stockholder who wishes to receive separate copies of an annual report or proxy statement at the same address now or in the future may: (1) call Encore at 858-309-6442 or toll free at 1-800-579-1639 or (2) mail a request to receive separate copies to: Encore Capital Group, Inc., 350 Camino De La Reina, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108, Attention: Corporate Secretary, and we will promptly deliver the annual report and/or proxy statement to you. Stockholders who own our common stock through a broker and who wish to receive separate copies of an annual report and proxy statement should contact their brokers directly. Stockholders currently receiving multiple copies of an annual report and proxy statement at a shared address and who wish to receive only a single copy in the future may direct their request to the same phone number or address listed above.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board Meetings and Committees

The Board met 6 times during 2023 and otherwise acted by unanimous written consent. In 2023, each incumbent director attended at least 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and meetings of committees of the Board on which he or she served, in each case held during such director’s period of service.

In 2023 the Board had four standing committees: the Audit Committee; the Compensation Committee; the Nominating and Corporate Governance (“NCG”) Committee; and the Risk Committee. The members of our Board and the composition of the Board’s standing committees as of December 31, 2023 and the number of meetings held in 2023 are reflected in the table below.

Name

Board

Audit

Compensation

NCG

Risk

William C. Goings

●

Ash Gupta

●

Wendy G. Hannam

●

Jeffrey A. Hilzinger

●

Angela A. Knight

●

Michael P. Monaco

●

Laura Newman Olle

●

Richard P. Stovsky

●

Ashish Masih

●

Number of Meetings

● Chair ● Member

Our Board has adopted written charters for each of its standing committees and each of those written charters is available on our website at www.encorecapital.com. Click on “Investors,” then “Corporate Governance” and then the respective committee charters. The standing committees each assess the adequacy of their charters annually. Information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be a part of, this proxy statement.

Audit Committee. We have a standing Audit Committee that is responsible for assisting the Board in oversight of the quality and integrity of the accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices of the Company.

Among other things, the Audit Committee has the authority and responsibility under its charter to:

•appoint our independent auditors and regularly review their performance and internal control procedures and material issues raised by our independent auditors;

•approve audit and non-audit services and fees;

•review and approve the internal audit function, including the charter, the effectiveness of internal audit, the internal audit plan, and results of internal audits as they relate to finance and accounting;

•review and evaluate our financial statements, accounting principles and system of internal controls regarding finance and accounting;

•review and evaluate reports from the independent auditors concerning all critical accounting policies and practices used by the Company;

•establish procedures for receiving and responding to complaints or concerns regarding our internal controls or other auditing matters;

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•support the Board by primarily overseeing those risks that may directly or indirectly affect the Company’s financial statements, including the areas of financial reporting, internal controls and compliance with public reporting requirements;

•review and approve related person transactions; and

•consider other appropriate matters regarding our financial affairs.

Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee is responsible for discharging the responsibilities of the Board with respect to the compensation of our executive officers, administering our equity-based plans and periodically reviewing our compensation plans, with authority to adopt such plans.

Among other things, the Compensation Committee has the authority and responsibility under its charter to:

•review and approve our policies on executive compensation, benefits and perquisites, including incentive cash compensation plans, or other forms of executive incentives;

•review and approve the compensation, benefits and perquisites of the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), who serves as our principal executive officer, and the Compensation Committee refers its determination and approval of the same to the Board for ratification;

•review and approve the compensation, benefits and perquisites of all executive officers;

•review and evaluate the compensation and benefits for non-employee directors and, if appropriate, recommend changes to the Board; and

•consider, approve and administer our incentive compensation plans and equity-based plans in which directors, the CEO, other executive officers and other employees and consultants may be participants.

The Compensation Committee may delegate any of its responsibilities to subcommittees or any committee member, except that it shall not delegate its responsibilities for any matters that involve executive or director compensation or any matters where it has determined such compensation is intended to be exempt from Section 16(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 pursuant to Rule 16b-3 by virtue of being approved by a committee of “non-employee directors.”

The Compensation Committee may delegate its responsibilities with respect to the administration of the incentive compensation, equity compensation, deferred compensation, and employee pension and welfare benefit plans to the Company’s officers and employees, as consistent with applicable law, who may also utilize the services of third-party administrators, record keepers, consultants, and other service providers.

The Compensation Committee sets the corporate performance goals and objectives for the executive officers and also sets the individual performance goals and objectives for the CEO and evaluates their performance with respect to those goals. The Compensation Committee sets the executive officers’ compensation based upon the evaluation of their performance and approves all employment and severance related agreements with such executives. In evaluating executive officer compensation, the Compensation Committee may retain the services of compensation consultants and considers recommendations from the CEO with respect to performance and compensation of the other executive officers. The Compensation Committee also periodically reviews compensation for non-employee directors.

The CEO is not present when the Compensation Committee reviews and establishes the compensation, benefits and perquisites of the CEO. Although the CEO generally makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee with respect to executive compensation decisions, including base salaries, cash incentives and equity-based awards, the Compensation Committee has in the past determined compensation, benefits or perquisites that were different from those recommended by the CEO.

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The Compensation Committee approves all grants of equity-based awards to executives. The Board and the Compensation Committee have delegated authority to the CEO to approve grants of equity awards to non-executive employees, subject to share and grant date fair value limitations and continued oversight by the Compensation Committee. Equity award grants to executives are determined based on a periodic review by the Compensation Committee regarding appropriate incentives, with recommendations typically originating from the CEO based on each executive’s individual performance, consistent with the criteria established in the long-term incentive program adopted by the Compensation Committee.

The Compensation Committee has the specific authority to hire outside advisors and consultants in its discretion at our expense. The Compensation Committee engaged Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. (“FW Cook”) to provide comprehensive executive compensation consulting advice. A more detailed description of FW Cook’s activities for the Compensation Committee is provided in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this proxy statement.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The function of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is to consider and recommend qualified candidates for election as directors of the Company, to make recommendations to the Board regarding the size and composition of the Board and to develop and recommend to the Board matters related to corporate governance.

Among other things, the NCG Committee has the authority and responsibility under its charter to:

•make recommendations to the Board concerning the size and composition of the Board;

•identify, screen and evaluate proposed candidates for the Board;

•to the extent deemed appropriate, retain third party search firms or other advisors to identify and evaluate director nominee candidates;

•recommend to the Board nominees to fill vacancies on the Board;

•annually review the Board committee structure and recommend to the Board for its approval directors to serve as members of each committee;

•recommend to the Board a process to review the effectiveness of the Board and its members, and to oversee that review process;

•develop and recommend to the Board a succession plan for the CEO role, and periodically to review that succession plan;

•make recommendations to the Board regarding governance matters, including, but not limited to, the Company’s certificate of incorporation, bylaws, and the charters of the Board’s other committees;

•develop, oversee, and periodically update as necessary, an orientation program for new directors and a continuing education program for current directors; and

•review the Company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy, initiatives and policies and receive updates from the Company on significant ESG activities.

Prior to each annual meeting of stockholders, the NCG Committee identifies nominees to serve on the Board by first evaluating the current members of the Board willing to continue in service. Current members of the Board with skills and experience that are relevant to our business and who are willing to continue in service are considered for re-nomination. The NCG Committee or the Board decides whether to nominate a member for re-election based on considerations, including, but not limited to, the value of continuity of service by existing members of the Board and the desired size and composition of the Board. The NCG Committee may from time to time identify new nominees for the Board based on the desired skills and experience of a new nominee considering the criteria described below. Current members of the NCG Committee, the Board and management are polled for suggestions as to individuals meeting the desired criteria. Third party search firms or other advisors may also be retained to identify qualified individuals.

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The NCG Committee has not set specific minimum qualifications or criteria for nominees. Although we do not have a specific diversity policy, we fully appreciate the value of Board diversity, which improves the quality of discussions, enhances Board culture and contributes to a more effective decision making process. The NCG Committee evaluates the entirety of a nominee’s credentials and considers a broad range of factors in evaluating prospective director nominees, including the following:

•the appropriate size of the Board;

•a candidate’s knowledge, skills and experience, including experience in business, finance, technology, credit, strategy, asset and capital allocation, accounting or administration, considering prevailing business conditions, the needs of the Company and the knowledge, skills and experience already possessed by other members of the Board;

•whether a candidate is “independent,” as defined by Nasdaq Listing Rules and other applicable rules, and whether circumstances exist that may create the appearance of a conflict of interest;

•a candidate’s familiarity with accounting rules and practices applicable to our business;

•a candidate’s international business experience;

•a candidate’s character, integrity and reputation for working constructively with others;

•whether a candidate has sufficient time available to devote to the duties of a director of the Company;

•the desire to assemble a Board that is strong in its collective knowledge and has a diversity of skills, viewpoints, professional and personal experience, race, ethnicity, age and gender;

•the importance of maintaining productive working relationships among the Board members and between the Board and management for the benefit of all stockholders; and

•recognition of both the considerable benefit of continuity and the fresh perspective provided by the periodic introduction of new members and retirement of current members.

The NCG Committee assesses the effectiveness of its efforts when it evaluates the Board’s composition as a part of the annual nomination process.

The NCG Committee will consider stockholder nominations for directors submitted in accordance with the procedure set forth in Section 3.14 of our Bylaws. The committee will consider each candidate equally based on the factors listed above, regardless of whether the candidate is recommended by a stockholder for election to our Board or is recommended by a member of the Board or a third-party search firm. The procedures for stockholder nominated director candidates provide that a notice relating to the nomination in connection with an annual meeting must be timely given in writing to: Encore Capital Group, Inc., Attention: Corporate Secretary, 350 Camino De La Reina, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108. To be timely, the notice must be delivered within the time period described in the “Stockholder Proposals and Nominations” section of this proxy statement. Such notice must be accompanied by the nominee’s written consent to serve if elected, must contain information relating to the business experience and background of the nominee and provide information with respect to the nominating stockholder and persons acting in concert with the nominating stockholder and otherwise comply with the requirements outlined in our Bylaws.

Risk Committee. The Risk Committee assists the Board in its oversight of our risk governance structure, including the Enterprise Risk Management framework and the policies, procedures and practices utilized to manage risk.

Among other things, the Risk Committee had the authority and responsibility under its charter to:

•oversee our risk governance structure, including the Enterprise Risk Management framework;

•review and approve any risk appetite statement of the Company and management’s proposed approach to risk tolerance, including overseeing the development of appropriate risk capacity, risk tolerances and key risk indicators;

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•review and approve our risk management policies and procedures dealing with risk identification and risk assessment for the principal operational, business and compliance risks facing the Company, including but not limited to, the risks and responses associated with: strategy; finance and accounting; investment and financial performance; liquidity; legal and regulatory compliance; data management and analytics; information security (including cyber security) and privacy; information technology; people; operations and third-party management;

•review management’s efforts to foster a Company-wide culture that supports appropriate risk awareness and identification, escalation and appropriate treatment of risks that exceed designated risk tolerance levels;

•discuss with management and our Chief Risk & Compliance Officer our major risk exposures and review the steps management has taken to monitor and control those exposures, including our risk assessment and risk management policies;

•provide oversight of the Company’s crisis management framework, including the Company’s incident response plans;

•review our internal audit work plan to ensure alignment with identified risks and risk governance needs; and

•oversee the investigation of, and may also request the investigation of, any significant instance of noncompliance with laws or the Company’s compliance programs, policies or procedures.


Other Corporate Governance Matters

Director Independence. The Board has determined that all members of the Board other than Mr. Masih are “independent directors” within the meaning of Nasdaq listing standards. During its independence review, the Board considered transactions and relationships between each director or any member of his or her immediate family and the Company and its subsidiaries, affiliates and significant stockholders. The Board also examined transactions and relationships between directors or their affiliates and members of the Company’s senior management or their affiliates. The Board has determined that each member of the Board’s Audit, Compensation, and NCG Committees is independent (or similarly designated) based on the Board’s application of the standards of Nasdaq, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) or the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”), as appropriate for such committee membership.

Annual Board and Committee Evaluations. Our Board conducts an annual self-evaluation aimed at enhancing its effectiveness. As part of the evaluation, each director completes a written questionnaire that is designed to gather suggestions for improving Board effectiveness and to solicit feedback on a range of issues, including Board operations, Board and committee structure, the flow of information from management, and agenda topics. In addition, in 2022, we engaged an independent third party to conduct a comprehensive Board self-evaluation to assess the effectiveness of our Board. The feedback received was discussed during an evaluation session and certain actions were implemented to further enhance the operations of the Board and its committees. We expect to continue to use an independent third party for similar purposes from time to time in the future.

Each of our standing committees also conducts its own annual self-evaluation, which includes a written questionnaire and evaluation session led by the respective committee chairs. The NCG Committee annually appraises the framework for our Board and committee evaluation processes.

Audit Committee Financial Expert. The Board has determined that each of Messrs. Stovsky, Hilzinger and Monaco and Ms. Hannam qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert,” as defined in SEC regulations, and also possesses the financial sophistication and requisite experience as required under Nasdaq listing standards.

Board Leadership Structure. The Board evaluates its leadership structure on an ongoing basis according to what the Board considers to be best for the Company at any given point in time. Currently, we separate the roles of non-executive Chairman and CEO. The Board believes that having a separate non-executive Chairman and CEO provides an effective leadership model for the Company and provides the benefit of the distinct abilities and experience of both the non-executive Chairman and CEO.

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Our non-executive Chairman, Michael P. Monaco, provides overall leadership to the Board in its oversight function. Our CEO, Ashish Masih, is responsible for setting the strategic direction for the Company and the day-to-day leadership and overall operating performance of the Company. We believe the separation of offices ensures the independence of the Board and allows Mr. Monaco to focus on managing Board matters and Mr. Masih to focus on managing our business. Having the CEO serve on our Board ensures that the Board contains the individual most familiar with the Company’s business and industry and promotes open communication between management and our directors. The CEO provides advice and recommendations to the full Board for the Board’s consideration.

Code of Ethics. The Board has adopted a code of ethics entitled the “Standards of Business Conduct” applicable to our directors and all employees and officers of the Company, including our principal executive officer, principal accounting officer and principal financial officer. A copy of the Standards of Business Conduct is available on our website at www.encorecapital.com. Click on “Investors,” then “Corporate Governance” and then “Standards of Business Conduct.” We may post amendments to or waivers of the provisions of the Standards of Business Conduct, if any, made with respect to any of our directors and executive officers on that website, unless otherwise required by Nasdaq listing standards to disclose any waiver in a Current Report on Form 8-K. Please note that the information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be a part of, this proxy statement.

Risk Oversight. Our management has day-to-day responsibility for identifying risks and assessing them in relation to Company strategies and objectives; implementing suitable risk mitigation plans, processes and controls; and appropriately managing risks in a manner that serves the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. While the Board has retained the responsibility for general oversight of key strategic risks, the Board’s standing committees support the Board by regularly addressing various risks in their respective areas of oversight.

•The Risk Committee oversees and reviews the Company’s risk governance structure, including the Enterprise Risk Management (“ERM”) program (which includes risk tolerance), and risks related to, among other things, operations, compliance and information security. The Company’s various operating subsidiaries also have general corporate governance structures and, depending on their operations and market, have also established board committees or processes to manage risk and compliance relative to their specific operations.

•The Audit Committee primarily oversees those risks that may directly or indirectly affect our financial statements, including the areas of financial reporting, internal controls and compliance with public reporting requirements. The Audit Committee also assists the Board by overseeing and reviewing the internal audit function.

•The Compensation Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its risk management oversight responsibilities associated with risks arising from employee compensation policies and practices.

•The NCG Committee oversees risks related to corporate governance matters and processes including the Company’s ESG program. The committee also oversees risk related to talent management and succession planning for the Company’s executives.

Our Risk Committee is responsible for overseeing our information security risks. Our Risk Committee receives quarterly reports from our Chief Information Officer (who also serves as our Chief Information Security Officer) with respect to our information security program, which includes cybersecurity risk assessments, security monitoring, incident response policies, regulatory compliance, and employee training. To ensure the integrity and reliability of our information security environment, we periodically engage outside specialists to examine and test our systems, technical posture as well as our detection and response capabilities, including our disaster recovery plans. Through this work, we adopt recommendations and adjust our information and cybersecurity posture to the constantly changing threat landscape. We continually strive to enhance our preventive and defensive capabilities in alignment with globally recognized information security frameworks, maintain appropriate information security risk insurance policies, and implement other measures to mitigate or minimize the impacts from potential threats.

Each standing committee routinely provides reports to the full Board at regular meetings concerning the activities of the committee and actions taken by the committee since the last regular meeting. The Board’s role in risk oversight is consistent with the Company’s leadership structure, with the CEO and management responsible for assessing, managing and mitigating our risk exposure and the Board and its committees providing oversight in connection with those efforts.

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Communications with Directors. We have not adopted a formal process for stockholder communications with the Board. Given our size, the Board does not deem it necessary to formally adopt a written policy regarding stockholder communications. Stockholders, however, can contact the Board or an individual director by writing to: Board of Directors, Encore Capital Group, Inc., 350 Camino De La Reina, Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92108, Attention: Corporate Secretary. Absent unusual circumstances or as contemplated by committee charters, communications received in writing are distributed to members of the Board as appropriate depending on the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication received.

Outside Advisors. The Compensation Committee has engaged FW Cook to assist it in carrying out its responsibilities with respect to the Company’s executive compensation programs. The Compensation Committee has assessed the independence of FW Cook pursuant to SEC rules and determined that FW Cook is independent and its respective work for the Compensation Committee does not raise any conflict of interest. In addition, various committees of the Board may hire outside legal counsel from time to time to provide additional advice.

Executive Sessions of Independent Directors. Independent Board members meet without management present following regularly scheduled Board meetings and at any other time deemed appropriate by the Board.

Policy Regarding Directors’ Attendance at Annual Meetings. We encourage directors to attend our annual meeting, but we do not have a policy that requires the attendance of all directors at our annual meeting. Each of our current directors attended the 2023 annual meeting.

Majority Voting Policy. The Company has adopted a Majority Voting Policy, which states that in an uncontested election (i.e., an election where the only nominees are those recommended by the Board), any nominee for director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from election than votes “for” such election shall promptly tender a resignation to the Board for consideration.

The NCG Committee shall promptly consider the resignation offer and recommend to the Board action with respect to the tendered resignation, which may include (1) accepting the resignation, (2) maintaining the director but addressing the underlying cause of the “withheld” votes, (3) determining not to renominate the director in the future, (4) rejecting the resignation or (5) any other action the NCG Committee deems to be appropriate and in the best interest of the Company. In considering what action to recommend with respect to the tendered resignation, the NCG Committee will take into account all factors deemed relevant, including without limitation, any stated reasons why stockholders “withheld” votes for election from such director, the length of service and qualifications of the director whose resignation has been tendered, the overall composition of the Board, the director’s contributions to the Company, the mix of skills and backgrounds of the directors and whether accepting the tendered resignation would cause the Company to fail to meet any applicable requirements of the SEC or the Nasdaq Stock Market.

The Board will act on the NCG Committee’s recommendation no later than 90 days following certification of the stockholder vote.

Following the Board’s decision on the NCG Committee’s recommendation, the Company will promptly disclose the Board’s decision with respect to the tendered resignation and will provide a description of the process by which the decision was reached in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC.

Except in certain special circumstances, any director who tenders a resignation pursuant to this provision shall not participate in the NCG Committee review and recommendation process or the Board’s consideration regarding the action to be taken with respect to the tendered resignation.

To the extent that one or more directors’ resignations are accepted by the Board, the NCG Committee will recommend to the Board whether to fill such vacancy or vacancies or to reduce the size of the Board.

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ELECTION OF DIRECTORS (PROPOSAL NO. 1)

General

Our Board currently consists of nine members, each with a term expiring at the 2024 annual meeting. The NCG Committee of the Board has recommended, and the Board has nominated, the incumbent directors listed below for election at the 2024 annual meeting.

If any nominee named below is unable or declines to serve as a director, the Board may change the number of seats on the Board or may designate an alternate nominee to fill the vacancy. If a substitute nominee is named, the proxy holders will vote the proxies held by them for the election of such person, unless contrary instructions are given. We are not aware of any nominee who will be unable or will decline to serve as a director. The term of office for each person elected as a director continues until the next annual meeting of stockholders or until his or her successor has been elected and qualifies.


Required Vote

Subject to the Majority Voting Policy described above, if a quorum is present (virtually) and voting, the nine nominees receiving the highest number of votes will be elected to the Board.


The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the election of each of the nine director nominees for a term of one year.


Director Diversity

66.7% of the nominees to the Board are diverse by gender or race. Of the nominees, three are female and three are racially diverse. Currently 75% of our Board committees are chaired by diverse Board members.


Board Diversity Matrix (As of April 26, 2024)
Total Number of Directors	9
Part I: Gender Identity	Female	Male	Non-Binary	Did Not Disclose Gender
Directors	3	6	-	-
Part II: Demographic Background
African American or Black	-	1	-	-
Alaskan Native or Native American	-	-	-	-
Asian	-	2	-	-
Hispanic or Latinx	-	-	-	-
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander	-	-	-	-
White	3	3	-	-
Two or More Races or Ethnicities	-	-	-	-
Did not want to disclose	-
LGBTQ+	-

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Director Nominees

Set forth below is certain biographical information about each of our nominees to the Board.

Name

Age

Position(s)

Michael P. Monaco

Non-Executive Chairman and Director

William C. Goings

Director

Ashwini (Ash) Gupta

Director

Wendy G. Hannam

Director

Jeffrey A. Hilzinger

Director

Angela A. Knight

Director

Laura Newman Olle

Director

Richard P. Stovsky

Director

Ashish Masih

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

MICHAEL P. MONACO. Mr. Monaco has served as a director since August 2014. He served as a Senior Advisor to FTI Consulting, Inc. from July 2017 to April 2018. He served as the Senior Managing Director at CDG Group, LLC, a New York-based firm specializing in restructurings, mergers and acquisitions and crisis and turnaround management from 2002 until CDG Group, LLC was acquired by FTI Consulting, Inc. in July 2017. He previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Accelerator, LLC, a provider of outsource services, from 2000 to 2002. He served as a Vice Chairman of Cendant Corporation from 1996 to 2000. In addition, Mr. Monaco served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the American Express Company from 1990 to 1996. He was previously a director of iPayment, Inc., a leader in the payment processing industry, and the International Securities Exchange. Mr. Monaco also previously served as a director of I.D. Systems, Inc., a publicly traded company, from 2002 to June 2014. Mr. Monaco is also a Certified Public Accountant. His additional qualifications to serve on the Board include experience in public company accounting, risk management, disclosure, and financial system management, leadership experience in the financial services industry, and service as a public company director.

WILLIAM C. GOINGS. Mr. Goings has served as a director since September 2022. Mr. Goings was Executive Vice President of TD Bank Group and President and Chief Executive Officer of TD Insurance at TD Bank Group from 2012 to 2013. Mr. Goings also held the positions of Executive Vice President of TD Bank Group and President of TD Insurance at TD Bank Group from 2010 to 2012. He also held the positions of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of TD Insurance at TD Bank Group between 2009 and 2010. Prior to joining TD Bank Group, Mr. Goings held a variety of operating roles with Genworth Financial Inc. from 2004 to 2009 and GE Capital from 1997 to 2004. Mr. Goings currently serves as a director of TrueBlue, Inc. Mr. Goings also serves as a Director of AARP Service Inc. and as a Director of Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. Mr. Goings’ earlier career was spent working for global companies in corporate banking, strategic planning, and business development. Mr. Goings qualifications to serve on the Board include his extensive expertise having served as a senior officer of a large multi-national corporation as well as an executive level, operations focused, strategic planning, and problem-solving ability.

ASH GUPTA. Mr. Gupta has served as a director since September 2015. Mr. Gupta retired from American Express Company in March 2018 after 40 continuous years of service as an executive officer, including serving as President – Global Credit Risk & Information Management from 2016 to 2018. Previously, he was the company’s Chief Risk Officer and was instrumental in successfully guiding American Express through the Great Recession. He is currently, a board member and chair for Corridor Platforms Inc. and an advisor to global consulting firm Oliver Wyman. Mr. Gupta earned an MBA from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi. He serves on the non-profit boards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York and the New York Chapter of National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) and on the advisory board of South Asian Youth Action (SAYA!). Mr. Gupta’s qualifications to serve on the Board include his significant experience as an executive officer of a public international finance company and his experience related to risk and information management.

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WENDY G. HANNAM. Ms. Hannam has served as a director since September 2015. Ms. Hannam retired from Scotiabank, an international Canadian bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America and parts of Asia, in 2014. Ms. Hannam joined Scotiabank in 1983 and held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as Executive Vice President, International Retail Banking from 2009 to 2012 and Executive Vice President, Latin America from 2012 until she retired. Ms. Hannam holds an MBA from the University of Toronto. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Programme at the European Institute of Business (INSEAD) and the ICD-Rotman Directors Education Program. She serves on the Independent Review Committee of BMO Asset Management Inc, and on the board of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Ms. Hannam was named one of Canada’s 100 Most Powerful Women 2007-2010 and was named to the Latinvex Top 100 Business Women in Latin America in 2013. Ms. Hannam’s qualifications to serve on the Board include her substantial experience in international financial services and operations in regulated industries.

JEFFREY A. HILZINGER. Mr. Hilzinger has served as a director since September 2019. He previously served as Chief Executive Officer, President and a director of Marlin Business Services Corp., a publicly-traded bank holding company, from June 2016 until it was acquired in January 2022. From 2010 to May 2016 Mr. Hilzinger served in positions of increasing responsibility at Everbank Commercial Finance, Inc., most recently as President. In 2004, Mr. Hilzinger co-founded US Express Leasing, Inc. and served as its Chief Financial Officer until it was acquired by Everbank Financial Corporation in 2010. Mr. Hilzinger co-founded Aternus Partners, LLC, a management consulting firm, and served as a Managing Director until 2004. From 1979 until it was acquired by GE Capital in 2002, Mr. Hilzinger served in various regional and global leadership roles with Heller Financial, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries and affiliates. Mr. Hilzinger’s qualifications to serve on the Board include his experience as the Chief Executive Officer of a publicly-traded company, his substantial experience in the financial services industry, his experience interacting with regulatory authorities and his experience leading businesses located outside of the United States.

ANGELA A. KNIGHT CBE. Ms. Knight has served as a director since September 2019. Ms. Knight has been a Non-Executive Director of Arbuthnot Banking Group plc since September 2023 and its principal subsidiary Arbuthnot Latham & Co Ltd since June 2016. She has also been a Non-Executive Director of Vanquis plc (formerly known as Provident Financial plc) since August 2018. In November 2021, Ms. Knight was appointed as the non-executive chair of the board of directors of Pool Reinsurance Company LTD (PoolRe), Britain’s leading terrorism reinsurer. She is currently the deputy chairman of the Astana Financial Services Authority, a regulator set up by the Kazakhstan Government, under English law and UK/international regulatory standards. Since 1997, Ms. Knight has held several Non-Executive Directorships, including Taylor Wimpey plc from November 2016 to April 2022, TP ICAP plc (previously Tullett Prebon) from September 2011 to May 2021, Brewin Dolphin plc from 2007 to 2017, where she was the Senior Independent Non-Executive Director and also chaired the Dublin subsidiary, until December 2018 and was the Chairman of the UK Treasury sponsored body, the Office of Tax Simplification, until March 2019. She was the Chief Executive Officer of Energy UK from 2012 to 2014, and prior to that was the Chief Executive Officer of the British Bankers’ Association, from 2007 to 2012. Between 1997 and 2006, Ms. Knight was the Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Private Client Investment Managers and Stockbrokers. Ms. Knight started her career at Air Products and Chemicals where she worked for five years, primarily as a development engineer and project leader. In 1977, she set up Cook & Knight (Metallurgical Processors) and was Joint Managing Director until the company was sold in 1988. She became a member of Sheffield City Council in 1987 and was elected as the Member of Parliament for Erewash in the East Midlands in 1992. She was the Parliamentary Aid to the Minister for Industry in 1993, then to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1994, before becoming Economic Secretary to HM Treasury from 1995 to 1997. Ms. Knight has a BSc degree in Chemistry from Bristol University. Ms. Knight’s qualifications to serve on the Board include her substantial experience in international financial services, operations in regulated industries and service on international boards.

LAURA NEWMAN OLLE. Ms. Olle has served as a director since February 2014. Ms. Olle retired from Capital One Financial Corporation, a publicly traded bank holding company specializing in credit cards, home loans, auto loans, banking and savings products, in 2007, where she served as Chief Enterprise Risk Officer. She joined Capital One in 1999 as Senior Vice President of Information Technology Systems Development. Prior to Capital One, Ms. Olle served as Senior Vice President of Information Systems and Services at Freddie Mac. She has also previously held key information technology positions at the Marriott Corporation and worked as a management consultant at Arthur Young and Company. Ms. Olle serves as a board member of Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. (MSBNA) and Morgan Stanley Private Bank, National Association (MSPBNA), which are U.S. bank operating subsidiaries of Morgan Stanley. Ms. Olle is a former Certified Public Accountant. Ms. Olle’s qualifications to serve on the Board include her broad experience interacting with regulatory authorities and developing and overseeing enterprise risk management and information technology programs at complex financial institutions.

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RICHARD P. STOVSKY. Mr. Stovsky has served as a director since August 2018. Mr. Stovsky retired from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) in June 2018. Mr. Stovsky joined PwC in August 1983, and held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as a Vice Chairman. Mr. Stovsky has served as a member of the board, audit and compliance committee and compensation committee of Olympic Steel, Inc. since May 2020. Mr. Stovsky serves on several non-profit organization Boards of Directors/Trustees including The Cleveland Orchestra, The 50 Club of Cleveland, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bluecoats of Cuyahoga County, Jewish Federation of Cleveland, The Cleveland Foundation and University School. Mr. Stovsky is a Certified Public Accountant and is licensed to practice law in the state of Ohio. Mr. Stovsky’s qualifications to serve on the Board include his experience as a certified public accountant, and his substantial experience in providing tax and overall business advice in a variety of industries.

ASHISH MASIH. Mr. Masih has served as a director and our President and Chief Executive Officer since June 2017. He previously served as Executive Vice President and President of Midland Credit Management, Inc. (“MCM”), the Company’s domestic operating subsidiary, from November 2016 until June 2017 and other senior roles in operations and corporate development at Encore from when he joined the Company in 2009 until November 2016. From 2001 until joining the Company, Mr. Masih was employed at Capital One Financial Corporation where he held senior roles in its U.S. credit card business. Prior to joining Capital One, Mr. Masih worked at McKinsey & Company and KPMG Consulting. In 2019, Mr. Masih was named by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the U.S.-India CEO Forum, which brings together business leaders from both nations to discuss ways to strengthen economic and commercial ties. From 2013-2015, Mr. Masih was elected to the Receivables Management Association (RMA International, previously DBA International) board of directors, where he served as both a director and a member of its Federal Legislative and Regulatory Committee. Mr. Masih earned an MBA from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Science in Manufacturing Systems Engineering from Lehigh University and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India.