Cornelis Michiel van Katwijk
About Cornelis Michiel van Katwijk
Independent Class II director of Abacus Global Management, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABL), age 58 as of April 28, 2025, serving since the company’s July 2023 business combination; he brings deep insurance and treasury experience and is designated an SEC “audit committee financial expert.” Former CFO/Treasurer/EVP at Transamerica Life Insurance Co. (Iowa); former Treasurer & SVP at Transamerica Advisors Life Insurance Company of New York (employed September 2012–September 2021); past Group Treasurer at Aegon NV and CFO at AEGON USA LLC; MBA from University of Rochester; undergraduate degree from Nyenrode Business Universiteit .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transamerica Life Insurance Co. (Iowa) | Chief Financial Officer; Treasurer; Director; EVP | Not disclosed | Senior finance leadership at a major insurer |
| Transamerica Advisors Life Insurance Co. of New York | Treasurer & SVP | Sep 2012 – Sep 2021 | Board member of Transamerica Advisors Life Insurance Co. (subsidiary) |
| Aegon NV | Group Treasurer | Not disclosed | Group-level treasury leadership |
| AEGON USA LLC | Chief Financial Officer | Not disclosed | U.S. CFO role within Aegon |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public Company? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No other public-company directorships disclosed in the company’s proxy . |
Board Governance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Board status | Independent director (Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2)) |
| Classification/term | Class II; nominated and re-elected at 2025 annual meeting; term through 2028 if elected |
| Committees | Audit Committee (member); Compensation Committee (member) |
| Committee chair roles | None (Audit and Compensation Committees chaired by Mary Beth Schulte) |
| Financial expert | Designated “audit committee financial expert” under Reg S-K 407(d)(5) |
| Attendance | Each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings in 2024; Board met 5x, Audit 4x, Compensation 2x, Nominating 1x |
| Independence of committees | Audit and Compensation Committees comprised entirely of independent directors |
2025 Director Election Results (June 12, 2025)
| Nominee | For (votes) | Withhold (votes) | Broker non-votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelis Michiel van Katwijk | 69,817,448 | 402,835 | 1,560,600 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (Non-employee Director) | 2024 Policy/Amount | Detail/Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity retainer | $75,000 in unrestricted Common Stock | Granted April 2, 2025 for compensation partially earned in 2024; no cash fees |
| Audit Committee chair add’l grant | $15,000 in unrestricted Common Stock | Applies to Audit Chair (not van Katwijk) |
| Cash retainer | $0 | Directors do not receive additional compensation; expenses reimbursed |
Director Compensation History (Non-employee)
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 (for FY2024 service; granted 4/2/2025) – van Katwijk | — | 75,000 | 75,000 |
| 2023 (for FY2023 service) – van Katwijk | — | 46,200 | 46,200 |
Compensation structure shift: In 2023 the program granted fixed share counts (7,500 shares; +1,500 for Audit Chair) ; by 2024 the program moved to fixed dollar-value grants ($75,000; +$15,000 for Audit Chair), capping annual director equity at $75,000 per director under the plan—this reduces volatility tied to share price at grant and standardizes grant value .
Performance Compensation
| Performance Metric | Weight/Target | Payout Determination | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed for directors | N/A | N/A | Directors receive unrestricted stock grants; no disclosed performance metrics or options; no cash bonuses/meeting fees . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person | Other Public Boards | Committee Roles Elsewhere | Interlocks/Conflicts Disclosed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelis M. van Katwijk | None disclosed | Not disclosed | None disclosed in related-party section; director committees at ABL only . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior insurance and treasury expertise: former CFO/Treasurer/EVP at Transamerica Life; Group Treasurer at Aegon NV; CFO at AEGON USA LLC .
- SEC “audit committee financial expert” designation; financial literacy confirmed under Nasdaq standards .
- MBA (University of Rochester); undergraduate degree (Nyenrode Business Universiteit) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornelis M. van Katwijk | 17,732 | <1% | As of April 22, 2025; 95,616,386 shares outstanding . No pledging disclosed; company policy prohibits hedging and pledging without pre-clearance . |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent director with deep financial and insurance background; designated audit committee financial expert—supports audit oversight and risk management .
- Equity-only director pay, no cash retainers; alignment via stock ownership; move to fixed-dollar equity grants enhances consistency and reduces timing risk .
- Attendance threshold met; committees composed entirely of independents; board affirms independence .
- Re-election support strong (69.8M for vs. 0.4M withhold), signaling investor confidence in his continued service .
-
Potential Risks/Red Flags
- None specifically disclosed relating to van Katwijk (no related-party transactions, loans, or consultant conflicts noted) .
- Company allows pledging only with pre-clearance; no individual pledging by van Katwijk disclosed; continue to monitor Form 4 filings and future proxies for any pledging or hedging exceptions .
-
Watch Items for Investors
- Continue monitoring director ownership growth relative to ongoing equity retainers to assess alignment over time; beneficial ownership currently below 1% .
- Track committee workload and meeting cadence given evolving capital markets activity; Audit (4x), Compensation (2x), Nominating (1x) meetings in 2024 .