Stuart Essig joins Piper Sandler (PIPR) board and Audit Committee

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Piper Sandler Companies appointed Stuart M. Essig to its Board of Directors effective February 4, 2026, for an initial term ending at the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. His election increases the Board size from nine to ten directors, and he will serve on the Audit Committee.

Essig previously served as chief executive officer of Integra LifeSciences Corporation from 1997 to 2012 and has been chairman of its board since 2012, including as executive chairman from 2024 to 2025. He is also a director of IDEXX Laboratories. For his Board service in 2026, he will receive a prorated $100,000 cash retainer, a $60,000 initial equity grant, and a $150,000 annual equity grant after the 2026 annual shareholders’ meeting.

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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

February 4, 2026

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported)

_________________________________ 

PIPER SANDLER COMPANIES

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

_________________________________ 

Delaware

1-31720

30-0168701

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer Identification No.)

350 N 5th Street

Suite 1000

Minneapolis

Minnesota

55401

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

(Zip Code)

(612)

303-6000

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

 _________________________________

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 (see General Instruction A.2):

☐ 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			Name of Each Exchange On Which Registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share			PIPR			The New York Stock Exchange

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.

Effective as of February 4, 2026, upon the recommendation of the Nominating and Governance Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Piper Sandler Companies (the “Company”), the Board elected Stuart M. Essig to serve as a director of the Company for an initial term expiring at the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of shareholders. Following Mr. Essig’s election to the Board, the size of the Company’s Board increased by one, from nine to ten directors. Mr. Essig has been appointed to serve on the Audit Committee of the Board.

Mr. Essig was chief executive officer of Integra LifeSciences Corporation from 1997 to 2012, and has served as chairman of its board of directors since 2012, with service as executive chairman from 2024 to 2025. Mr. Essig is also currently a director of IDEXX Laboratories, a position he has held since 2017.

In connection with his service on the Board, Mr. Essig will participate in the Company’s 2026 non-employee director compensation program, receiving a pro-rated $100,000 annual cash retainer, a $60,000 initial equity grant, and a $150,000 annual equity grant following the 2026 annual shareholder’s meeting.

There are no arrangements or understandings between Mr. Essig and any other persons pursuant to which Mr. Essig was selected as a director of the Company. Mr. Essig has not engaged in any related person transactions (as defined in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K) with the Company.

Item 7.01.    Regulation FD Disclosure.

On February 4, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the event discussed in Item 5.02 above, the text of which is furnished as Exhibit 99 hereto. The information contained in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99 is being furnished, and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities under Section 18 of the Exchange Act. Furthermore, the information contained in this Item 7.01 and Exhibit 99 shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the filings of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act.

Item 9.01.						Financial Statements and Exhibits.
			(d)			Exhibits.
			99			Press Release dated February 4, 2026.
			104			Cover Page Interactive Data File (the cover page XBRL tags are embedded in the Inline XBRL document).

SIGNATURE

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.

			PIPER SANDLER COMPANIES
Date: February 4, 2026			By			/s/ John W. Geelan
						John W. Geelan
						General Counsel and Secretary

FAQ

What board change did Piper Sandler Companies (PIPR) announce?

Piper Sandler Companies added Stuart M. Essig to its Board of Directors, effective February 4, 2026. His appointment increases the board size from nine to ten directors and includes service on the Audit Committee, expanding financial oversight expertise at the firm.

Who is Stuart M. Essig, the new Piper Sandler (PIPR) director?

Stuart M. Essig is the former chief executive officer of Integra LifeSciences Corporation, serving from 1997 to 2012. He has been its board chairman since 2012 and executive chairman from 2024 to 2025, and he has served as a director of IDEXX Laboratories since 2017.

What compensation will Stuart Essig receive as a Piper Sandler (PIPR) director?

Stuart Essig will receive a prorated $100,000 annual cash retainer, a $60,000 initial equity grant, and a $150,000 annual equity grant after the 2026 annual shareholders’ meeting. This package is part of Piper Sandler’s 2026 non-employee director compensation program.

How does Stuart Essig’s appointment affect Piper Sandler’s (PIPR) board structure?

Essig’s election increases Piper Sandler’s Board of Directors from nine to ten members. He will also join the Audit Committee, adding another experienced voice to financial reporting and oversight matters within the company’s governance framework.

Did Piper Sandler (PIPR) disclose any related person transactions with Stuart Essig?

Piper Sandler stated that Stuart Essig has not engaged in any related person transactions with the company, as defined in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K, and there are no arrangements or understandings with other persons under which he was selected as a director.

What else did Piper Sandler (PIPR) release alongside Stuart Essig’s appointment?

On February 4, 2026, Piper Sandler issued a press release announcing Stuart Essig’s appointment to the board. The text of that release is furnished as Exhibit 99 in the filing and is provided under Regulation FD as furnished, not filed, information.