CDW appoints Sam Balaji, expands board to 10
Balaji will join the Audit Committee and receive a prorated portion of annual compensation paid to CDW's non-employee directors.
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Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
CDW Corporation increased its board from nine to ten directors and appointed Saranga (Sam) Balaji as a director, effective October 15, 2026. Balaji will serve on the Audit Committee, and the board determined he is independent under Nasdaq Global Select Market listing standards. He will receive a prorated portion of annual compensation paid to non-employee directors.
Balaji most recently served as Global Chief Executive Officer of Consulting & Advisory at Deloitte and has more than three decades of experience in technology, advisory and global business leadership. He currently serves on the board of BlackLine. CDW and Balaji will enter into CDW’s standard indemnification agreement in connection with the appointment.
8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Board size: 9 directors increased to 10 directors
Professional experience: More than three decades
Deloitte tenure: Nearly three decades
3 metrics
Board size
9 directors increased to 10 directors
Change effective October 15, 2026
Professional experience
More than three decades
Technology, advisory and global business leadership
Deloitte tenure
Nearly three decades
Balaji's time at Deloitte
Key Terms
independent, indemnification agreement, prorated portion
3 terms
independent regulatory
"determined that Mr. Balaji is independent"
indemnification agreement regulatory
"the Company’s standard indemnification agreement"
An indemnification agreement is a contract in which one party promises to cover losses, costs, or legal claims that another party might face, acting like a tailored safety net or private insurance policy. For investors, it matters because such agreements shift potential financial risk away from a company or its officers and onto the indemnifier, which can affect a company’s future liabilities, cash flow and how risky the investment appears during deal-making or litigation.
prorated portion financial
"entitled to a prorated portion of the annual compensation"
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Who did $CDW appoint to its board?
CDW appointed Saranga (Sam) Balaji as a director, effective October 15, 2026. The board increased from nine to ten directors.
What committee will Sam Balaji join at $CDW?
Sam Balaji will serve on CDW’s Audit Committee. The board determined he is independent under Nasdaq Global Select Market listing standards.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
_________________
FORM 8-K
_________________
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 15, 2026
______________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
_______________________________
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||
| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||||||||
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (847) 465-6000
None
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
_______________________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | |||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On October 15, 2026, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of CDW Corporation (the “Company”) increased the number of directors of the Company from nine to ten and appointed Saranga (Sam) Balaji to serve as a director on the Board, effective immediately. Mr. Balaji will serve on the Board’s Audit Committee. The Board has determined that Mr. Balaji is independent for purposes of the listing standards of the Nasdaq Global Select Market.
Mr. Balaji will be entitled to a prorated portion of the annual compensation paid to the Company’s non-employee directors. A summary of the compensation the Company provides its non-employee directors is described in the Company’s definitive proxy statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on April 10, 2026. Furthermore, in connection with his appointment, Mr. Balaji and the Company will enter into the Company’s standard indemnification agreement, the form of which was filed with the SEC as Exhibit 10.32 with the Company’s Amendment No. 2 to Form S-1 filed on June 14, 2013.
There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Balaji and any other persons pursuant to which he was selected as a director. Mr. Balaji does not have a direct or indirect material interest in any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.
Item 7.01. Regulation FD Disclosure.
The Company issued a press release on October 19, 2026, announcing the appointment described in Item 5.02, a copy of which is furnished hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
99.1 | Press release dated October 19, 2026, announcing Mr. Balaji’s appointment. | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| CDW CORPORATION | ||||||||||||||
| Date: | October 19, 2026 | By: | /s/ Frederick J. Kulevich | |||||||||||
| Frederick J. Kulevich | ||||||||||||||
| Chief Legal Officer, Executive Vice President, Risk and Compliance, and Corporate Secretary | ||||||||||||||
Exhibit 99.1
CDW Appoints Sam Balaji to Board of Directors
Former Global CEO, Deloitte Consulting & Advisory brings extensive experience in technology and services, transformation and global business leadership
VERNON HILLS, Ill. – (BUSINESS WIRE) – CDW (Nasdaq: CDW), the strategic end-to-end technology partner that turns customer ambition into outcomes, today announced the appointment of Sam Balaji to its Board of Directors, effective October 15, 2026.
Balaji brings more than three decades of experience in technology, advisory and global business leadership. Most recently, he served as Global Chief Executive Officer of Consulting & Advisory at Deloitte, where he helped build and scale multibillion-dollar businesses and markets, spanning artificial intelligence, cloud, cybersecurity and digital transformation. His experience also includes strategic partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance.
“Sam is an accomplished global business leader who brings deep technology and services expertise, a track record of innovation and growth, and extensive multi-sector transformation experience," said Christine A. Leahy, chair and chief executive officer, CDW. “As technology decisions become increasingly consequential for all organizations, Sam's perspective will be invaluable as we execute our growth strategy and deliver long-term value."
During his nearly three decades at Deloitte, Balaji held several senior leadership roles spanning consulting, technology and technology risk services. He currently serves on the board of BlackLine, a financial and accounting cloud software solutions provider, bringing experience in public company governance, technology and cybersecurity oversight, and strategic decision-making.
“I’m honored to join CDW’s Board at a time when technology is playing an increasingly critical role in how organizations operate and grow,” said Balaji. “CDW’s customer-first approach and broad technology expertise create significant opportunities to help customers differentiate and navigate change. I look forward to working with Chris and the Board to support CDW’s continued growth and long-term success.”
For more details about the CDW board of directors, please visit the About Us section of the company’s website.
About CDW
CDW Corporation (Nasdaq: CDW) is the strategic end-to-end technology partner that cuts through complexity to turn customer ambition into outcomes. Working with organizations across the business, government, education and healthcare sectors in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, CDW enables organizations to navigate an increasingly complex technology market and turn their technology investments into lasting value. For more information about CDW, please visit CDW.com.