The Compensation Committee believes that the most effective executive compensation program aligns executive initiatives with shareholders' economic interests. The Compensation Committee seeks to accomplish this objective by rewarding the achievement of specific annual, long-term and strategic goals that create lasting shareholder value. The Compensation Committee's specific objectives include:

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to motivate and reward executives for achieving financial and strategic objectives;

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to align management and shareholder interests by encouraging employee stock ownership;

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to provide rewards commensurate with individual and company performance;

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to encourage growth and innovation; and

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to attract and retain top-quality executives and key employees.

To balance these objectives, our executive compensation program uses the following direct compensation elements:

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base salary, to provide fixed compensation competitive in the marketplace;

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annual incentive compensation, to reward short-term performance against specific financial targets; and

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long-term incentive compensation, to link management incentives to long-term value creation and shareholder return.

The Compensation Committee reviews total compensation for executive officers and the relative levels of each form of compensation against the Compensation Committee's goals. As such, our executive compensation program is predominantly performance-based, which encourages our executive officers to focus on our company's long-term success and aligns with the long-term interests of our shareholders.

The charts below illustrate the targeted mix of fixed, annual, and long-term incentive compensation we provided in 2018 to our Chief Executive Officer and our other executive officers who are named in the Summary Compensation Table below (the "Named Executive Officers") (but excluding our previous Chief Executive Officer). These charts also illustrate the amount of target direct compensation that was tied to achievement of performance goals.

In connection with the Separation, the Compensation Committee took a number of actions to align our executive compensation program for the new Pentair as a pure play residential and commercial water treatment company. First, the Compensation Committee worked with its external compensation consultant to develop an updated peer group and comparative framework that better reflected our post-Separation business focus and smaller company size. The Compensation Committee took that

comparative framework into consideration when setting compensation for Pentair's new leadership team, composed of both internal promotions as well as external new hires. The Compensation Committee set annual and long-term incentive compensation metrics and targets appropriate for Pentair's new strategic priorities and financial goals. Additional actions taken related to the Separation are further discussed below in "Compensation Discussion and Analysis."

The Compensation Committee believes it is important to maintain an open dialogue with our shareholders to gain input on their perspectives regarding our executive compensation program and to provide clarifying information enabling them to make informed decisions in our annual nonbinding, advisory shareholder vote (our "say on pay vote") on the compensation of our executive officers named in our Proxy Statement. In 2018, we maintained our shareholder outreach to gain additional insight, better understand shareholder perspectives, and evaluate any concerns regarding our executive compensation program. Additionally, we took the opportunity to discuss the impact of the Separation on our executive compensation program and treatment of outstanding long-term incentive awards.

Our 2018 shareholder outreach included 35 of our largest shareholders representing 68% of our outstanding shares. The majority of shareholders we spoke with supported our executive compensation program and the changes adopted over the last several years. This support was also reflected in the results of the say on pay vote at the 2018 Annual General Meeting, with approximately 93% of votes cast in favor of our proposal.

We consider shareholder engagement to be a very important process in how we approach our executive compensation program, and we intend to continue shareholder outreach.

Our Board currently has eight members. On the recommendation of the Governance Committee, our Board has nominated all of our current directors for re-election for a one-year term expiring on completion of the 2020 Annual General Meeting. If any of the nominees should become unable to accept election, your proxy or proxies may vote for other persons selected by the Board. Management has no reason to believe that any of the nominees named below will be unable to serve his or her full term if elected.

Biographies of the director nominees follow. These biographies include for each director his or her age (as of the date of the filing of this Proxy Statement); his or her business experience; his or her directorships in public companies and other organizations within the past five years; and a discussion of the specific

experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led to the conclusion that each should serve as a director.

The resolutions in respect of this Proposal 1 are ordinary resolutions.

The text of the resolutions in respect of Proposal 1 is as follows:

"IT IS RESOLVED, by separate resolutions to re-elect the following eight director nominees for a term expiring on completion of the 2020 Annual General Meeting:

Under our Articles of Association, the re-election of each director requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at the Annual General Meeting. A nominee who does not receive a

majority of the votes cast in an uncontested election will not be elected to our Board. Your proxies cannot be voted for a greater number of persons than the number of nominees named in this Proxy Statement.

The Board, based on the recommendation of the Governance Committee, determines the independence of each director based upon the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") listing standards and the categorical standards of independence included in our Corporate Governance Principles. Based on these standards, the Board has affirmatively determined that all of our non-employee director nominees (i.e., Mses. Bryan and Williamson and Messrs. Esculier, Glenn, Harris, Jones, and Speetzen) are independent and have no material relationship with us (including our directors and officers) that would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment. The Board has affirmatively determined that our President and Chief Executive Officer, John L. Stauch, is not independent.

In determining independence, our Board and Governance Committee consider circumstances where a director serves as an employee of another company that is a customer or supplier. The Board and Committee have reviewed each of these relationships,

which are set forth below. In every case, the relationship involves sales to or purchases from the other company that, for each of 2016, 2017, and 2018, were (a) less than the greater of $1 million or 2% of that organization's consolidated gross revenues during each of 2016, 2017, and 2018; and (b) not of an amount or nature that impeded the director's exercise of independent judgment.

The Governance Committee and the Board recognize that the Board's contributions and effectiveness depend on the character and abilities of each director individually as well as on their collective strengths. Accordingly, the Governance Committee and the Board evaluate candidates based on several criteria. Directors are chosen with a view to bringing to the Board a variety of experiences and backgrounds and establishing a core of strategic and business advisers with financial and management expertise. The Governance Committee and the Board also consider candidates with substantial experience outside the business community, such as in the public, academic or scientific communities. In addition, the Governance Committee and the Board consider the tenure of incumbent directors, with the goal of having a mix of shorter-tenured directors who provide fresh perspectives and longer-tenured directors who provide institutional knowledge regarding our company and our business.

When considering candidates for election as directors, the Governance Committee and the Board are guided

by the following principles, found in our Corporate Governance Principles:

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at least a majority of the Board must consist of independent directors;

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each director should be chosen without regard to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or national origin;

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each director should be an individual of the highest character and integrity and have an inquiring mind, vision and the ability to work well with others;

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each director should be free of any conflict of interest that would violate any applicable law or regulation or interfere with the proper performance of his or her responsibilities as a director;

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each director should possess substantial and significant experience that could be important to us in the performance of his or her duties;

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each director should have sufficient time available to devote to our affairs; and

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each director should have the capacity and desire to represent the balanced, best interests of the shareholders as a whole and not primarily the interests of a special interest group or constituency and be committed to enhancing long-term shareholder value.

Our policies on director qualifications emphasize our commitment to diversity at the Board level — diversity not only of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion or national origin but also diversity of experience,

expertise and training. The Governance Committee in the first instance is charged with observing these policies, and strives in reviewing each candidate to assess the fit of his or her qualifications with the needs of the Board and our company at that time, given the then current mix of directors' attributes. Board composition, effectiveness and processes are all subject areas of our annual Board self-assessment, which is described in more detail below under "Board and Committee Self-Assessments."

Our Corporate Governance Principles provide that the Governance Committee will consider persons properly recommended by shareholders to become nominees for election as directors in accordance with the criteria described above under "Directors Qualifications; Diversity and Tenure." Recommendations for consideration by the Governance Committee, together with appropriate biographical information concerning each proposed nominee, should be sent in writing to c/o Corporate Secretary, Pentair plc, Regal House, 70 London Road, Twickenham, London, TW1 3QS, United Kingdom.

Our Articles of Association set forth procedures to be followed by shareholders who wish to nominate candidates for election as directors in connection with an Annual General Meeting. All such nominations must be accompanied by certain background and other information specified in the Articles of Association and

submitted within the timing requirements set forth in the Articles of Association. See "Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for the 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders" below for more information.

In addition, eligible shareholders may under certain circumstances be able to nominate and include in our proxy materials a specified number of candidates for election as directors under the proxy access provisions in our Articles of Association. All such nominations must be accompanied by certain background and other information specified in our Articles of Association and submitted within the timing requirements set forth in our Articles of Association. See "Shareholder Proposals and Nominations for the 2020 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders" below for more information.

The Board is responsible for general oversight of our risk management. The Board focuses on the most significant and material risks facing us and helps to ensure that management develops and implements controls and appropriate risk mitigation strategies.

At the direction of the Board, we have instituted an enterprise-wide risk management system that identifies potential exposure to risks that arise in the course of our business, including strategic, operational, financial, cybersecurity, information technology, and legal and regulatory compliance risks. Our senior management is responsible for the administration of the enterprise-wide risk management system. To that end, senior management assesses and monitors potential risks and develops mitigation strategies to address those potential risks.

The Board has determined that the Board as a whole, and not a separate committee, will oversee our enterprise risk management process. Each of our Board Committees has historically focused and continues to focus on specific risks within its respective area of responsibility and regularly reports to the full Board. The Audit and Finance Committee focuses on accounting and financial controls, financial

statement integrity, financial risk exposures, and tax policy and compliance. The Compensation Committee reviews risks related to our compensation programs and policies as discussed further below under "Risk Considerations in Compensation Decisions." The Governance Committee considers risks related to our corporate governance structure and processes, including director qualifications and independence, as well as our Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and other corporate-related compliance matters.

The Board uses our enterprise-wide risk management system as a key tool for understanding the risks facing us as well as assessing whether management's processes, procedures and practices for mitigating those risks are effective. Our General Counsel is the primary person responsible to the Board in the planning, assessment and reporting of our risk profile and this risk management system. The Board reviews and discusses an assessment of and a report on our risk profile on a regular basis, including reports on strategic, operational, financial, cybersecurity, information technology, and legal and regulatory compliance risks.

At least once per year, the Board and senior management engage in an in-depth strategic review of our company's outlook and strategy, which is designed to create long-term shareholder value and serves as

the foundation upon which goals are established. Throughout the year, the Board reviews our strategy and monitors management's progress against such goals.

The Board views its role in succession planning and talent development as a key responsibility. At least once per year, usually as part of the annual talent review process, the Board discusses and reviews the succession plans for the Chief Executive Officer position and other executive officers and key contributors. The Board becomes familiar with potential

successors for key management positions through various means, including annual talent reviews, presentations to the Board, and communications outside of meetings. Our succession planning process is an organization-wide practice designed to proactively identify, develop and retain the leadership talent that is critical for our future business success.

We believe that maintaining an active dialogue with our shareholders is important to our long-term success. We value the opinions of our shareholders and other stakeholders and welcome their views throughout the year on key issues. During 2018, we

continued our shareholder outreach on executive compensation and corporate governance matters. Our 2018 shareholder outreach included 35 of our largest shareholders, representing 68% of our outstanding shares.

If you wish to communicate with the Board, non-employee directors as a group, or any individual director, including the Chairman, you may send a letter addressed to the relevant party, c/o Corporate

Secretary, Pentair plc, Regal House, 70 London Road, Twickenham, London, TW1 3QS, United Kingdom. Any such communications will be forwarded directly to the relevant addressee(s).

Our Board has adopted written policies and procedures regarding related person transactions. For purposes of these policies and procedures:

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a "related person" means any of our directors, executive officers, or 5% shareholders or any of their immediate family members; and

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a "related person transaction" generally is a transaction (including any indebtedness or a guarantee of indebtedness) in which we were or are a participant and the amount involved exceeds $50,000, and in which a related person had or will have a direct or indirect material interest.

Potential related person transactions must be disclosed in the manner required in our Articles of Association and be brought to the attention of the Governance Committee directly or to the General Counsel for transmission to the Committee. Disclosure to the Governance Committee should occur before, if possible, or as soon as practicable after the related person transaction is effected, but in any event as soon as practicable after the executive officer or director becomes aware of the related person transaction. The Governance Committee's decision whether to approve or ratify a related person

transaction is to be made in light of a number of factors, including the following:

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whether the terms of the related person transaction are fair to us and on terms at least as favorable as would apply if the other party had no affiliation with any of our directors, executive officers or 5% shareholders;

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whether there are demonstrable business reasons for us to enter into the related person transaction;

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whether the related person transaction could impair the independence of a director under our Corporate Governance Principles' standards for director independence; and

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whether the related person transaction would present an improper conflict of interest for any of our directors or executive officers, taking into account the size of the transaction, the overall financial position of the director or executive officer, the direct or indirect nature of the interest of the director or executive officer in the transaction, the ongoing nature of the relationship, and any other factors the Governance Committee deems relevant.

We had no related person transactions during 2018. To our knowledge, no related person transactions are currently proposed.

We and our Board are committed to the highest standards of corporate governance and ethics. As part of this commitment, the Board has adopted a set of Corporate Governance Principles that sets forth our policies on:

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selection and composition of the Board;

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Board leadership;

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Board composition and performance;

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responsibilities of the Board;

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the Board's relationship to senior management;

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meeting procedures;

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Committee matters; and

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succession planning and leadership development.

The Board regularly reviews and, if appropriate, revises the Corporate Governance Principles and other governance instruments, including the charters of its Audit and Finance, Compensation, and Governance Committees, in accordance with rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and the NYSE. The Board has also adopted a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and has designated it as the code of ethics for our Chief Executive Officer and senior financial officers.

Copies of these documents are available, free of charge, on our website at https://www.pentair.com/en/about/corporate-governance.html.

Pentair plc     19

Table of Contents

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MATTERS

We do not have a policy requiring the positions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer to be held by different persons. Rather, the Board has the discretion to determine whether the positions should be combined or separated. Since 2018, and in connection with the Separation, the positions of Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board have been separated.

Mr. Stauch is our Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Jones, an independent member of the Board, serves as Chairman of the Board. The role of the Chairman is to provide independent leadership to the Board, act as liaison between and among the non-employee directors and our company, and seek to ensure that the Board operates independently of management. The Chairman's principal responsibilities include:

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leading meetings of the Board;

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residing over all executive sessions of the Board;

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in conjunction with the Chair of the Compensation Committee, reporting to the Chief Executive Officer on the Board's annual review of his performance;

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approving the agenda for Board meetings, including scheduling to assure sufficient time for discussion of all agenda items;

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in conjunction with the Committee Chairs, ensuring an appropriate flow of information to the Board;

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holding one-on-one discussions with individual directors where requested by directors or the Board; and

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carrying out other duties as requested by the Board.

The Board annually conducts a self-assessment of the Board and each Committee. In 2018, the assessment process consisted of a written evaluation comprising both quantitative scoring and narrative comments on a range of topics, including the composition and structure of the Board, the type and frequency of communications and information provided to the Board and the Committees, the Board's effectiveness in carrying out its functions and responsibilities, the effectiveness of the Committee structure, directors'

preparation and participation in the meetings, and the values and culture displayed by the directors. The evaluation responses were compiled by a third party and shared with the Chairman of the Board and Governance Committee Chair who led a discussion of the assessment results at the following Board meeting.

In addition, a verbal assessment is conducted in independent executive session at the end of every Board and Committee meeting.

Board education is an ongoing, year-round process, which begins when a director joins our Board. Upon joining our Board, new directors are provided with a comprehensive orientation to our company, including our business, strategy and governance. For example, new directors typically participate in one-on-one introductory meetings with our senior business and functional leaders. On an ongoing basis, directors

receive presentations on a variety of topics related to their work on the Board and within the industry, both from senior management and from experts outside of our company, including attending a company culture session in 2018. Directors may also enroll in continuing education programs sponsored by third parties at our expense.

The Board held six meetings in 2018. Members of the Board are expected to attend all scheduled meetings of the Board and the Committees on which they serve and all Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings. All directors attended 100% of the meetings of the Board and all meetings of the Committees on which they served during the period for which such persons

served as directors in 2018. In each regularly scheduled meeting, the independent directors also met in executive session, without the Chief Executive Officer or other members of management present. All of the directors then-serving attended the 2018 Annual General Meeting in person, except for Mr. Esculier, who attended by telephone.

Director compensation is determined by the Governance Committee of the Board. We use a combination of cash and equity-based incentive compensation to attract and retain qualified directors. Compensation of our directors reflects our belief that a

significant portion of directors' compensation should be tied to long-term growth in shareholder value.

Mr. Stauch, our only employee-director, is not, and will not be, separately compensated for service as a member of the Board.

Non-employee directors receive an annual equity grant under the Pentair plc 2012 Stock and Incentive Plan ("Pentair plc 2012 Stock and Incentive Plan") as a part of their compensation. Beginning in 2018, non-employee directors received the full value of their annual equity grant in the form of restricted stock units and ceased receiving annual grants in the form of stock options. Restricted stock units vest on the first anniversary of the grant date. Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive one ordinary share upon vesting and includes one dividend equivalent

unit, which entitles the holder to all cash dividends declared on one ordinary share from and after the date of grant.

In connection with the Separation, non-employee directors received their annual grant for 2018 on May 2, 2018 valued at $130,000. Based on the review of director compensation by Aon Hewitt, the annual grant for 2019 was valued at $140,000 and was granted on January 2, 2019.

(1)

The amounts in this column include ordinary shares owned by the director, both directly and indirectly, and unvested restricted stock units.

(2)

Based on the closing market price for our ordinary shares on December 31, 2018 of $37.78.

(3)

Under the established practice prior to the Separation, non-employee directors have five years after their election as a director to meet the stock ownership guidelines. Mr. Esculier and Ms. Williamson were first elected as directors in 2014, and Messrs. Harris and Speetzen were first elected as directors in 2018. All directors have met or are on track to meet the guidelines.