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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No.           )

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1235 Water Street
East Greenville, PA 18041
Tel 215 679-7991
Fax 215 679-1013

March 23, 2016

Dear Stockholder:

        We cordially invite you to attend our 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held at 9:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at our offices located at 1330 Avenue of the Americas, 2^nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. The attached notice of Annual Meeting and proxy statement describe the business we will conduct at the meeting and provide information about Knoll, Inc. that you should consider when you vote your shares.

        When you have finished reading the proxy statement, please promptly vote your shares via the Internet, via the telephone or by marking, signing, dating and returning a proxy card. We encourage you to vote by proxy so that your shares will be represented and voted at the meeting, whether or not you can attend.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Andrew B. Cogan
Chief Executive Officer

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1235 Water Street
East Greenville, PA 18041
Tel 215 679-7991
Fax 215 679-1013Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders

KNOLL, INC.
NOTICE OF 2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS When

To the Stockholders of Knoll, Inc.:May 8, 2018
TIME: 9:00 a.m. (local time)
DATE: Wednesday, May 4, 2016Eastern Time

PLACE: Where

Knoll, Inc.,
1330 Avenue of the Americas, 2^nd Floor, floor
New York, New York 10019

PURPOSES: Items of Business

1.

To elect three (3) directors named in the proxy statement for a term ending at the 20192021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.Stockholders



2.

The approval of the Knoll, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan



3.

To ratify the audit committee's appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016.2018



3.4.

To hold an advisory vote to approve executive compensation.compensation



4.5.

To transact suchany other business as may properly comebrought before the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.meeting

WHO MAY VOTE: Record Date

        YouStockholders of record as of the close of business on March 15, 2018, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof if you were the record owner of Knoll, Inc. common stock at the close of business on March 15, 2016.Meeting. A list of stockholders of record will be available at the meeting and during regular business hours for the 10 days prior to the meeting at our offices at 1330 Avenue of the Americas, 2^nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. A stockholder may examine the list for any legally valid purpose related to the meeting.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORSBy Order of the Board of Directors,

Michael A. Pollner
Senior Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, General Counsel and& Corporate Secretary

March 23, 201629, 2018

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Proxy Statement Summary

The Board of Directors ("Board") of Knoll, Inc. (the "Company," "we," "us," "our" or "Knoll") is furnishing this proxy statement and soliciting proxies in connection with the proposals to be voted on at the Knoll, Inc. 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders ("Annual Meeting") and any postponements or adjournments thereof. This summary highlights certain information contained in this proxy statement, but does not contain all of the information you should consider when voting your shares. Please read the entire proxy statement carefully before voting.

Voting Matters And Vote Recommendation

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Our Strategy

For over 80 years, Knoll has stood for modern design. Our focus is on design leadership, quality and innovation in both the contract and residential markets. Four strategic imperatives drive our growth:

Knoll is
Modern Always
because modern
always works.

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Our Performance

Our strategy and compensation systems have generated significant growth in our sales, margins and profits; however, 2017 represented a pause in our overall improvement:

Note: Adjusted EBITDA and Percentage, and Adjusted EPS are non-GAAP financial measures. For a reconciliation of Net Earnings to Adjusted EBITDA and Percentage and Adjusted EPS to GAAP EPS, see page 74.

We encourage you to review our Annual Report to Shareholders accompanying this proxy statement for more complete financial information.

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Our Director Nominees

Our board of directors currently consists of eleven members, classified into three classes. In Proposal 1, stockholders are asked to vote "FOR" the following Class II directors, who have terms that expire at the 2018 Annual Meeting.

Committee membership is as of the date of this proxy statement. Current committee assignments are indicated by a (✓), and committee chairs are indicated by "Chair." Please see pages 10 through 16 for more information regarding our director nominees. Burton B. Staniar and Sidney Lapidus, current Class II directors, will not serve beyond the 2018 Annual Meeting.

Our Full Board

Name		Age		Director Since		Independent?		Term Expires		Audit		Compensation		Nominating
​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​	​
Kathleen G. Bradley		68		1999		Yes		2019
Andrew B. Cogan (CEO and Chairman-Elect)		55		1996		No		2020
Daniel W. Dienst		52		2017		Yes		2018
Stephen F. Fisher		65		2005		Yes		2020						Chair
Jeffrey A. Harris (Lead Director)		62		1996		Yes		2019				Chair
Christopher G. Kennedy		54		2014		Yes		2018
Sidney Lapidus		80		1996		Yes		2018
John F. Maypole		78		2004		Yes		2019		Chair
Sarah E. Nash		64		2006		Yes		2020
Stephanie Stahl		51		2013		Yes		2018
Burton B. Staniar (Chairman)		76		1993		No		2018

Diversity is one of the factors considered by our nominating and corporate governance committee in the director nomination process. Among the factors considered when we evaluate the skills, experiences and perspectives of our directors are the following: (i) financial and accounting acumen; (ii) educational background; (iii) knowledge of our industry and related industries; (iv) personal and professional integrity; (v) business or management experience; (vi) crisis management experience; (vii) leadership and strategic planning experience; and (viii) brand development and consumer marketing. We also consider diversity with respect to race and gender in evaluating whether the board as a whole has the right mix of perspectives to properly serve the company and its stockholders.

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Our Corporate Governance

On February 6, 2018, our board of directors approved for submission to a vote of the stockholders the Knoll, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan (the "2018 Plan") and submits the 2018 Plan to our stockholders for approval. We believe that equity incentives are critical in attracting and retaining talented employees in our industry. The approval of the Knoll, Inc. 2018 Stock Incentive Plan will allow us to continue to provide such incentives.

The 2018 Plan includes the following key features:

•

Provides greater flexibility for the Company to align management with our stockholders and promotes good governance, by providing limits on awards and vesting terms;

•

Replaces the repealed Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m) performance-based compensation requirements with similar performance-based compensation provisions applicable to our named executive officers while providing the Company with discretion to manage compensation levels;

•

2,500,000 shares authorized under the 2018 Plan;

•

Generally limits non-employee director 2018 Plan compensation to a maximum amount per year when combined with cash compensation.

See page 24 for more details regarding the Plan. A copy of the 2018 Plan is set forth in Exhibit B to this proxy statement and is incorporated herein by reference.

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Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, served as our auditors for fiscal 2017. Our Audit Committee has selected Ernst & Young LLP to audit our financial statements for fiscal 2018. Although it is not required to do so, the board is submitting the Audit Committee's selection of our independent registered public accounting firm for ratification by the stockholders at the annual meeting in order to ascertain the view of our stockholders regarding such selection. Below is summary information about Ernst & Young's fees for services during fiscal years 2017 and 2016:

Our Executive Compensation Program

We provide our stockholders with the opportunity to vote to approve, on a nonbinding, advisory basis, the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in this proxy statement in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The vote on this resolution is not intended to address any specific element of compensation; rather, the advisory vote relates to the overall compensation of our named executive officers, as well as the philosophy, policies and practices, all as described in this proxy statement in accordance with the SEC's rules. The vote is advisory, and therefore it is not binding on the company, the compensation committee or our board of directors. We recommend that our stockholders vote "FOR" approval of our executive compensation as described in this proxy statement.

Our executive compensation programs are generally designed to:

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We believe that motivating and rewarding exceptional performance is the overriding principle of our executive compensation programs.

The following sets forth the primary objectives addressed by each component of our executive compensation programs:

For more information regarding our compensation, please see our Compensation Discussion and Analysis on page 39.

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Compensation Practices

In response to our dialogue with stockholders during the past several years, we have incorporated a number of practices into our compensation programs:

•

We capped the potential payments under our annual non-equity incentive awards for our Named Executive Officers at one hundred twenty percent (120%) of base salary;

•

We eliminated the legacy tax "gross-up" from our chief executive officer's employment agreement;

•

We eliminated the "single trigger" change of control provision in our equity award agreements in favor of a "double trigger" change of control provision which requires that the award recipient be terminated from employment in order to receive accelerated vesting following a change-in-control;

•

We adopted a "Clawback Policy" applicable to our Section 16 Officers which allows the Company to recover excess incentive compensation in the event of an accounting restatement;

•

We revised our Insider Trading Policy to prohibit hedging transactions in our stock, i.e., transactions that are designed to offset any decrease in our stock price; and

•

We engaged a compensation consultant, Willis Towers Watson, to perform an assessment of our executive compensation.

See page 39 for more details regarding our executive compensation.

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KNOLL, INC.
1235 WATER STREET
EAST GREENVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA 18041
215-679-7991

PROXY STATEMENT FOR THE KNOLL, INC.
2016 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

Why Did You Send Me this Proxy Statement?

        We have elected to furnish our proxy statement and annual report to certain of our stockholders over the Internet pursuant to United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules, which allows us to reduce costs associated with the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders. On or about March 23, 2016, we will mail to certain of our stockholders a notice of Internet availability of proxy materials containing instructions regarding how to access our proxy statement and annual report online (the eProxy Notice). The eProxy Notice contains instructions regarding how you can elect to receive printed copies of the proxy statement and annual report. All other stockholders will receive printed copies of the proxy statement and annual report, which will also be mailed to such stockholders on or about March 23, 2016.

        We sent you this proxy statement because our board of directors is soliciting your proxy to vote at our 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and any adjournments of the meeting. This proxy statement summarizes the information you need to know to vote at the Annual Meeting. You do not need to attend the Annual Meeting to vote your shares. Instead, you may vote your shares via the Internet or by marking, signing, dating and returning a proxy card. If you hold your shares through a broker you may also be able to vote your shares through such broker either via the Internet or by telephone. Please contact your broker directly for details regarding these voting options.

        Only stockholders who owned our common stock at the close of business on March 15, 2016, the record date, are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. On the record date, there were 49,034,818 shares of our common stock outstanding, including 47,963,533 shares of stock entitled to vote and 1,071,285 shares of restricted stock that are not entitled to vote. Our common stock is our only class of voting stock. We are also sending along with this proxy statement our 2015 annual report, which includes our financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.

What Will I Be Voting On?

        You will be voting on:

1.

The election of three directors named in the proxy statement to serve for a three-year term ending at our 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;



2.

The ratification of the audit committee's appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016;



3.

An advisory vote to approve executive compensation; and



4.

Any other business properly presented at the annual meeting.

How Many Votes Do I Have?

        Each share of our common stock that you own entitles you to one vote.

Why Did I Receive an eProxy Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials?

        The SEC permits us to electronically distribute proxy materials to stockholders. We have elected to provide access to our proxy materials and annual report to certain of our stockholders on the Internet instead of mailing the full set of printed proxy materials. On or about March 23, 2016, we will mail to

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certain of our stockholders an eProxy Notice containing instructions regarding how to access our proxy statement and annual report and how to vote online. If you received an eProxy Notice by mail, you will not receive printed copies of the proxy materials and annual report in the mail unless you request them. Instead, the eProxy Notice instructs you how to access and review all of the important information contained in the proxy statement and annual report. The eProxy Notice also instructs you how you may submit your proxy over the Internet. If you received an eProxy Notice by mail and would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials and annual report, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials included in the eProxy Notice.

How Do I Vote?

        You may vote via the Internet by going to the website www.envisionreports.com/KNL and following the instructions outlined on the website or via the telephone by calling 1-800-652-VOTE and following the recorded instructions. If you request paper copies of the proxy materials, you can also vote by signing and mailing your proxy card. If you properly fill in your proxy card and send it to us in time, your "proxy" (one of the individuals named on your proxy card) will vote your shares as you have directed. If you sign the proxy card but do not make specific choices, your proxyholder will vote your shares as recommended by our board of directors. Proxy cards must be received prior to the time of the vote in order for the shares represented by the proxy card to be voted. If you hold your shares through a broker or financial institution, you should contact your broker or financial institution to determine how you may vote your shares.

        If you hold your shares through a broker, it is important that you cast your vote if you want it to count in the election of directors (Proposal 1) and the advisory vote on executive compensation (Proposal 3). Your broker is not permitted to vote your uninstructed shares in the election of directors or executive compensation matters on a discretionary basis. Thus, if you hold your shares through a broker and you do not instruct your broker how to vote for Proposal 1 (the election of directors) or Proposal 3 (the advisory vote on executive compensation), no votes will be cast on your behalf with respect to those matters. Your broker may vote your uninstructed shares on the ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm on a discretionary basis.

If you attend the Annual Meeting, you may also submit your vote in person, and any previous votes that you submitted will be superseded by the vote that you cast at the Annual Meeting.

        If you plan to attend the Annual Meeting and vote in person, we will give you a ballot when you arrive. However, if your shares are held in the name of your broker, bank or other nominee, you must bring an account statement or letter from the nominee indicating that you were the beneficial owner of the shares on March 15, 2016, the record date for voting. The Annual Meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. (local time) on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at our offices at 1330 Avenue of the Americas, 2^nd Floor, New York, New York 10019. When you arrive at the venue, signs will direct you to the appropriate meeting rooms. You need not attend the Annual Meeting in order to vote.

May I Revoke My Proxy?

        If you give us your proxy, you may revoke it at any time before it is voted at the meeting. You may revoke your proxy in any one of the following ways:

•

You may send in another proxy via the mail or the Internet with a later date;



•

You may notify our Secretary in writing (at Knoll, Inc., c/o Corporate Secretary, 1235 Water Street, East Greenville, Pennsylvania 18041) before the Annual Meeting that you have revoked your proxy; or

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•

You may vote in person at the Annual Meeting.

How Does our Board of Directors Recommend That I Vote on the Proposals?

        Our board of directors recommends that you vote as follows:

•

Proposal 1:  "FOR" the election of the three nominees for director named in the proxy statement for a term ending at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders;



•

Proposal 2:  "FOR" ratification of the selection of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2016;



•

Proposal 3:  "FOR" the resolution regarding an advisory vote to approve executive compensation.

        If any other matter is presented, your proxyholder will vote your shares in accordance with his or her best judgment. At the time this proxy statement was printed, we knew of no matters that needed to be acted on at the Annual Meeting, other than those discussed in this proxy statement.

What Constitutes a Quorum for the Meeting?

        The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the shares of our common stock outstanding and entitled to vote is necessary to constitute a quorum at the meeting. Votes of stockholders of record who are present at the meeting, in person or by proxy, abstentions and broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists.

What Vote is Required to Approve Each Proposal?

What is the Effect of Broker Non-Votes and Abstentions?

•

Broker Non-Votes:  Generally, broker non-votes occur when shares held by a broker for a beneficial owner are not voted with respect to a particular proposal because (1) the broker has not received voting instructions from the beneficial owner and (2) the broker lacks discretionary voting power to vote such shares. Your brokerage firm, in its discretion, may either leave your shares unvoted or vote your shares on routine matters. The proposal to ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm should be treated

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as a routine matter. The election of directors (Proposal 1) and the advisory vote to approve executive compensation (Proposal 3) are not considered routine matters and, consequently, without your voting instructions, your brokerage firm cannot vote your shares. Broker non-votes will not count as votes against any matter at the annual meeting.

•

Abstentions:  Because abstentions are treated as shares present or represented and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, abstentions with respect to Proposal 2 and Proposal 3 will have the same effect as votes against the proposal. However, abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of Proposal 1—the vote to elect the three nominees for director.

What Are the Costs of Soliciting these Proxies?

        We will pay all of the costs of soliciting these proxies. Solicitation of proxies will be made principally through the mails, but our officers and employees may also solicit proxies in person or by telephone, fax or email. We will pay these employees and officers no additional compensation for these services. We will ask banks, brokers and other institutions, nominees and fiduciaries to forward these proxy materials to the beneficial owners of the common stock and to obtain authority to execute proxies. Upon request, we will then reimburse them for their reasonable expenses.

Who Will Tabulate the Votes?

        Votes cast by proxy or in person will be counted by the persons appointed by us to act as election inspectors for the meeting.

Where Do I Find the Voting Results of the Meeting?

        We will announce the preliminary voting results at the meeting and provide the final results in a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC within four business days following the meeting.

Householding of Annual Disclosure Documents

        To reduce the expenses of delivering duplicate materials to our stockholders, we are relying on a rule of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") that allows us or your broker to send a single set of our annual report and proxy statement to any household at which two or more of our stockholders reside, if we or your broker believe that the stockholders are members of the same family. This practice, referred to as "householding," benefits both you and us. The rule applies to our annual reports, proxy statements and information statements. Once you receive notice from your broker or from us that communications to your address will be "householded," the practice will continue until you are otherwise notified or until you revoke your consent to the practice. Each stockholder will continue to receive a separate proxy card or voting instruction card.

        If your household received a single set of our annual disclosure documents this year, but you would prefer to receive your own copy, please contact us by writing to Knoll, Inc., c/o Corporate Secretary, 1235 Water Street, East Greenville, Pennsylvania 18041, or calling our Investor Relations department at 215-679-7991 and we will promptly send you a copy of our annual disclosure documents.

        If you do not wish to participate in "householding" and would like to receive your own set of our annual disclosure documents in future years, follow the instructions described below. Conversely, if you share an address with another of our stockholders and together both of you would like to receive only a single set of our annual disclosure documents, follow these instructions:

•

If your shares are registered in your own name, please contact us by writing to Knoll, Inc., c/o Corporate Secretary, 1235 Water Street, East Greenville, Pennsylvania 18041, or calling our Investor Relations department at 215-679-7991, and inform us accordingly.



•

If a broker or other nominee holds your shares, please contact the broker or other nominee directly and inform them of your request.

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SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

        The following table sets forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our common stock as of February 29, 2016, for (a) the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table on page 31 of this proxy statement, (b) each of our directors and director nominees, (c) all of our directors and executive officers as a group, and (d) each stockholder known by us to own beneficially more than 5% of our outstanding common stock. Except as indicated in footnotes to this table, we believe that the stockholders named in this table have sole voting and investment power with respect to all shares of common stock shown to be beneficially owned by them, subject to community property laws, based on information provided to us by these stockholders. Percentage of ownership is based on 49,116,313 shares of common stock outstanding on February 29, 2016, including 48,045,028 shares of stock entitled to vote and 1,071,285 shares of restricted stock that are not entitled to vote.

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PROPOSAL 1—1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Our board of directors currently consists of teneleven members, classified into three classes as follows: Andrew B. Cogan, Stephen F. Fisher and Sarah E. Nash constitute a class with a term that expires at the 20172020 Annual Meeting (the "Class I directors"); Burton B. Staniar, Sidney Lapidus, Stephanie Stahl, and Christopher G. Kennedy and Daniel W. Dienst constitute a class with a term that expires at the 2018 Annual Meeting (the "Class II directors"); and Kathleen G. Bradley, Jeffrey A. Harris and John F. Maypole constitute a class with a term that expires at the 20162019 Annual Meeting (the "Class III directors"). At each Annual Meeting of Stockholders, directors are elected for a term ending at the third Annual Meeting of Stockholders after such election or until their respective successors are elected and qualified.

On February 9, 2016,6, 2018, our nominating and corporate governance committee recommended Messrs. HarrisStephanie Stahl, Christopher G. Kennedy and Maypole and Ms. BradleyDaniel W. Dienst for reelectionre-election after due consideration of their qualifications and past experience on our board of directors. Messrs. Staniar and Lapidus have not been asked to continue their service beyond the conclusion of their terms and the size of the board will be reduced to nine members. On February 9, 2016,6, 2018, based, in part, on the recommendation of our nominating and corporate governance committee, our board of directors voted to nominate Messrs. HarrisStephanie Stahl, Christopher G. Kennedy, and Maypole and Ms. BradleyDaniel W. Dienst for reelection at the 20162018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to serve for a term ending at the 20192021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.Stockholders or until their respective successors are elected and qualified.

Unless authority to vote for any of these nominees is withheld, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be votedFOR the election of the director nominees. However, if you hold your shares through a broker and do not instruct your broker how to vote in the election of directors, no vote will be cast on your behalf with respect to Proposal 1. In the event that a nominee becomes unable or unwilling to serve, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted for the election of such other person as the board of directors may recommend in his or her place. We have no reason to believe that any nominee will be unable or unwilling to serve as a director. However, if you hold your shares through a broker and do not instruct your broker how to vote in the election of directors, no vote will be cast on your behalf with respect to Proposal 1.

The election of directors will be determined by a plurality vote and the three nominees receiving the most votes will be elected, subject to our majority vote director resignation policy which is discussed in more detail below.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS THE ELECTION OF JEFFREY A. HARRIS, JOHN F. MAYPOLESTEPHANIE STAHL, CHRISTOPHER G. KENNEDY AND KATHLEEN G. BRADLEYDANIEL W. DIENST AS DIRECTORS, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A STOCKHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.

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Our Board of Directors

Set forth below are the names of the persons nominated as directors and directors whose terms do not expire this year, their ages as of February 29, 2016,28, 2018, their offices within the company, if any, their principal occupations or employment for the past five years, the length of their tenure as directors, the names of other public companies in which such persons hold directorships or held directorships within

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the past five years, and the particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led the boardBoard to determine that the individual should serve as a director.

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 Burton B. Staniar has served as Chairman of the Board of Knoll, Inc. since his appointment in December 1993. Mr. Staniar served as our Chief Executive Officer from December 1993 to January 1997. Prior to that time, Mr. Staniar held a number of assignments at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, including President of Group W Cable and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Westinghouse Broadcasting. Mr. Staniar previously served as a director of Journal Register Company and Church and Dwight Co., Inc.

        Mr. Staniar has been associated with Knoll since 1993 and brings to the board extensive knowledge of our business operations and the contract office furniture industry as a whole. Mr. Staniar also brings to the board significant executive leadership and operational experience, having previously served in senior executive roles with subsidiaries of Westinghouse Electric Corporation and as Chairman and CEO of Westinghouse Broadcasting. Mr. Staniar also previously served on numerous public boards and currently serves as a board member for a number of non-profit organizations. Mr. Staniar's prior business experience and board service, along with his long tenure with Knoll, give him broad and extensive understanding of our operations and the proper role and function of the board.

Andrew B. Cogan has served as a director of Knoll, Inc. since February 1996. Mr. Cogan became Chief Executive Officer of Knoll, Inc. in April 2001 after serving as Chief Operating Officer since December 1999. Mr. Cogan has held several positions in the design and marketing group worldwide since joining us in 1989, including Executive Vice President—Marketing and Product Development and Senior Vice President. Mr. Cogan is also a director of the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, Interface, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia, and American Woodmark Corporation in Winchester, Virginia.

        Mr. Cogan has substantial industry and management experience, having served in management functions at Knoll for more than 20 years and as our Chief Executive Officer since 2001. Mr. Cogan is uniquely qualified to bring strategic insight, design and marketing expertise and in-depth knowledge of Knoll's worldwide business to the board, having served in numerous key positions within our design and marketing group, and as Chief Operating Officer prior to becoming Chief Executive Officer. In addition to his management experience, Mr. Cogan brings to the board his perspectives as a director of other private and public boards.

Kathleen G. Bradley has served as a director of Knoll, Inc. since November 1999. Ms. Bradley served as President and Chief Executive Officer, Knoll North America, from April 2001 until her retirement on May 23, 2008. Prior to that time she served as President from December 1999 to April 2001, Executive Vice President—Sales, Distribution and Customer Service from August 1998 until December 1999, Senior Vice President from 1996 until August 1998 and Divisional Vice President for Knoll's southeast division from 1988 until 1996. Prior to that time, Ms. Bradley was regional manager

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for our Atlanta region, a position to which she was promoted in 1983. She began her career with Knoll in 1979.

        Ms. Bradley has exceptional industry knowledge and a deep understanding of Knoll's business, having been associated with Knoll for over 35 years, including over seven years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Knoll, North America, and more than 20 years in numerous management positions. Ms. Bradley's experience has included managing regional divisions and key parts of the organization such as sales and distribution, and customer service. Ms. Bradley also served on the board of our industry trade organization, The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association. Ms. Bradley's in-depth knowledge of our business and her extensive management experience are important aspects of her service on the Board.

Jeffrey A. Harris has been a director of Knoll, Inc. since February 1996. Mr. Harris is the founder and managing member of Global Reserve Group LLC, a financial advisory and investment firm focused primarily on the energy industry. Previously, he was a Managing Director of Warburg Pincus LLC, a private equity firm, where he was employed from 1983 until 2011 where his responsibilities included involvement in investments in energy, technology and other industries. Mr. Harris is a director of Serica Energy PLC and several private companies. In addition, he is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Cranbrook Educational Community, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Friends of the High Line. Mr. Harris previously served as a director of Electromagnetic GeoServices ASA.

        Mr. Harris brings a strong business background to Knoll, having worked in the private equity field with Warburg Pincus for over 25 years. Mr. Harris has gained substantial experience in overseeing the management of diverse organizations, having served as a board member on many public and private boards, including a number of charitable and non-profit organizations. As a result of this service, Mr. Harris has a broad understanding of the operational, financial and strategic issues facing public and private companies. He has served on our board of directors since 1996 and through that service has developed extensive knowledge of our business.

Sidney Lapidus has been a director of Knoll, Inc. since February 1996. Mr. Lapidus is a Retired Partner of Warburg Pincus LLC, a private equity firm, where he was employed from 1967 to 2007. Mr. Lapidus is a director of Lennar Corporation, as well as a number of non-profit organizations. Mr. Lapidus previously served as a director of The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.

        Mr. Lapidus spent over 40 years with Warburg Pincus, working principally in the private equity field. During those 40 years, Mr. Lapidus developed extensive business, finance and management skills, which he brings to the board's deliberations. Mr. Lapidus also brings to the board his experience in overseeing the management of diverse organizations, having served as a board member on many public and private boards, including a number of charitable and non-profit organizations. Mr. Lapidus' involvement in a variety of businesses has given him a broad understanding of the operational, financial and strategic issues facing public and private companies. He has served on our board of directors since 1996, and through that service has developed extensive knowledge of our business.

John F. Maypole has served as a director of Knoll, Inc. since December 2004. Mr. Maypole has, for over 30 years, served as an independent director of, or consultant to, various corporations and providers of financial services. Mr. Maypole is a director of the National Captioning Institute, Inc. Mr. Maypole previously served as a director of Church and Dwight Co., Inc., Verizon Communications and the MassMutual Financial Group, among others.

        Mr. Maypole brings substantial accounting, finance, and management experience to the board. Mr. Maypole previously served as a chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chief executive officer, chairman of the board and independent consultant to numerous industrial and financial services companies and has significant experience with operational and financial matters, including financial reporting. Mr. Maypole has served on a number of private and public boards and his experiences have

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Table of the operational, financial and strategic issues facing public and private companies. Mr. Maypole's perspectives on executive management, leadership and financial management are important to the board's deliberations.

Stephen F. Fisher has served as a director since December 2005. Mr. Fisher is the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Entercom Communications Corp., a radio broadcasting company, a position he has held since November 1998. Mr. Fisher also is a director of the National Association of Broadcasters.Contents

        Mr. Fisher has held numerous financial management and operational positions. He has served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for a public company for over 17 years. Mr. Fisher has also worked in the private equity field, making investments in companies and managing those portfolio companies as well as serving on