Palo Alto Networks adopts executive change-in-control severance policy and amended bylaws
On August 20, 2026, Palo Alto Networks' board approved an Executive Change in Control and Severance Policy covering senior vice presidents and above, including CEO Nikesh Arora and CFO Dipak Golechha. The board also adopted amended and restated bylaws, mainly to align with Delaware law and update routine governance provisions. The filing sets out severance terms but no financial results, so its direct effect on shareholders depends on whether a change in control occurs.
Key points
- Policy covers executives including CEO Nikesh Arora, CFO Dipak Golechha, President William "BJ" Jenkins and Chief Product and Technology Officer Lee Klarich
- CEO severance outside a change-in-control period, after a change in control, or for Good Reason: 200% of salary and 200% of target cash incentive, plus 24 months of health benefits; other executive officers receive 150% and 18 months
- Amended and Restated Bylaws took effect immediately on August 20, 2026, and include updates to special board meeting authority and indemnification provisions
The filing
Written by AI (Anthropic Claude, claude-haiku-5-5) on Nov 8, 2026, 2:16 AM ET, from the text of the filing and its press-release exhibits only. Written later: this filing was briefed after the fact, when past filings were added to the site, so the brief may be read with hindsight; the filing itself is the record of what was known on August 21, 2026.
Briefs are written by AI from the filing text (each brief's own page names the model) and can contain mistakes — open the filing before acting on anything. Impact (1-5) and tone are the model's reading of the filing for shareholders, not a price forecast. Not investment advice.