Coursera, Inc. filed a Form 8-K with the SEC on September 21, 2026, disclosing the appointment of Tom Savage as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, effective September 21, 2026, and the concurrent transition of Alan Cardenas from his officer role.

Key Highlights

  • New appointment: Tom Savage named Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary of Coursera, effective September 21, 2026.
  • Predecessor transition: Alan Cardenas stepped down as a Rule 16a-1(f) officer on the Effective Date but will remain as Senior Vice President, General Counsel through the end of 2026 under existing compensation terms.
  • Base salary: Savage's annual base salary is $425,000, with a target bonus opportunity equal to 60% of base salary.
  • New hire equity award: Savage received a one-time RSU grant valued at $2,450,000, vesting over a three-year period under Coursera's 2021 Stock Incentive Plan.
  • RSU vesting schedule: 50% vests on the first anniversary of the Effective Date, approximately 8.33% on each of the next four quarterly dates, and approximately 4.167% on each of the following four quarterly dates.
  • Severance plan: Savage will participate as a "Class A Executive" in Coursera's Amended and Restated Executive Severance Plan.

Coursera Names Experienced Legal Executive to Lead Legal Function

According to the filing, Coursera (NYSE:COUR) appointed Tom Savage, age 57, as its Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary, with the appointment taking effect September 21, 2026. The filing discloses that Alan Cardenas, who previously served as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, stepped down as an officer within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as of the same date, but will continue in his non-officer role through the end of 2026 under his existing compensation terms, with an anticipated subsequent advisory role.

The filing outlines Savage's professional background. Most recently, according to the filing, he served as Vice President of International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) from January 2026 to May 2026. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Red Hat, Inc. from 2019 to 2025, and as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of Red Hat from 2017 to 2019. From 2007 to 2017, the filing states, he held various senior legal roles at Marvell Technology Group, Ltd., including as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Earlier in his career he was a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich and Rosati and counsel at Shearman and Sterling LLP. He holds a J.D. from The University of Chicago Law School and a B.A. in Government from Harvard College.

Under the CLO Offer Letter described in the filing, Savage's RSU grant value of $2,450,000 will be converted to a share count by dividing that value by the higher of $10.00 or the average price per share of Coursera's common stock during the calendar month in which his employment commences, rounded to the nearest whole share. The filing notes that Coursera expects to enter into its standard form of indemnification agreement with Savage and that the full CLO Offer Letter is expected to be filed as an exhibit to the Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2026.

What Was Disclosed

Coursera's 8-K reported the appointment of Tom Savage as Chief Legal Officer effective September 21, 2026, detailed his compensation terms including a $425,000 base salary and a $2,450,000 RSU award, and described Alan Cardenas's transition out of his officer role.