Thomas Hunersen
About Thomas Hunersen
Thomas W. Hunersen (Year of Birth: 1968) serves as an independent Class III Trustee of the abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund (ASGI), with a term expiring in 2026 and service since 2023. He is Principal of CKW Ventures LLC (since 2013), and previously held senior roles in global banking and infrastructure at National Australia Bank, Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, Bank of Ireland, Slingshot GT, and Mellon Bank. The Board cites his executive leadership experience across global banking, infrastructure and technology businesses, including oversight of another infrastructure-strategy closed-end fund for over 17 years.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Australia Bank Limited | EVP/GM North America; Global Head of Energy & Utilities | Prior to 2013 | Senior leadership in energy & utilities banking |
| Irish Bank Resolution Corporation | Group Executive, Corporate & Institutional Recovery | Prior to 2013 | Led recovery initiatives |
| Bank of Ireland | Group Executive | Prior to 2013 | Senior executive experience |
| Slingshot GT Incorporated | Chief Executive Officer | Prior to 2013 | CEO leadership |
| Mellon Bank Corporation | Assistant Vice President | Prior to 2013 | Banking experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CKW Ventures LLC | Principal | Since 2013 | Current principal role |
| Other public company boards | None | — | No other directorships disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: Independent Trustee (Class III)
- Term/Service: Trustee since 2023; term expires 2026
- Committee Memberships:
- Audit Committee member (proxy text explicitly states membership)
- Audit Committee composition list elsewhere in the proxy omits Hunersen while listing all other independent trustees, creating an inconsistency; Chair: John Sievwright; Members: Yao, Malone, Reit, Baird, Mahai → RED FLAG: inconsistent committee disclosure
- Attendance: Trustees serving during FY ended Sept 30, 2024 attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and Committee meetings; Board held 5 regular and 1 special meeting; Audit Committee met 4 times
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate Compensation from ASGI | $37,500 | Proxy table lists “Thomas Hunerson” (sic) at $37,500 |
| Total Compensation from Fund Complex | $37,500 | Consistent with oversight of 1 registrant |
| Plan Structure | No bonus, profit sharing, pension or retirement plans | Fund officers are paid by adviser; directors paid by fund |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Disclosure | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Annual/Discretionary Bonus | None (Fund does not have bonus plans) | No bonus paid/disclosed |
| Equity (RSUs/PSUs/Options) | None disclosed in proxy | Director comp table reports cash only |
| Performance Metrics (TSR, EBITDA, ESG) | None disclosed | No performance-linked pay elements |
| Clawback/Severance/CIC | Not disclosed | No director-specific severance/CIC provisions noted in proxy |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Role | Overlap/Interlock |
|---|---|---|
| None | — | No other directorships; lowers interlock risk |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership across global banking, infrastructure, and technology businesses; oversight experience of another infrastructure-strategy closed-end fund for 17+ years .
- Principal investor/operator at CKW Ventures LLC since 2013 .
- The Board highlights complementary skills and a diverse composition; SEC-mandated qualifications disclosures do not imply special expertise or increased liability .
Equity Ownership
| As of Date | Fund Ownership Range | Aberdeen Family Aggregate Range |
|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 |
Alignment signal: Over $100K personal investment in ASGI; positive “skin-in-the-game” indicator.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with deep banking and infrastructure experience, and substantial personal share ownership (“Over $100,000”) supporting alignment with shareholders .
- Audit Committee involvement strengthens financial oversight; Audit Committee met 4 times in FY 2024 .
- Attendance threshold met (≥75% for all Trustees), suggesting engagement; Board held 6 meetings in FY 2024 .
- No other public company directorships disclosed; reduces interlock and potential conflicts .
- Compensation and incentives:
- Cash-only director compensation of $37,500 from ASGI and $37,500 total (no bonus or performance pay), minimizing pay-for-performance distortion risk at the director level .
- Risks/RED FLAGS:
- Inconsistent disclosure regarding Audit Committee membership: one section lists Hunersen as a member , another enumerates members without him . This discrepancy raises a documentation/control-quality concern that investors should monitor.
- No explicit disclosure of director equity award policies or ownership guidelines for trustees; ranges provided but no guideline compliance data .
- No detailed related-party transactions section referencing directors; none surfaced in proxy search, but continued monitoring advisable given advisory relationships within the fund complex .
Summary Implications
Hunersen appears to be a credible, independent trustee with relevant sector expertise and meaningful personal ownership, which supports investor confidence in board oversight. The primary governance watch item is the Audit Committee membership inconsistency in the proxy; investors should seek clarification from the fund on committee rosters and ensure accurate, consistent governance disclosures.