Jennifer Sy
About Jennifer Sy
AEON’s Chief Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer since April 4, 2025; age 40 as of April 29, 2025; CPA with a B.A. in Business Economics (minor in Accounting) from UCLA. Previously VP, Corporate Controller at AEON (Aug 2023–Apr 2025), and before that held senior accounting leadership roles at Nogin, Prospect Medical Holdings, Eagle Business Performance Services, QAD, and began career at Deloitte audit; she now signs AEON’s SOX 302/906 certifications and 10‑Q filings as PFO, evidencing responsibility for internal controls and financial reporting. Base salary set at $275,000 upon promotion (from $245,000), with no additional compensation terms disclosed; beneficial ownership reported at 696 options (less than 1% ownership). Company maintains an anti‑hedging policy and a Dodd‑Frank compliant clawback policy for Section 16 officers.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AEON Biopharma | VP, Corporate Controller | Aug 2023–Apr 2025 | Oversaw corporate accounting and financial reporting functions prior to appointment as CAO/PFO |
| Nogin, Inc. | Corporate Controller | Nov 2021–May 2023 | Led corporate accounting and reporting for an e‑commerce/tech company |
| Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. | Director of Finance | Mar 2018–Nov 2021 | Senior finance leadership at a healthcare provider organization |
| Eagle Business Performance Services | Controller | Apr 2014–Jan 2018 | Controllership leadership with responsibility for reporting |
| QAD, Inc. (North America) | Accounting Manager | Aug 2009–Mar 2014 | Managed regional accounting for enterprise software company |
| Deloitte LLP | External Auditor | Sept 2006–Jul 2009 | Public accounting/audit foundation |
External Roles
- None disclosed in AEON’s filings for public company boards or other external directorships/committee roles.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base salary | Increased to $275,000 effective April 4, 2025 upon promotion to Chief Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer (from $245,000 prior to promotion) |
| Other cash compensation | No target bonus %, annual bonus plan terms, or other guaranteed cash elements disclosed for Ms. Sy |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive type | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual/Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed for Ms. Sy | — | — | — | — | — |
AEON’s 2025 proxy details equity programs and performance metrics for named executive officers, but Ms. Sy was not listed as a 2024 NEO; no RSU/PSU/option grant data, performance goals, or payout formulae were disclosed for her in the proxy or 8‑Ks.
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Amount/Status |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 696 shares (all via options exercisable within 60 days as of April 21, 2025) |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | Less than 1% (based on 10,646,615 shares outstanding as of April 21, 2025) |
| Vested vs unvested | 696 options exercisable within 60 days; additional unvested awards not disclosed |
| RSUs | None disclosed for Ms. Sy |
| Shares pledged as collateral | No pledging disclosure specific to Ms. Sy; company prohibits hedging transactions for all directors, officers, and employees |
| Ownership guidelines | Corporate Governance Guidelines reference stock ownership, but no numerical executive ownership requirements disclosed |
| Clawback policy coverage | Policy requires recovery of erroneously awarded incentive compensation from Section 16 officers upon a restatement; as PFO, Ms. Sy would be within the scope of Section 16 officer coverage |
Employment Terms
- Appointment/tenure: Appointed Chief Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer effective April 4, 2025; previously VP, Corporate Controller (Aug 2023–Apr 2025). Age 40 as of April 29, 2025.
- Employment agreement, severance, and change‑of‑control: Not disclosed for Ms. Sy in 8‑Ks or the proxy; the April 8, 2025 8‑K states her selection involved no arrangements/understandings and no related person transactions under Item 404(a).
- Non‑compete/non‑solicit/garden leave/consulting: Not disclosed for Ms. Sy. Company‑level clawback and insider trading policies apply.
- Governance role: Designated as proxy on the 2025 proxy card for the June 13, 2025 annual meeting.
Performance & Track Record (company context during her tenure)
- Ms. Sy signed AEON’s Q1, Q2, and Q3 2025 10‑Q certifications as PFO, indicating responsibility for disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting.
- AEON reports no product revenue; quarterly statements present only operating expenses and other income/expense.
Company results (USD thousands)
| Metric | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selling, general and administrative | $3,125 | $3,258 | $1,933 |
| Research and development | $825 | $1,064 | $597 |
| Net income (loss) | $9,095 | $(6,642) | $(4,538) |
Risk Indicators & Red Flags (relevant to alignment/retention)
- Anti‑hedging policy prohibits directors/officers from engaging in hedging transactions in AEON securities.
- Clawback policy for Section 16 officers mandates recovery of incentive compensation upon a material restatement.
- Section 16 compliance: Proxy indicates all required Section 16 reports for 2024 were timely filed for directors/executive officers/principal accounting officer.
- Related party transactions: No Item 404(a) related person transactions disclosed for Ms. Sy in her appointment 8‑K.
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Cash vs equity mix: For Ms. Sy, only base salary of $275,000 was disclosed at promotion; no equity grant or annual/target bonus details were disclosed for 2025 at the time of filings.
- Guaranteed vs at‑risk pay: No disclosed at‑risk or formulaic variable pay specific to Ms. Sy; NEO frameworks are disclosed separately.
- Clawback/hedging overlays reduce misalignment risk at the company level.
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- Not disclosed for Ms. Sy individually; AEON, as an emerging growth company, provides reduced compensation disclosures.
Expertise & Qualifications
- CPA; UCLA B.A. in Business Economics (minor in Accounting). Broad experience across healthcare, software, and technology finance; elevated to PFO role in 2025 and signing officer under SOX.
Work History & Career Trajectory
- Progressive advancement from Deloitte audit to controllership and director roles across private/public companies; joined AEON as VP Controller in 2023 and promoted to CAO/PFO in 2025.
Compensation Committee/Board Governance Touchpoints
- Company‑level Compensation Committee oversees executive pay and clawback policy; not specific to Ms. Sy.
- Insider trading policy and Corporate Governance Guidelines apply company‑wide.
Investment Implications
- Alignment and selling pressure: Ms. Sy’s disclosed equity exposure is modest (696 options; <1% ownership), limiting direct equity‑based alignment and near‑term selling pressure signals; no RSUs/PSUs, vesting schedules, or large option overhangs were disclosed for her.
- Retention risk: Compensation data disclosed is limited to base salary; absence of disclosed bonus/equity awards for Ms. Sy may suggest lower at‑risk/retention levers compared to NEOs, though undisclosed awards may exist; no severance/CIC terms are reported for her role.
- Controls and governance: As PFO, she is central to financial controls (SOX certifications), and company‑level anti‑hedging and clawback policies provide guardrails on pay‑for‑performance and risk.
Data gaps: No disclosure of Ms. Sy’s target/actual bonus metrics, equity grants (RSU/PSU/options) and vesting schedules, or severance/CIC protections—monitor future proxies and 8‑Ks for updates.