Brighthouse Financial (NASDAQ:BHF) held its 2026 annual meeting of stockholders on June 2, with shareholders approving all three proposals presented by the company, according to preliminary voting results announced during the meeting.
The meeting was led by Chuck Chaplin, chairman of the board of directors, with Allie Lin, executive vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, serving as secretary of the meeting. Lin opened the meeting with customary disclosures, noting that the discussion could include forward-looking statements and references to non-GAAP financial measures. She said a recording of the meeting would be available at the company’s annual meeting website.
Shareholders Elect Nine Directors
The first proposal before shareholders was the election of nine directors, each to serve a one-year term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting. The board recommended that shareholders vote in favor of each nominee.
According to the preliminary report of the vote provided by the inspector of election, each of the nine director nominees was elected. The elected directors are:
- Chuck Chaplin
- Stephen Hooley
- Michael Inserra
- Carol Juel
- Eileen Mallesch
- Diane Offereins
- Eric Steigerwalt, president and chief executive officer
- Paul Wetzel
- Lizabeth Zlatkus
Chaplin introduced the director nominees during the meeting and noted their committee roles. Hooley chairs the audit committee and serves on the investment committee, while Mallesch chairs the investment committee. Offereins chairs the Compensation and Human Capital Committee, and Wetzel chairs the finance and risk committee.
Auditor Ratification and Say-on-Pay Vote Approved
Shareholders also approved the ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as Brighthouse Financial’s independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2026. Eugene Gelling of Deloitte & Touche LLP attended the meeting, according to Chaplin.
The third proposal, an advisory vote to approve compensation paid to Brighthouse Financial’s named executive officers, commonly referred to as “Say-on-Pay,” was also approved. The board had recommended that shareholders vote for both the auditor ratification and Say-on-Pay proposals.
Lin said the final vote totals will be included in a Form 8-K that the company will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission within four business days of the meeting.
Stockholder Question Addressed Executive Compensation Vote
During the proposal-related question-and-answer portion of the meeting, Lin read one pre-submitted stockholder question concerning the value to shareholders of a supervisory vote on compensation and whether money spent in connection with the process could instead be used for dividends.
Chaplin responded that Brighthouse Financial is required by SEC rules to provide shareholders with an advisory Say-on-Pay vote on compensation paid to named executive officers. He said that although the vote is advisory, the board and its Compensation and Human Capital Committee intend to consider the results of the vote, along with other relevant factors, as the company continues to develop its executive compensation program.
Chaplin also said that at the company’s 2025 annual meeting, a majority of stockholders voted to hold the advisory Say-on-Pay vote annually. The board considered that vote on Say-on-Pay frequency and determined to conduct the advisory vote each year. He directed shareholders to the proxy statement for additional information on the company’s compensation approach.
No additional questions related to the proposals were submitted during the meeting, and Lin said there were no general pre-submitted questions to address after the voting portion concluded.
Meeting Adjourned
The polls closed at 8:11 a.m., after which Lin reported that all proposals had passed in accordance with the board’s recommendations. Following the conclusion of the question-and-answer portion, Chaplin thanked shareholders for attending and adjourned the meeting.
About Brighthouse Financial (NASDAQ:BHF)
Brighthouse Financial, Inc is a U.S.-based life insurance company that specializes in retirement income solutions and annuity products. The firm was established in August 2017 as a spin-off from MetLife, Inc, and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Since its separation, Brighthouse Financial has focused on providing products designed to help individuals and families manage retirement income needs, drawing on decades of experience in life insurance and annuity administration inherited from its parent company.
The company’s core product offerings include fixed indexed annuities, which allow policyholders to participate in market-linked gains while protecting against downside market risk, and single premium immediate annuities, which provide guaranteed lifetime income.
