2018 Guide to Effective Proxies

6 TH EDITION | GUIDE TO EFFECTIVE PROXIES 180 MICROSOFT CORPORATION MONSANTO COMPANY NASDAQ, INC. NEW YORK COMMUNITY BANCORP, INC. 3 NAMED RECIFFO EVITUCEXE COMPENSATION 4 AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS 5 OTHER MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS 6 INFORMATION ABOUTTHE MEETING 1 CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ATMICROSOFT 2 BOARDOF DIRECTORS Board committees OurBoardhasfourstandingcommittees:AnAuditCommittee,aCompensationCommittee,aGovernanceandNominating Committee,andaRegulatoryandPublicPolicyCommittee.Eachcommitteehasacharter,whichcanbefoundonourwebsite athttp://aka.ms/committees.ThetablebelowprovidescurrentmembershipforeachBoardcommittee,followedbya descriptionofeachcommittee’sresponsibilities. CommitteesoftheBoardofDirectors Director Audit Compensation Governanceand Nominating Regulatoryand PublicPolicy WilliamH.GatesIII ReidG.Hoffman Member HughF.Johnston Member TeriL.List-Stoll Member Member G. MasonMorfit * Member Member SatyaNadella CharlesH.Noski Chair Member HelmutPanke Member Chair SandraE.Peterson Member Member CharlesW.Scharf Member Member JohnW.Stanton Chair Member JohnW.Thompson Chair Member PadmasreeWarrior Member Numberofmeetingsinfiscalyear2017 9 6 6 3 * MasonMorfitwillnotseekre-electionatthe2017AnnualMeeting.Mr.MorfitcurrentlyservesontheAuditCommitteeandCompensation Committee.PennyPritzkerandArneSorensonarebothnominatedforelectiontotheBoardattheAnnualMeeting.TheBoardwillconsider committeeappointmentsforMs.PritzkerandMr.SorensonfollowingelectiontotheBoard. Eachcommitteehasauthoritytoengagelegalcounselorotheradvisorsorconsultantsasitdeemsappropriatetocarryoutits responsibilities.Belowisadescriptionofeachcommittee’sresponsibilities. AuditCommittee TheAuditCommitteeassistsourBoardofDirectorsinoverseeingthequalityandintegrityofouraccounting,auditing, andreportingpractices.TheAuditCommittee’sroleincludes: • Overseeingtheworkofouraccountingfunctionand internalcontroloverfinancialreporting • Overseeinginternalauditingprocesses • Inquiringaboutsignificantrisks,reviewingourpolicies forenterpriseriskassessmentandriskmanagement, andassessingthestepsmanagementhastakento controltheserisks • Overseeingbusinesscontinuityprograms • Reviewingwithmanagementpolicies,practices, compliance,andrisksrelatingtoourinvestment portfolio • Overseeing,withtheRegulatoryandPublicPolicy Committee,cybersecurityandotherrisksrelevanttoour informationtechnologyenvironment • Reviewingcompliancewithsignificantapplicablelegal, ethical,andregulatoryrequirements,includingthose relatingtoregulatorymattersthatmayhaveamaterial impactonourfinancialstatementsorinternalcontrol overfinancialreporting TheAuditCommitteeisresponsibleforthecompensation,retentionandoversightoftheindependentauditorengagedto issueauditreportsonourfinancialstatementsandinternalcontroloverfinancialreporting.TheAuditCommitteereliesonthe expertiseandknowledgeofmanagement,theinternalauditor,andtheindependentauditorincarryingoutitsoversight responsibilities.TheAuditCommitteeResponsibilitiesCalendaraccompanyingtheAuditCommitteeCharterdescribesthe Committee’sspecificresponsibilities. 2017PROXYSTATEMENT 25 Our Director Nominees Youarebeingaskedtovoteontheelectionofeachofthe12directorsonourboard.Directorsareelectedbyamajorityofvotescast.Detailed informationabouteachdirector’sbackground,skillsandexpertisecanbefoundinProposal1–ElectionofDirectors. Name CurrentPosition YES 54 2016 2013 2009 2008 2003 2010 2014 2000 2011 2003 63 70 62 59 53 47 71 53 73 GregoryH.Boyce RetiredChairman andChiefExecutiveOfficer, PeabodyEnergyCorporation DwightM. “Mitch”Barns ChiefExecutiveOfficer,NielsenHoldingsplc YES YES JaniceL.Fields FormerPresident,McDonald’sUSA, LLC DavidL.Chicoine,Ph.D. InterimDean,UniversityofWyomingCollegeofBusiness YES NO HughGrant Chairmanof theBoard andChiefExecutiveOfficer, MonsantoCompany YES YES C.StevenMcMillan RetiredChairman andChiefExecutiveOfficer, Sara LeeCorporation MarcosM.Lutz ChiefExecutiveOfficer,Cosan Limited LauraK. Ipsen President andChiefExecutiveOfficer, EllucianCompany L.P. YES JonR.Moeller ViceChairman andChief FinancialOfficer, TheProcter&GambleCompany YES GeorgeH.Poste,Ph.D.,D.V.M. ChiefExecutive,HealthTechnologyNetworks&Chief Scientist, ComplexAdaptive Systems Initiative,Arizona StateUniversity YES 2002 2015 66 58 RobertJ.Stevens– LeadDirector RetiredChairman andChiefExecutiveOfficer, LockheedMartinCorporation YES ChiefTechnologyOfficer,Colgate-PalmoliveCompany PatriciaVerduin,Ph.D. YES =Chair Independent Nominating& Corporate Governance Executive Audit&Finance People& Compensation Age DirectorSince Sustainability &Corporate Responsibility Science& Technology NomineeCommitteeMemberships Pending Transaction Aspreviouslyannounced,onSeptember14,2016,weenteredintoamergeragreementwithBayerAktiengesellschaft(“Bayer”)underwhich BayerwillacquireMonsantoforapriceof$128.00pershareincash.Thetransactionissubjecttocustomaryclosingconditions,includingthe receiptofrequiredregulatoryapprovals.OnDecember13,2016,ourshareownersapprovedthemerger.Closingisexpectedinearly2018. UntilthemergerwithBayercloses,weremainaseparateandindependentcompany,focusedondeliveringonouroperationalplanandkey businessmilestonesandcontinuingtocreatecompellingvalueforourshareowners. 6 MONSANTOCOMPANY2017PROXYSTATEMENT NomineeCommitteeMembershipsNameCurrentPositionAgeDirectorSinceIndependentExecutiveAudit&FinanceNominating&CorporateGovernancePeople&CompensationScience&TechnologySustainability&CorporateResponsibilityDwightM.“Mitch”BarnsChiefExecutiveOfficer,NielsenHoldingsplc542016YESGregoryH.BoyceRetiredChairmanandChiefExecutiveOfficer,PeabodyEnergyCorporation632013YESDavidL.Chicoine,Ph.D.InterimDean,UniversityofWyomingCollegeofBusiness702009YES JaniceL.FieldsFormerPresident,McDonald’sUSA,LLC 622008YESHughGrantChairmanoftheBoard&hiefExecutiveOfficer,MonsantoCompany592003NOLauraK.IpsenGneralMnaerandSeniorVicPresidnt,OracleMarktingCloud,OracleCorporation532010YESMarcosM.LutzChiefExecutiveOfficer,CosanLimited472014YESC.StvenMcMillanRetiredChairman&ChiefExecutiveOfficer,SaraLeeCorporation712000YESJonR.MollerViceChairmanandChiefFinancialOfficer,ThePrctr&GambleCompany532011YESGeorgeH.Post,Ph.D.,D.V.M.ChiefExecutive,HealthTechnologyNetworks&ChiefScientist,ComplexAdaptiveSystemsInitiative,ArizonaStateUniversity732003YESRobertJ.Stevens–LeadDirectorRetiredChairman&ChiefExecutiveOfficer,LockheedMartinCorporation662002 YPatriciaVerdui,Ph.D.ChiefTechnlogyOfficer,Colgae-PalmolivCmpany 5820 15YE = Chair Total of 02 pages in section CORPORATEGOVERNANCE BOARDCOMMITTEES TheBoardconductsitsbusinessthroughperiodicmeetingsandthroughtheactivitiesofitscommittees.In2017, theBoardheld12regularmonthlymeetingsandvariousstandingcommitteesoftheBoardmetanother64times,foran aggregateof76meetings.AllincumbentdirectorsoftheCompanyattendedatleast75%oftheaggregatenumberof meetingsoftheBoardandcommitteesonwhichsuchdirectorsservedduringfiscalyear2017.Boardmembersare expectedtomakereasonableeffortstoattendallBoardmeetingsandallmeetingsoftheBoardcommitteesonwhich theyserve.Absencesareexcusedonlyforgoodcause. AuditCommittee Compensation Committee ExecutiveManagement RiskAssessment Committee NewYorkCommunity Bancorp, Inc. BOARDOFDIRECTORS Nominating / Corporate Governance Committee Investment Committee Insurance Committee TheBoardhassixstandingcommitteesasfollows:(i)AuditCommittee,(ii)CompensationCommittee, (iii)InsuranceCommittee,(iv)InvestmentCommittee,(v)NominatingandCorporateGovernanceCommittee,and(vi)Risk AssessmentCommittee.EachcommitteehasawrittencharteradoptedbythecommitteeandratifiedbytheBoard.As requiredbyNYSERules,chartersfortheAudit,Compensation,andNominatingandCorporateGovernanceCommittees canbefoundontheInvestorRelationsportionoftheCompany’swebsiteat www.myNYCB.com ,andareavailablein hardcopytoanyshareholderwhorequeststhem.EachmemberoftheAuditCommittee,theCompensationCommittee, andtheNominatingandCorporateGovernanceCommitteehasbeendeterminedbytheBoardtobeindependentfor purposesoftheNYSEcorporategovernancelistingstandardsandwithinthemeaningofregulationsoftheSEC. Page10 NewYorkCommunityBancorp,Inc.BOARDOFDIRECTORSAuditCommitteeCompensationCommitteeNominating/CorporateGovernanceCommitteeRiskAssessmentCommitteeInvestmentCommitteeExecutiveManagementInsuranceCommittee Total of 02 pages in section Proxy Summary 17 Director Nominees Name Age Director Since PrincipalOccupation Independent CurrentCommitteeMemberships Other PublicCo. Boards AC FC MCC NGC MelissaM.Arnoldi Non-Industry;Public 45 2017 President of Technology& Operations,AT&T Communications • • 0 CharleneT.Begley Non-Industry;Public 51 2014 Retired SVP& Chief Information Officer,General Electric Company • • • 2 StevenD.Black Non-Industry;Public 65 2011 Co-CEO,Bregal Investments • Chair • 0 AdenaT.Friedman Staff 48 2017 President and CEO,Nasdaq, Inc. • 0 EssaKazim Non-Industry 59 2008 Governor,Dubai International Financial Center; Chairman,Borse Dubai andDubai FinancialMarket • • 0 ThomasA.Kloet Non-Industry;Public 59 2015 Retired CEO& ExecutiveDirector, TMXGroup Limited • Chair • 0 JohnD.Rainey Non-Industry; Issuer 47 2017 CFO and EVP ofGlobal Customer Operations,PaypalHoldings, Inc. • • Chair 0 MichaelR.Splinter 1 Non-Industry;Public 67 2008 Retired Chairman and CEO, AppliedMaterials, Inc. • • Chair 2 JacobWallenberg Non-Industry;Public 62 N/A Chairman, InvestorAB • 3 2 LarsR.Wedenborn Non-Industry 59 2008 CEO, FAMAB • • 1 Number ofMeetingsHeld in2017 11 3 6 9 1 Mr. Splinter is serving asChairmanof theBoard fromMay2017 through the2018AnnualMeetingof Stockholders. 2 Mr.Wallenberg also is currentlyon theBoardof SASAB,buthe isnot standing for reelection at theirAnnualGeneralMeetingonApril10,2018. AC: AuditCommittee FC: FinanceCommittee MCC: ManagementCompensationCommittee NGC: Nominating&GovernanceCommittee Total of 02 pages in section