Dear Fellow Shareholder:

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are pleased to cordially invite you to attend the 20232024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of Synovus Financial Corp. at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.24, 2024. You are receiving this invitation and this Proxy Statement as a shareholder of record as of February 16, 2023.22, 2024.

We entered 20222023 stronger and better, andmore efficient, eager to expand on our team delivered impressive results despite the ever-changing economic conditions. Our top-quartile performance demonstrates the resiliency of our model and our efforts to deliver on the strategic growth plan we outlined during Investor Day earlier in the year. We detailed our path forward to become a more innovative, high-performing bank for shareholders, clients, team members, and communities, and our team delivered on key investments, initiatives, and financial metrics included in our plan.

Your vote is important to us. Even if you plan to attend the meeting virtually, we encourage you to vote your shares in advance by following the voting instructions provided.

Thank you for your continued support of Synovus.

Sincerely,

You can vote if you were a shareholder of record on February 16, 2023.22, 2024.

A copy of the 20222023 Annual Report accompanies this Proxy Statement.

You can vote by any of the following methods:

2022Synovus exhibited strong overallsolid financial performance dueagainst a challenging industry environment in 2023. Bank failures and continued increases in short-term interest rates helped to robust growthdrive more deposit competition, which resulted in key areas such as loans anda year-over-year decline in net interest income. The net interest income increaseHowever, despite these industry-wide headwinds, revenue increased 1%, while adjusted revenue* increased 3%. Our efficiency ratio-taxable equivalent of 60.01% was partially drivenimpacted by a FDIC special assessment, realized losses on strategic loan sales, and one-time restructuring charges associated with a voluntary early retirement program. Excluding the interest rate environment as the asset sensitive balance sheet coupled withFDIC special assessment, our adjusted tangible efficiency ratio* of 52.70% reflects disciplined deposit pricing drove an increase in net interest margin and net interest income.expense management.

Non-interestReported non-interest revenue declined 1%, but adjusted non-interest revenue* increased 11% on a year-over-year basis, primarily driven by an industry-wide reductioncontinued growth in mortgage fee income; however strong growth continued in core areas such as wealth management revenue and core banking fees.

We executed disciplined expense growth year-over-year while investing in new business initiatives, resulting in overall strong positive operating leverage. At the end ofmanagement throughout the year we exceededwhile continuing to invest in key areas to grow the bank. We divested our $175 million commitment on Synovus Forwardasset management firm GLOBALT and sold our medical office buildings and third-party automobile loan portfolios, which included a combination ofimproved key risk, capital, and liquidity metrics and provided expense and revenue initiatives.capital capacity to redeploy to higher return opportunities.

Despite higher revenue from net interest income growth, adjusted earnings per share, or adjusted EPS,* declined slightly from 2021 to 2022 and was predominantly driven by theThe overall increase in the provision for credit losses.losses was the predominant driver of the year-over-year decline in earnings per share, or EPS. The increase in provision in 2023 was driven by the declinehigher levels of charge-offs and a nine basis point increase in the allowance for loan losses in 2021. Credit metrics improved in 2022 and remain near cycle lows, demonstrating a continuation of prudent risk management amongst an uncertain economic outlook. Ourour allowance for credit losses, or ACL, ended the year at 1.15%, reflecting continued health and the strong performance of our core loan portfolio offset by a declining economic outlook.ACL.

We ended the year with aincreased our common equity tier 1 capital, or CET1, ratio by 59 basis points and ended the year at 10.22%, while also improving our overall liquidity profile as reflected in both our reduced level of 9.63% which iswholesale borrowings and overall increase in the upper half of our target operating range of 9.25% - 9.75%.contingent liquidity. We effectively deployed capital in support of our organic growth and strategic growth initiatives over the course of the year. Overall,believe our capital positionand liquidity positions, along with our strong earnings potential, positions us well to execute on our strategic growth initiatives.

For additional information relating to our business and our subsidiaries, including a detailed description of our operating results and financial condition for 20222023 and 2021,2022, please refer to the summary on page 33 of this Proxy Statement and our 20222023 Annual Report that accompanies this Proxy Statement.

During 2022, our performanceDespite continued environmental pressures around inflation and interest rates in 2023, as compounded by the bank failures in the first half of 2023, we continued to perform well across key profitability metrics including earnings, improved from 2021. We also made significant progress toward accomplishingand continued to execute on our key strategic priorities for the year. Our 2022 compensation reflects our improved financialcorporate and individual performance and progress toward achieving our strategic objectives, including payouts under our short-term incentive plan that were above target.goals.

Kevin S. Blair, our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President, received a 3%5% base salary increase to $975,000,$1,025,000, effective March 6, 2022,5, 2023, based upon the Compensation and Human Capital Committee’s review of market comparisons of compensation levels among CEOs at peer companies. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee also reviewed market comparisons for other executives and recognized that some base salaries for other named executive officers were below the market median. As a result, Andrew J. Gregory, Jr., Kevin J. Howard, D. Zachary Bishop, and D. Zachary BishopWayne Akins, Jr. received base salary increases of 26%4%, 10%, 5%, and 18%10%, respectively, effective March 6, 2022. Shellie R. Creson’s base salary was established in connection with her hiring effective July 25, 2022.5, 2023.

Because of our stock ownership guidelines, executive officers hold a meaningful amount of Synovus common stock, further aligning their interests with shareholders’ interests.

We believe that the compensation delivered to each named executive officer in 20222023 was fair, reasonable, and aligned with our performance and our corporate and personal objectives.

If you received a Notice by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy materials by mail unless you request printed materials. If you wish to receive printed proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials contained on the Notice.

If you receive more than one Notice, it means that your shares are registered differently and are held in more than one account. To ensure that all shares are voted, please either vote each account over the Internet or by telephone or sign and return by mail all proxy cards.

You are entitled to one vote per share if you were a shareholder of record of Synovus common stock as of the close of business on February 16, 2023.22, 2024. Your shares can be voted at the meeting only if you are present or represented by a valid proxy.

If your shares are held in the name of a bank, broker, or other holder of record, you will receive voting instructions from such holder of record. You must follow the voting instructions of the holder of record in order for your shares to be voted. Telephone and Internet voting will also be offered to shareholders owning shares through certain banks, brokers, and other holders of record. If your shares are not registered in your own name and you plan to vote your shares at the Annual Meeting, you should contact your broker or agent to obtain a legal proxy or broker’s proxy card in order to vote at the Annual Meeting.

A majority of the votes entitled to be cast by the holders of the outstanding shares of Synovus common stock must be present, either in person virtually or represented by proxy, in order to conduct the Annual Meeting. This is referred to as a quorum. On February 16, 2023, 145,863,12222, 2024, 146,416,777 shares of Synovus common stock were issued and outstanding and entitled to vote.

The Board has designated two individuals to serve as proxies to vote the shares represented by proxies at the Annual Meeting. If you properly submit a proxy but do not specify how you want your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted by the designated proxies in accordance with the Board’s recommendations as follows:

The number of affirmative votes required to approve each of the proposals to be considered at the Annual Meeting is described below:

To be elected, each of the 11 director nominees named in this Proxy Statement must receive more votes cast “for” such nominee’s election than votes cast “against” such nominee’s election. If a nominee who currently is serving as a director does not receive the required vote for re-election, Georgia law provides that such director will continue to serve on the Board of Directors as a “holdover” director. However, pursuant to Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines, each holdover director has tendered an irrevocable resignation that would be effective upon the Board’s acceptance of such resignation. In that situation, our Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee would consider the resignation and make a recommendation to the Board of Directors about whether to accept or reject such resignation and publicly disclose its decision within 90 days following certification of the shareholder vote.

For all of the other proposals described in this Proxy Statement, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast is required to approve each such proposal.

Under certain circumstances, including the election of directors, matters involving executive compensation, and other matters considered non-routine, banks and brokers are prohibited from exercising discretionary authority for beneficial owners who have not provided voting instructions to the bank or broker. This is generally referred to as a “broker non-vote.” In these cases, as long as a routine matter is also being voted on, and in cases where the shareholder does not vote on such routine matter, those shares will be counted for the purpose of determining if a quorum is present, but will not be included as votes cast with respect to those matters. Whether a bank or broker has authority to vote its shares on uninstructed matters is determined by stock exchange rules. We expect that brokers will be allowed to exercise discretionary authority for beneficial owners who have not provided voting instructions only with respect to Proposal 3 but not with respect to any of the other proposals to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

For all proposals, abstentions, and broker non-votes will have no effect on the proposal to be considered at the Annual Meeting.

You can vote your shares by telephone by calling 1-800-690-6903. Telephone voting is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, until 11:59 P.M., Eastern Time, on April 25, 2023.23, 2024. Easy-to-follow voice prompts allow you to vote your shares and confirm that your instructions have been properly recorded. Our telephone voting procedures are designed to authenticate the shareholder by using individual control numbers. If you vote by telephone, you do NOT need to return your proxy card.

If you choose to vote by mail, simply mark your proxy card, date, and sign it, and return it in the postage-paid envelope provided.

If you participate in the Synovus Dividend Reinvestment and Direct Stock Purchase Plan, the Synovus Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and/or the Synovus Director Stock Purchase Plan, your proxy card represents shares held in the respective plan, as well as shares you hold

directly in certificate form registered in the same name. If you hold shares of Synovus common stock through a 401(k) plan, you will receive a separate proxy card representing those shares of Synovus common stock.

If you are a shareholder of record and vote by proxy, you may revoke that proxy at any time before it is voted at the Annual Meeting. You may do this by (1) signing another proxy card with a later date and returning it to us prior to the Annual Meeting, (2) voting again by telephone or on the Internet prior to 11:59 P.M., Eastern Time, on April 25, 2023,23, 2024, or (3) attending the Annual Meeting virtually and casting a ballot.

If your Synovus shares are held by a bank, broker, or other nominee, you must follow the instructions provided by the bank, broker, or other nominee if you wish to change or revoke your vote.

The Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 26, 202324, 2024 via a virtual format by live webcast.

If your shares are registered in your name and you received proxy materials by mail, your control number is attached to your proxy card. If you hold shares through an account with a bank or broker, you will need to contact your bank or broker and request a legal proxy. A legal proxy is an authorization from your bank or broker for you to vote the shares it holds in its name on your behalf. It also serves as your control number.

Once you are admitted to the meeting as a shareholder, you may vote during the meeting and also submit questions by following the instructions available on the virtual meeting website during the meeting. Those without a 16-digit control number may attend the 20232024 Annual Meeting as guests, but they will not have the option to vote shares or submit questions during the virtual meeting.

You can find the voting results of the Annual Meeting in Synovus’ Current Report on Form 8-K, which Synovus will file with the SEC no later than May 2, 2023.

The business affairs of Synovus are managed under the direction of the Board of Directors in accordance with the Georgia Business Corporation Code, as implemented by Synovus’ Articles and bylaws. The role of the Board of Directors, or the Board, is to effectively govern the affairs of Synovus for the benefit of its shareholders. The Board strives to ensure the success and continuity of Synovus’ business through the appointment of qualified executive management. It is also responsible for ensuring that Synovus’ activities are conducted in a responsible and ethical manner. Synovus and its Board of Directors are committed to following sound corporate governance.

Synovus’ Board and management believe that good corporate governance practices promote the long-term interests of all shareholders and strengthen Board and management accountability. Highlights of such practices include:

In addition, the Board, under the leadership of the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee, continues to actively monitor and consider additional and evolving changes to our corporate governance practices for the future.

The Board has affirmatively determined that a majority of its members are independent as defined by the listing standards of the NYSE and the categorical standards of independence set by the Board. Synovus’ Board has determined that, as of January 1, 2023,2024, the following thirteenten directors are independent: Stacy Apter; Tim E. Bentsen; F. Dixon Brooke, Jr.; Stephen T. Butler; Elizabeth W. Camp; Pedro Cherry; John H. Irby; Diana M. Murphy; Harris Pastides; Joseph J. Prochaska, Jr.; John L. Stallworth; Barry L. Storey; Alexandra Villoch; and Teresa White. In addition, the Board has affirmatively determined that Stacy Apter will be independent if elected to the Board at the Annual Meeting. Please see “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” on page 5553 of this Proxy Statement for a discussion of certain relationships between Synovus and its independent directors. These relationships have been considered by the Board in determining a director’s independence from Synovus under Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines and the NYSE listing standards and were determined to be immaterial.

The Board of Directors held tentwelve meetings in 2022.2023 and one joint meeting with the Risk Committee in 2023. All directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings held during their tenure during 2022.2023. The average attendance by incumbent directors at the aggregate number of Board and committee meetings they were scheduled to attend was 98%97%. Although Synovus has no formal policy with respect to Board members’ attendance at its annual meetings, it is customary for all Board members to attend the annual meeting. All of Synovus’ then-current directors attended Synovus’ 20222023 annual meeting of shareholders.

Board meetings regularly include educational presentations and training to enable our directors to keep abreast of business and banking trends and market, regulatory, and industry issues. These sessions are often conducted by outside experts in such subject areas as cybersecurity, evolving regulatory standards, risk management, emerging products and trends, economic conditions, digital, technology, and effective corporate governance. In addition, the Board is provided business-specific training on products and services and special risks and opportunities to Synovus. Moreover, our directors periodically attend industry conferences, meetings with regulatory agencies, and educational sessions pertaining to their service on the Board and its committees.

Following the election of directors at the Annual Meeting, composition and leadership of the foregoing committees will be reconstituted after giving effect to any changes to the current composition of the Board.

Synovus’ Audit Committee held twelve meetings in 2022 and two joint meetings with the Risk Committee in 2022.2023. The Audit Committee’s report is on page 31 of this Proxy Statement. The Board has determined that all sixfive members of the Committee are independent and financially literate under the rules of the NYSE and that each of the sixfive members of the Audit Committee is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the rules of the SEC. The primary functions of the Audit Committee include:

Synovus’ Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee held ninethree meetings in 2022.2023. The primary functions of Synovus’ Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee include:

Synovus’ Compensation and Human Capital Committee held six meetings in 2022.2023. Its report is on page 4645 of this Proxy Statement. The primary functions of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee include:

Information regarding the Compensation and Human Capital Committee’s processes and procedures for considering and determining executive officer compensation is provided in the “Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this Proxy Statement. Except to the extent prohibited by law or regulation, the Compensation and Human Capital Committee may delegate matters within its power and responsibility to individuals or subcommittees when it deems appropriate.

In addition, the Compensation and Human Capital Committee has the authority under its charter to retain outside advisors to assist the Committee in the performance of its duties. During 2022,2023, the Committee retained the services of Meridian Compensation Partners, LLC, or Meridian, to:

The Compensation and Human Capital Committee evaluated whether the work provided by Meridian raised any conflict of interest. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee considered various factors, including the six factors mandated by SEC rules, and determined that no conflict of interest was raised by the work of Meridian described in this Proxy Statement. Meridian was engaged directly by the Compensation and Human Capital Committee, although the Compensation and Human Capital Committee also directed that Meridian work with Synovus’ management to facilitate the Compensation and Human Capital Committee’s review of compensation practices and management’s recommendations. Synovus’ Chief Human Resources Officer developed executive compensation recommendations for the

Compensation and Human Capital Committee’s consideration in conjunction with Synovus’ CEO and with the advice of Meridian. Meridian did not provide any other services to Synovus during 2022.2023.

In 2022,2023, Synovus’ Chief Human Resources Officer worked with the ChairmanChair of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee to establish the agenda for committee meetings. Management also prepared background information for each committee meeting. Synovus’ Chief Human Resources Officer and CEO generally attend committee meetings by invitation of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee. However, the Compensation and Human Capital Committee regularly meets in executive session without members of management in attendance, and the CEO and other members of management do not have authority to vote on committee matters. Meridian attended all of the committee meetings held during 20222023 at the request of the Compensation and Human Capital Committee.

Synovus’ Risk Committee held seveneight meetings in 20222023 and twoone joint meetingsmeeting with the Audit CommitteeBoard of Directors in 2022.2023. The primary functions of Synovus’ Risk Committee include:

The Executive Committee, held one meeting in 2022 andwhich is comprised of the chairpersonschairs of the principal standing committees of the Board and Board of Directors of Synovus Bank, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chairman of the Board (if different from the Chief Executive Officer), and the Lead Director.Director, did not meet in 2023. During the intervals between meetings of the Board, the Executive Committee possesses and may exercise any and all of the powers of the Board in the management and direction of the business and affairs of Synovus with respect to which specific direction has not been previously given by the Board, unless Board action is required by Synovus’ governing documents, law, or rule.

Messrs. Bentsen, Brooke, Butler, Prochaska,Irby, and Storey, Ms. Murphy, and Ms. White served on the Compensation and Human Capital Committee during 2022.2023. In addition, F. Dixon Brooke, Jr., Stephen T. Butler, and Joseph J. Prochaska, Jr. served on the Compensation and Human Capital Committee until each of his retirements in April 2023. None of these individuals is or has been an officer or employee of Synovus. In 2021,2023, none of our executive officers served on the board of directors or compensation committee of any entity that had one or more of its executive officers serving on Synovus’ Board or Compensation and Human Capital Committee.

One of our Board’s most important functions is to provide oversight and direction as to Synovus’ strategy, including business and organizational initiatives, potential growth opportunities, risks, and challenges. As such, the Board incorporates strategic topics into each meeting agenda and monitors strategic progress and emerging risks quarterly through the Risk Committee. Management provides the Board with a detailed review of the strategic plan, including the short-term and long-term initiatives and targets. As a part of this process, the Board and its committees carefully consider whether the strategic plan aligns with Synovus’ risk appetite and risk profile. Moreover, the Board has at least one extended session annually focused on a deeper dive into emerging industry trends and the correlation to Synovus’ strategic direction.

Throughout 2023, Synovus' core strategic focus remained on expanding and diversifying the franchise in terms of revenue, profitability, and asset size while maintaining a relationship-based approach to banking. In 2022, Synovus’ strategic plan continued to focus on building upon our proven strong reputation, commitment to our communities,a year fraught with industry instability, economic uncertainty, inflationary pressures, and relationship-centered approach while reflecting the unique considerations for us as a regional bank moving more aggressively toward innovation. 2022 presented unique strategic planning challenges as interest rates increased aggressively throughout the year and economic growth began to taper. In response to this unprecedented environment,enhanced regulatory scrutiny, we made deliberate adjustments to our businesses and business model to drive sustained franchise value while retaining our legacy focus on our people and our clients. EmbracingWe also continued to embrace the acceleration of technology and adoption of digital and data capabilities.

These goals are supported by such initiatives as banking-as-a-service capabilities, deposit generation strategies, expansion in strategic growth verticals such as middle market commercial banking and data capabilities are critical to position us as a top quartile performingCorporate and Investment Banking, additional Treasury and Payments solutions, certain investments in the bank of the future. During 2022, wefuture through automation, digital, and analytics, and certain enhancements related to talent acquisition, management, development, and engagement. Underlying each of the four fundamentals is a culture that is focused on growthsafety and performance through four core pillars:

The Board monitors the execution of the strategic plan throughout the year at its regularly scheduled meetings and continually assesses and guides management on the strategic direction and initiatives.

Under Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines, the Board is charged with providing oversight of Synovus’ risk management processes. The Board does not view risk in isolation and considers risk in virtually every business decision and as part of the Company’s overall business strategy. While the Board oversees risk management, the Company’s management is charged with managing risk. The Board’s role in risk oversight is an integral part of Synovus’ overall enterprise risk management framework.

The Risk Committee fulfills the overarching oversight role for the enterprise risk management and compliance processes, including approving the risk appetite of the Company, risk tolerance levels, and risk policies and limits, monitoring key and emerging risks, and reviewing risk assessments. In carrying out its responsibilities, the Risk Committee works closely with Synovus’ Chief Risk Officer and other members of Synovus’ enterprise risk management team. The Risk Committee meets periodically with the Chief Risk Officer and other members of management and receives a comprehensive report on enterprise risk management matters, including management’s assessment of risk exposures (including risks related to strategy, reputation, credit, market/interest rates, liquidity, legal, compliance, and operations, among others) and the processes in place to monitor and control such exposures. The Risk Committee is also responsible for overseeing the investment policy and strategy and contingency funding plan of the Company. Between meetings, as needed or appropriate, the ChairmanChair of the Risk Committee receives updates relating to risk oversight matters from the Chief Risk Officer the CEO, and the Chief Information Security Officer.CEO. The Risk Committee provides a report on risk management to the full Board on at least a quarterly basis.

In addition, oversight of risk is allocated to all other committees of the Board, who meet regularly and report back to the Board. The Audit Committee oversees risks related to financial reporting, internal controls over financial reporting, valuation of investment securities, and private equity investments, internal and independent audit functions, capital adequacy, legal matters, tax matters, credit matters, and reputational risks relating to these areas. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee oversees risks related to incentive compensation, executive and director compensation, executive succession planning, talent retention, human capital, and reputational risks

The Company believes that its enterprise risk framework, including the active engagement of management with the Board in the risk oversight function, supports the risk oversight function of the Board. For more information on the risks facing the Company, see the risk factors in “Part I—Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the 20222023 Annual Report.

Information security is a significant operational risk for financial institutions which may lead not only to financial losses, but may also negatively affect the reputation of and confidence in the Company. Synovus continues to enhance our information security program and capabilities to identify, assess, manage, mitigate, and mitigaterespond to threats to the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of our information systems. Our Board recognizes and appreciates the seriousness of cybersecurity-related risks and as such, supports the continuous development of and investment in our information security program and capabilities to identify and mitigate existing and emerging threats to confidentiality, availability, and integrity of our information systems. Below are some highlights of the elements of our information security program:

Our current Board leadership structure consists of:

Our Corporate Governance Guidelines and governance framework provide the Board with flexibility to select the appropriate leadership structure for Synovus. In making leadership structure determinations, the Board considers many factors, including the specific needs of the

charter, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee periodically reviews and recommends to the Board the leadership structure of the Board and, if necessary, nominates the Lead Director candidate from the independent directors. Currently, one individual serves as both our Chairman and CEO, and, as a result, Synovus also has a Lead Director. The Board currently believes that the combination of these two roles provide consistent communication and coordination throughout the organization, which results in a more effective and efficient implementation of corporate strategy and is important in unifying Synovus’ strategy behind a single vision.

The Chairman of the Board is responsible for chairing Board meetings and meetings of shareholders, setting the agendas for Board meetings in consultation with the Lead Director, and providing information to Board members in advance of meetings and between meetings.

Pursuant to Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines, the duties of the Lead Director include the following:

After careful consideration, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has determined that Synovus’ current Board structure is the most appropriate leadership structure for Synovus and its shareholders at this time. Moreover, as part of the Board’s annual self-evaluation, the performance of the Chairman of the Board and Lead Director are evaluated, and the Board continues to believe that the current Board structure is appropriate and effective.

The non-management and independent directors of Synovus meet separately after each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors and at such other times as may be requested by the Lead Director or any director. During 2022,2023, Mr. Bentsen, as Lead Director, presided at the meetings of non-management and independent directors.

The Board’s annual self-evaluation is a key component of its director nomination process and succession planning. In fact, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee uses the input from these self-evaluations, as facilitated by an independent third-party facilitator in 2023, to recommend changes to Synovus’ corporate governance practices and areas of focus for the following year and to plan for an orderly succession of the Board and its committees. The Board values the contributions of directors who have developed extensive experience and insight into Synovus during the course of their service on the Board and as such, the Board does not believe arbitrary term limits on directors’ service are appropriate. At the same time, the Board recognizes the importance of Board refreshment to help ensure an appropriate balance of experience and perspectives on the Board.

Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines contain Board membership criteria considered by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee in recommending nominees for a position on Synovus’ Board. The Committee believes that, at a minimum, a director candidate must possess personal and professional integrity, sound judgment, and forthrightness. A director candidate must also have sufficient time and energy to devote to the affairs of Synovus, must be free from conflicts of interest with Synovus, must not have reached the retirement age for Synovus directors, and must be willing to make, and be financially capable of making, the required investment in Synovus’ stock pursuant to Synovus’ Director Stock Ownership Guidelines. The Committee also considers the following criteria when reviewing director candidates and existing directors:

The Committee does not assign specific weights to particular criteria and no particular criterion is necessarily applicable to all prospective nominees. In addition to the criteria set forth above, the Committee considers how the skills and attributes of each individual candidate or incumbent director work together to create a board that is collegial, engaged, and effective in performing its duties. Although the Board does not have a formal policy on diversity, the Board and the Committee believe that the background and qualifications of the directors, considered as a group, should provide a significant mix of experience, knowledge, and abilities that will contribute to Board diversity and allow the Board to effectively fulfill its responsibilities. For a discussion of the specific backgrounds and qualifications of our director nominees, see “Proposals to be Voted on: Proposal 1—Election of 11 Directors—Nominees for Election as Director” beginning on page 20 of this Proxy Statement.

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee has two primary methods for identifying director candidates (other than those proposed by Synovus’ shareholders, as discussed below). First, on a periodic basis, the Committee solicits ideas for possible candidates from a number of sources, including members of the Board, Synovus’ executives, and individuals personally known to the members of the Board. Second, the Committee, as authorized under its charter, retains at Synovus’ expense one or more search firms to identify candidates.

The Committee will consider all director candidates identified through the processes described above, as well as any candidates identified by shareholders through the process described below, and will evaluate each of them, including incumbents, based on the same criteria. The director candidates are evaluated at regular or special meetings of the Committee and may be considered at any point during the year. If based on the Committee’s initial evaluation a director candidate continues to be of interest to the Committee, the Chair of the Committee will interview the candidate and communicate his or her evaluation to the other Committee members and executive management. Additional interviews are conducted, if necessary, and ultimately the Committee will meet to finalize its list of recommended candidates for the Board’s consideration.

The Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee will consider candidates for nomination as a director submitted by shareholders. Although the Committee does not have a separate policy that addresses the consideration of director candidates recommended by shareholders, the Board does not believe that such a separate policy is necessary, as Synovus’ bylaws permit shareholders to nominate candidates and as one of the duties set forth in the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee charter is to review and consider director candidates submitted by shareholders. The Committee evaluates individuals recommended by shareholders for nomination as directors according to the criteria discussed above and in accordance with Synovus’ bylaws and the procedures described under “Shareholder Proposals and Nominations” on page 5654 of this Proxy Statement.

Synovus’ Board provides a process for shareholders and other interested parties to communicate with one or more members of the Board, including the Lead Director or the non-management or independent directors as a group. Shareholders and other interested parties may communicate with the Board as follows:

Relevant communications are distributed to the Board, or to any individual director or directors, as appropriate, depending upon the facts and circumstances outlined in the communication. In that regard, the Board has requested that certain items that are unrelated to its duties and responsibilities be excluded, such as: business solicitations or advertisements; junk mail and mass mailings; resumes and other forms of job inquiries; spam; and surveys. In addition, material that is unduly hostile, threatening, illegal, or similarly unsuitable will be excluded. Any communication that is filtered out is made available to any director upon request.

Synovus and our Board believe that accountability to our shareholders is key to sound corporate governance principles, and as such, regular and transparent communication with our shareholders is essential to our long-term success. Throughout the year, members of our management team meet regularly with a significant number of our shareholders to discuss our corporate strategy, financial performance, long-term objectives, credit risks, capital management, enterprise risk management, corporate governance, ESG related matters, and executive compensation. In regularly engaging with our shareholders, we provide perspective on our governance policies and executive compensation practices and seek input from these shareholders to ensure that we are addressing their questions and concerns.

Our on-going shareholder engagement program encompasses a number of initiatives, including:

In addition, in February 2022, we held our first Investor Day event in 15 years, outlining our short and long-term strategy and engaging with over 67% of our investors in person and virtually. Throughout the year, we also contacted, virtually and telephonically, many of Synovus’ largest shareholders. This allowed us to better understand and address shareholder questions and concerns related to such issues as our financial performance, the interest rate environment, our strategic objectives, Synovus Forward, and our long-term growth strategy. Feedback and perspectives shared during these engagement meetings were discussed by executive management and the Board and influenced several changes and disclosure enhancements. In addition, we updated our website disclosure with respect to certain ESG-related matters in an effort to improve investor access to key information about our evolving ESG practices and oversight.

We look forward to continued enhancement of our shareholder engagement program in 2023.2024. We are committed to an open dialogue where investor views and priorities may be gathered and discussed, thereby informing and guiding a deliberative decision-making process with a diverse shareholder base in mind.

Our purpose is to enable people to reach their full potential - our shareholders, clients, employees, and communities.

We have a structured corporate responsibility program that monitors, manages, and oversees all corporate responsibility-related risks and opportunities within the Company. In 2022,2023, we continued to enhance our ESG reporting and disclosures, including continuedour alignment with the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board’s Accounting Standards for Commercial Banks and adoption of the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures framework. We expanded a number of our ESG-related disclosures and have structured our ESG program to monitor, manage, and oversee all ESG-related risks and opportunities within the Company.

Volunteerism is an additional and first-time financial contribution from our newly established Here Matters Community donor-advised fund, forging a meaningful partnership with Junior Achievement in mid-2022 that contributed to 2,465intrinsic part of Synovus culture. We provided over 4,000 hours in financial education and life skills development in just the second half of the year.2023. Through our broader volunteer efforts, our employees also contributed 28,80030,590 community service hours to more than 4,600approximately 8,000 causes.

Great Place to Work Institute and were recognized again among Atlanta’s Top Workplaces bylevels that rank Synovus in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and as a Forbes 2022 Best Bank in America. We regularly conduct employee engagement surveys and touchpoints, and in 2022, our “Voicetop 5% of the Team Member” action teams identified 10 engagement initiatives, implementing improvements such as the rollout of “My Time” which encourages employeesbanking industry, proving our ongoing commitment to set aside one hour per week for personal developmentfostering a supportive and a new “Chairman’s Synergy Award” to celebrate team success.inclusive workplace.

Synovus isThe Company remains committed to creating a compelling work environment with abundant growth and career development opportunity. We continue our efforts of attracting and retaining the brightest and best talent. Of the approximately 1,7111,154 open positions filled in 2022, 34%2023, 31% were filled by internal hires. Approximately 18%13% of our work force received a promotion in 2022,2023, consisting of 70%67% women and 38%36% people of color. Our commitment to our employees has resulted in a long-term work force,workforce with an average tenure of eight years of service. We attribute our ability to attract and retain talent to several factors, including impactful work that affects the communities in which our employees live, strong leadership, availability of career advancement opportunities, and competitive and equitable total rewards.

Synovus has created internal programsis committed to providing access to learning, development, and training opportunities that enable employees to reach their full potential and to achieve the strategic goals of the Company. Synovus enables our employees by providing access to in-person, virtual instructor-led, on demand and curated learning opportunities to support the development and retention of our employees, including internal developmentskill development. This includes, but is not limited to, new hire orientation, role-based training programs, designed to train our leaders. In 2022, more than 1,100 courses were offered to employees on such topics as leadership, compliance, technical training, and professional and leadership development. An averageSynovus also encourages employees to devote one hour a week to professional development.

Synovus believes in the importance of approximately 20 hours of training per employee was completed. Development of our seniorequipping leaders likewise continues to be a priority, and we fully implemented two seniorhas invested in developing leadership at every level. Our leadership development programs in 2022. We launched the first 13-member, high potential leader cohort of the- Ignite, Connect, Leadership Program - focused on executive readiness, and Catalyst On-Demand, with 176- focus on frontline leadership, senior leaders focused on nine transformational capabilities.leadership, and executive-level readiness through a tailored approach to development and succession planning. We continue to deliveralso support and encourage our Ignite First Line Leadership development, with 104 employees completing the program in 2022 and 609 employees completing the program since its inception in 2020. Synovus also supports our employees’ involvement in external development programs, such as specialty banking schools and other technical training. In support of learning and development for our workforce, Synovus offersopportunities. We offer a tuition assistance program for thoseemployees seeking qualified undergraduate and graduate degrees and other continuing educationaleducation programs. We also provide 100% tuition coverage for employees selected for specialty banking schools.

We have a strong policy against sexual harassment that extends to all inappropriate and unlawful conduct, regardless of its form and where or when it occurs, including conduct that occurs away from work and all forms of electronic communications, such as social media posts, text messages, or email. Any conduct believed to be in violation of the policy may be reported anonymously to our Ethics Hotline. We formally implementedhave a dedicated Ethics Office as an added measure for promoting honest and ethical conduct, compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and increased accountability for adherence to as well as prompt internal reporting of violations of the Code of Business Conduct and Ethics.

To continue to build and attract a diverse work force,workforce, in 2022,2023, Synovus continued to identifyworked with key organizations and partnerships to strengthen our recruiting efforts. We continued to expand our campus recruiting and scholarship programs,efforts, executing a comprehensive campus recruitment strategy with a focus on diversity, deepening our relationships with historically black colleges and universities in our markets, hosting a Diversity Symposium as a part of our recruitment efforts,diversity symposium, and increasing our focus on military recruitment. To expand our pipeline of candidates, weWe continued to partner with diverse external professional organizations such as the Latin American Association Unidos in Finance program and leveraged our numerous and varied employee resource groups for internal referrals. WeMoreover, we continued our efforts to increasefocus on awareness and improvements in the diversity of our candidate pool and revitalize ourearly talent internship and accelerated banker recruiting and selection process in 2022, having an intern class that was 45% people of color and 35% women and an accelerated banker class that was 27% people of color and 45% women.programs.

As to the existing work force,workforce, in 2022,2023, Synovus continued to focus on foundational progresswork toward increasing all dimensions of DEI across our employee population and all levels within the organization, engaging employee resource groups to assist with talent acquisition, development, and community outreach, and increasing our internal dialogue through forums, fireside chats, and listen and learn events, enhancingevents. In 2023, we provided enhanced awareness and education to our employees around neurodiversity. In addition, all of our leadership programs include unconscious bias training acrossand/or DEI modules. In 2023, we also received recognition by GallantFew as a Gallant Corporation, working to provide specialized assistance and support to our veterans and those transitioning to the organization,Company from military service.

The Compensation and Human Capital Committee is responsible for the oversight and administration of the Synovus director compensation program. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee reviews the director compensation program annually with the assistance of its independent compensation consultant, who provides a report evaluating the program relative to peer and broader market practices. The following is a description of the director compensation program for 2022.2023.

As reflected in the “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash” column of the Director Compensation Table, during 2022,2023, non-management directors of Synovus received an annual cash retainer of $70,000, withwith:

Members of the Executive Committee did not receive any additional compensation for their service on that committee. In addition, directors who are employees of Synovus do not receive any additional compensation for their service on the Board.

By paying directors an annual retainer, Synovus compensates each director for his or her role and judgment as an advisor to Synovus, rather than for his or her attendance or effort at individual meetings. In so doing, directors with added responsibility are recognized with higher cash compensation. For example, members of the Audit Committee and Risk Committee receive a higher cash retainer based upon the enhanced duties, time commitment, and responsibilities of service on those committees. The Board believes that this additional cash compensation is appropriate. In addition, directors may from time to time receive compensation for serving on advisory committees of the Synovus Board.

The members of the Board are compensated each April for their service on the Board from the date of the annual meeting to the following year’s annual meeting. As such, the Board was compensated in 20222023 for the full year of service for the period from April 27, 202226, 2023 through April 26, 2023.24, 2024.

Directors may elect to defer all or a portion of their cash compensation under the Synovus Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan. The Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan does not provide directors with an “above market” rate of return. Instead, the deferred amounts mirror the return of one or more investment funds selected by the director. In so doing, the plan is designed to allow directors to defer the income taxation of a portion of their compensation and to receive an investment return on those deferred amounts. All deferred fees are payable only in cash. Each of Ms. Apter, Dr. Pastides, and Mr. Storey, eachand Ms. Villoch elected to defer all or a portion of his 2022or her 2023 cash compensation under this plan.

During 2022,2023, non-management directors also received awards of restricted stock units under the Synovus 2021 Omnibus Plan. On April 26, 2022,25, 2023, the Board approved grants of 2,4783,550 restricted stock units ($105,000 grant date fair market value) to each of the non-management members of the Board elected on April 27, 202226, 2023 to serve as directors for a term ending on April 26, 2023.24, 2024. The director restricted stock units become fully vested and transferable upon the earlier to occur of the completion of three years of service following the grant date and the date the holder reaches mandatory retirement, as set forth in the Corporate Governance Guidelines. These restricted stock unit awards are designed to create equity ownership and to focus directors on the long-term performance of Synovus.

Effective November 2021, directorsDirectors may elect to defer all of their equity compensation under the Synovus Directors��Directors’ Deferred Compensation Plan. All deferred equity awards are payable in the form of shares of Synovus stock. Each of Messrs. Bentsen Prochaska, and Storey eachand Ms. Villoch elected to defer his 2022or her 2023 equity compensation under the plan.

Synovus’ Director Stock Purchase Plan is a non-qualified, contributory stock purchase plan pursuant to which qualifying Synovus directors may purchase, with the assistance of contributions from Synovus, presently issued and outstanding shares of Synovus stock. Under the terms of the Director Stock Purchase Plan, qualifying directors may elect to contribute up to $5,000 per calendar quarter to make purchases of Synovus stock, and Synovus contributes an additional amount (equal to 15% of the directors’ cash contributions in 2022)2023). Participants in the Director Stock Purchase Plan are fully vested in all shares of Synovus stock purchased for their benefit under the Plan and may request that the shares purchased under the Plan be released to them at any time. Synovus’ contributions under this Plan are included in the “All

Synovus’ Corporate Governance Guidelines require all directors over time to accumulate shares of Synovus stock equal in value to at least five times the value of their annual retainer. Directors have five years to attain this level of total stock ownership, but must attain a share ownership threshold of one times the amount of the director’s annual retainer within three years. These stock ownership guidelines are designed to align the interests of Synovus’ directors to that of Synovus’ shareholders and the long-term performance of Synovus. The restricted stock unit awards to directors and Synovus’ contributions under the Director Stock Purchase Plan assist and facilitate directors’ fulfillment of their stock ownership requirements. All of Synovus’ directors were in compliance with the guidelines as of December 31, 2022.2023.

The following table summarizes the compensation paid by Synovus to non-management directors for the year ended December 31, 2022.2023.

The 11 nominees for director named in this Proxy Statement were selected by the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee based upon a review of the nominees and consideration of the director qualifications described under “Corporate Governance and Board Matters—Consideration of Director Candidates—Director Qualifications” on page 1413 of this Proxy Statement and described below. With respect to the nomination of continuing directors for re-election, the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee also considers the individual’s contributions to the Board and its committees. TenAll of the 11 nominees currently serve as directors. The nominees have extensive experience in banking and financial services as well as insurance, investment management, operations, commercial real estate, risk management, corporate finance, and accounting. In addition, each of the nominees has:

Synovus believes that our compensation policies and procedures for our named executive officers are competitive, are focused on pay for performance principles, and are strongly aligned with the long-term interests of our shareholders. Synovus also believes that both we and our shareholders benefit from responsive corporate governance policies and constructive and consistent dialogue. Each year, as required by Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act, we give you, as a shareholder, the opportunity to endorse the compensation for our named executive officers. The proposal described below, commonly known as a “Say on Pay” proposal, gives you the opportunity to approve, on an advisory basis, such compensation as described in this Proxy Statement.

In deciding how to vote on this proposal, the Board encourages you to read the “Executive Compensation—Compensation Discussion and Analysis” section of this Proxy Statement and the tabular and narrative disclosure which follows it. In those sections, we discuss each element of compensation, including base salaries, short-term incentives, long-term incentives, and retirement benefits. We also discuss our policies and other factors which affect the decisions of our Compensation and Human Capital Committee.

In many cases, we are required to disclose in the executive compensation tables accounting or other non-cash estimates of future compensation. Because of this, we encourage you to read the footnotes and narratives which accompany each table in order to understand any non-cash items.

We believe our executive compensation is aligned with shareholders because:

We believe that the compensation delivered to each named executive officer in 20222023 was fair, reasonable, and aligned with our performance and strategiccorporate and personal objectives.

Unless the Board modifies its policy on the frequency of future “Say on Pay” advisory votes, the next “Say on Pay” vote will be held at the 20242025 annual meeting of shareholders.

The Audit Committee has appointed the firm of KPMG as the independent auditor to audit the consolidated financial statements of Synovus and its subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 20232024 and Synovus’ internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023.2024. KPMG has been appointed continuously since 1975 as our independent auditor. Although shareholder ratification of the appointment of Synovus’ independent auditor is not required by our bylaws or otherwise, we are submitting the selection of KPMG to our shareholders for ratification to permit shareholders to participate in this important corporate decision. If not ratified, the Audit Committee will reconsider the selection, although the Audit Committee will not be required to select a different independent auditor for Synovus.

The Audit Committee annually reviews KPMG’s independence and performance in connection with the determination to retain KPMG. In conducting its review this year, the Audit Committee considered, among other things:

Based on the results of its review this year, the Audit Committee concluded that KPMG is independent and that it is in the best interests of Synovus and its shareholders to appoint KPMG to serve as Synovus’ independent auditor for 2023.2024.

Synovus’ Audit Committee oversees the process for, and ultimately approves, the selection of the independent auditor’s lead engagement partner at the five-year mandatory rotation period. At the Audit Committee’s instruction, KPMG selects candidatescandidate(s) to be considered for the lead engagement partner role, who are then interviewed by members of Synovus’ senior management. After discussing the results of senior management’s interviews, the members of the Audit Committee, as a group, interview the candidates.candidate(s). The Audit Committee then considers the appointment and votes on the selection.

Representatives of KPMG will be present virtually at the Annual Meeting with the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and will be available to respond to appropriate questions from shareholders present at the meeting.

One of the Audit Committee’s primary responsibilities is to assist the Board in its oversight responsibility regarding the integrity of Synovus’ financial statements and systems of internal controls. Management is responsible for Synovus’ accounting and financial reporting processes, the establishment and effectiveness of internal controls, and the preparation and integrity of Synovus’ consolidated financial statements. KPMG, Synovus’ independent auditor, is responsible for performing an independent audit of Synovus’ consolidated financial statements in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and issuing opinions on whether those financial statements are presented fairly in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and on the effectiveness of Synovus’ internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the compensation, appointment, and oversight of KPMG. The function of the Audit Committee is not to duplicate the activities of management or the independent auditor, but to monitor and oversee Synovus’ financial reporting process.

In discharging its responsibilities regarding the financial reporting process, the Audit Committee:

The Audit Committee has discussed with Synovus’ internal auditors and KPMG the overall scope and plans for their respective audits. The Audit Committee regularly meets with Synovus’ internal auditors and KPMG, with and without management present, to discuss the results of their examinations and their observations and recommendations regarding Synovus’ internal controls.

Based upon the review and discussions referred to in the preceding paragraph, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements referred to above be included in Synovus’ Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 20222023 filed with the SEC.

The following table presents fees for professional audit services rendered by KPMG for the audit of Synovus’ annual consolidated financial statements for the years ended December 31, 20222023 and December 31, 20212022 and fees billed for other services rendered by KPMG during those periods.

The Audit Committee has the responsibility for appointing, setting the compensation for, and overseeing the work of Synovus’ independent auditor. In recognition of this responsibility, the Audit Committee has established a policy to pre-approve all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the independent auditor in order to assure that the provision of these services does not impair the independent auditor’s independence. Synovus’ Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policy addresses services included within the four categories of audit and permissible non-audit services, which include Audit Services, Audit Related Services, Tax Services, and All Other Services.

The Audit Committee uses a combination of two approaches to pre-approve audit and permitted non-audit services performed by the independent auditor: class pre-approval and specific pre-approval. Class pre-approval is reserved for certain limited audit, audit-related, and tax services, as approved by the Audit Committee each year. All other services performed by the independent auditor must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee. For instance, the annual audit services engagement terms and fees are subject to the specific pre-approval of the Audit Committee. In addition, the Audit Committee must specifically approve permissible non-audit services classified as All Other Services.

Prior to engagement, management submits to the Audit Committee for approval a detailed list of the Audit Services, Audit Related Services, and Tax Services that it recommends the Audit Committee engage the independent auditor to provide for the fiscal year. Each service is allocated to the appropriate category and, where specific pre-approval is required, the specific service is accompanied by a budget estimating the cost of that service. The Audit Committee will, if appropriate, approve both the list of Audit Services, Audit Related Services, and Tax Services, the classification of the service and where specific pre-approval is required, the budget for such services.

The Audit Committee is informed at each Committee meeting as to the services actually provided by the independent auditor pursuant to the Pre-Approval Policy. Any proposed service that is not separately listed in the Pre-Approval Policy or any service exceeding the pre-approved fee levels must be specifically pre-approved by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has delegated pre-approval authority (on engagements not exceeding $100,000)$250,000) to the ChairmanChair of the Audit Committee. The ChairmanChair must report any pre-approval decisions made by him to the Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.

All of the services described in the table above under the captions “Audit Fees,” “Audit Related Fees,” “Tax Fees,” and “All Other Fees” were approved by the Audit Committee pursuant to legal requirements and the Audit Committee’s charter and Pre-Approval Policy.

The following Compensation Discussion and Analysis, or CD&A, describes our compensation program for our named executive officers as of December 31, 2022,2023, who are listed in the table below:

Specifically, the CD&A addresses:

For additional information about the Compensation and Human Capital Committee and its charter, its processes, and procedures for administering executive compensation, the role of compensation consultants, and other governance information, please see “Corporate Governance and Board Matters—Committees of the Board—Compensation and Human Capital Committee” on page 9 of this Proxy Statement.

TheMany of the key economic drivers of 2022 U.S. economy was substantially impacted– inflation, economic uncertainty, geopolitical pressures, and changes in monetary policy, among others – continued into 2023, compounded by high inflation that beganbank failures in the middlefirst half of 2021. As2023 and the resulting pressures on and volatility in the banking industry as a result,whole. The subsequent response by both the banking industry and the Federal Reserve aggressivelyserved to mitigate the risks of the failures becoming more systemic. However, the residual impacts on the banking industry and the broader economic environment remain uncertain and have generally presented a more challenging outlook for the banking industry and Synovus. The reactions to the bank failures included an FDIC special assessment, increased regulatory scrutiny, expectations for future regulatory changes, and continued pressure on deposits and liquidity. Additionally, the Federal Reserve tightened monetary policy with the Federal Open Market Committee, or FOMC, raisingby continuing to raise market interest rates 425by 100 basis points during 2022, primarily duein 2023 in an effort to persistentachieve its inflation that remains the largest headwind to the U.S. economy. The extent of interest rate increases and the period of time that higher rates will remain in effect depends greatly on the level of inflation and strength of the labor market.

For additional information related to our business and subsidiaries, including a detailed description of our operating results and financial condition for 2022,2023, please refer to our 20222023 Annual Report that accompanies this Proxy Statement.

20222023 compensation outcomes reflected our performance as described below:

Mr. Blair received a 3%5% increase in his base salary to $975,000,$1,025,000, effective March 6, 2022,5, 2023, based upon the Compensation and Human Capital Committee’s review of market comparisons of compensation levels among CEOs at peer companies. The Committee also reviewed market comparisons for other executives and recognized that some base salaries for other named executive officers were below the market median. As a result,The Committee also considered individual performance in establishing base salaries. Accordingly, Messrs. Gregory, Howard, Bishop, and BishopAkins received base salary increases of 26%4%, 10%, 5%, and 18%10%, respectively, effective March 6, 2022. Ms. Creson’s base salary was established in connection with her hiring effective July 25, 2022.5, 2023.

Because of our stock ownership guidelines, executive officers hold a meaningful amount of Synovus common stock, further aligning their interests with shareholders’ interests.

We believe that the compensation delivered to each named executive officer in 20222023 was fair, reasonable, and aligned with our performance and our corporate and personal objectives.

We continue to maintain strong governance features in connection with our executive compensation program, as outlined in the table below and further discussed in this CD&A.

At the 20222023 annual meeting of shareholders, we held an advisory vote on executive compensation for 2021.2022. Over 98%97% of the votes cast were in favor of this advisory proposal. The Compensation and Human Capital Committee considered this favorable outcome and believed the results conveyed our shareholders’ support of our executive compensation programs and did not make any specific changes to our executive compensation programs as a result of this vote. At the Annual Meeting, we will again hold an annual advisory vote to approve executive compensation paid in 2022.2023. The Committee values feedback from its shareholders and will continue to consider the results from this year’s and future advisory votes on executive compensation.

Synovus has established a compensation program for our executives that is performance-oriented and designed to support our strategic goals. Our compensation philosophy, as well as how our program aligns with the philosophy, is described in the table below.

Synovus has a performance-oriented executive compensation program that is designed to support our corporate strategic goals, including growth in earnings and growth in shareholder value. The elements of our regular total compensation program and the objectives of each element are identified in the following table and discussed in more detail below: