8-K

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

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): March 11, 2022

W. P. Carey Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (212) 492-1100

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

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. below):

☐ 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))

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 Agreements of Certain Officers.

Effective as of March 10, 2022, Constantin H. Beier, age 50, was elected to the Board of Directors of W. P. Carey Inc. (the “Company”). Mr. Beier will be eligible to participate in the Company’s standard non-employee director compensation program on a prorated basis, including being eligible to receive an annual cash retainer and an annual grant of restricted stock under the W. P. Carey Inc. 2017 Share Incentive Plan, as described further in the Company’s proxy statement for its 2021 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2021. There are no other understandings or arrangements between Mr. Beier or any other person and the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to which Mr. Beier was appointed to serve as a director. There are no transactions between Mr. Beier or any of his immediate family members and the Company or any of its subsidiaries that would be required to be reported under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Mr. Beier was appointed to the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company

On March 11, 2022, the Company issued a press release announcing the election of Mr. Beier to the Board of Directors. A copy of that press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01 — Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits

SIGNATURES

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, thereunto duly authorized.

Document

Exhibit 99.1

W. P. Carey Inc. Appoints Constantin H. Beier to Board of Directors

New York – March 11, 2022 – W. P. Carey Inc. (W. P. Carey, NYSE: WPC), a net lease real estate investment trust, today announced the appointment of Constantin H. Beier to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. He will serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Beier is the Chief Data Officer and a member of the Executive Leadership Team at Aon plc, a global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, health and wealth solutions. He is based in London.

Jason Fox, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member at W. P. Carey, said: “Constantin’s wide-ranging experience in Europe at a large multinational company, including data management and governance, will be a valuable addition to our Board of Directors. We are thrilled to welcome him to the W. P. Carey Board.”

In addition to leading Aon’s global data office, Mr. Beier has held a number of positions during his 19-year tenure at Aon including, Head of Business Development for Aon Data & Analytic Services, COO for Aon Inpoint and CEO of Aon’s Centre for Innovation & Analytics, Dublin.

Mr. Beier holds a doctorate degree in legal studies from Heidelberg University. He currently serves as a board member of the Aon Singapore Centre for Innovation, Strategy and Management PTE Ltd., Aon Norway AS, Oslo, and Schule Schloss Salem, Germany’s largest boarding school.

Constantin H. Beier, said: “It’s an honor to join W. P. Carey’s Board of Directors and be a part of the long-term trajectory of the company that has been a pioneer in the net lease industry. I look forward to leveraging my skills to support W. P. Carey’s ongoing growth and commitment to delivering value to its shareholders.”

W. P. Carey Inc.

W. P. Carey ranks among the largest net lease REITs with an enterprise value of approximately $22 billion and a diversified portfolio of operationally-critical commercial real estate that includes 1,304 net lease properties covering approximately 156 million square feet as of December 31, 2021. For nearly five decades, the company has invested in high-quality single-tenant industrial, warehouse, office, retail and self-storage properties subject to long-term net leases with built-in rent escalators. Its portfolio is located primarily in the U.S. and Northern and Western Europe and is well-diversified by tenant, property type, geographic location and tenant industry.

www.wpcarey.com

Institutional Investors:

Peter Sands

1 (212) 492-1110

institutionalir@wpcarey.com

Press Contact:

Anna McGrath

1 (212) 492-1166

amcgrath@wpcarey.com