Li (Helen) Wei
About Li (Helen) Wei
Independent director of AlphaVest Acquisition Corp (ATMV) appointed on December 19, 2022; currently Chair of the Compensation Committee and member of the Audit Committee, with the Board affirming her independence under Nasdaq rules . Wei is an academic practitioner and former Wall Street executive: Professor of Practice at SAIF (Shanghai Jiaotong University) and Assistant Director at its Advanced Institute for Financial Research since July 2021; previously senior roles at NYSE Group, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, and CITIC Securities International; Ph.D. in Finance (University of Utah), and MS/BS (Tsinghua University) . She is classified as a Class I director with a term expiring at the first annual meeting of shareholders .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance (SAIF), Shanghai Jiaotong University | Professor of Practice; Assistant Director, Advanced Institute for Financial Research | Since Jul 2021 | Academic leadership focused on finance research and practice |
| NYSE Group | Officer & Managing Director | 2004–2008 | Global markets leadership and institutional engagement |
| Citigroup | Director, Institutional Investment Group | 2008–2010 | Institutional investment coverage and product leadership |
| Deutsche Bank | Director, Global Markets | 2010–2012 | Trading/markets management |
| CITIC Securities International | Managing Director, Alternative Investment | 2013–2016 | Alternatives investing leadership |
| Tsinghua PBCSF | Adjunct Professor | Since 2018 | Teaching and thought leadership |
| Iowa State University | Assistant Professor of Finance (prior) | Not disclosed | Academic foundation |
| Shanghai Stock Exchange; Tel Aviv Stock Exchange | Senior Advisor (prior) | Not disclosed | Market advisory roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlphaTime Acquisition Corp (SPAC) | Director | Not disclosed | Similarly structured blank check company that has filed for an IPO |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Wei is an independent director under Nasdaq and SEC rules; independent-only executive sessions are held .
- Committee memberships: Compensation Committee (Chair); Audit Committee member alongside Shu Wang (Chair) and Jiangang Luo; audit committee members are financially literate, with Wang and Luo designated “audit committee financial experts” .
- Nominating: No standing nominating committee; independent directors recommend nominees per Nasdaq Rule 5605(e)(2) .
- Committee charters (scope highlights):
- Audit: Auditor oversight and independence; pre-approve services; related-party review; compliance oversight .
- Compensation: CEO/Officer compensation policies; plan administration; adviser independence; director remuneration review (note: SPAC policy limits pre-merger pay) .
- Appointment/term: Appointed Dec 19, 2022; Class I director term expires at first annual meeting .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy / Amount | Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $0 (no cash remuneration prior to Business Combination) | Pre‑combination | Per Articles; directors may be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses |
| Committee membership fees | $0 | Pre‑combination | Covered by no-cash policy |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | Pre‑combination | Covered by no-cash policy |
| Meeting fees | $0 | Pre‑combination | Covered by no-cash policy |
| Expense reimbursement | Actuals reimbursed | Ongoing | Audit Committee to review any payments quarterly |
Performance Compensation
| Metric / Instrument | Q3 2024 | Q2 2025 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock awards (RSUs/PSUs) | None (no compensation of any kind prior to completion of Business Combination) | None (no compensation of any kind prior to completion of Business Combination) | SPAC structure defers director compensation until after de‑SPAC |
| Options | None | None | No option program disclosed pre‑combination |
| Performance metrics (revenue, EBITDA, TSR, ESG) | Not applicable | Not applicable | No pay-for-performance plan disclosed pre‑combination |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| AlphaTime Acquisition Corp | Director | Dual SPAC directorship could create sourcing/interlock considerations; Company’s charter includes waiver of corporate opportunity doctrine |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Global markets and institutional investment leadership (NYSE Group, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, CITIC) .
- Academic credentials and roles (Ph.D. University of Utah; SAIF Professor of Practice; Tsinghua PBCSF adjunct) .
- SPAC governance experience (director at AlphaTime Acquisition Corp) .
- Committee leadership competency (Compensation Chair; participation in Audit oversight) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Q3 2023 (Record Date) | Q3 2024 (Record Date) | Q2 2025 (Record Date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned (count) | — | — | — |
| Ownership % of outstanding | — | — | — |
Notes: Beneficial ownership tables list Li (Helen) Wei with “—” for both share count and percentage across proxies; executives/directors as a group are reported separately .
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: Pre‑combination, directors receive no cash pay; Wei shows no reported beneficial ownership, indicating low direct economic alignment but reduced pay-related conflicts .
- Committee effectiveness: As Compensation Chair with a no‑cash policy pre‑de‑SPAC, her remit is largely governance of future post‑combination pay frameworks; Audit membership adds financial oversight breadth, with designated financial experts on committee (Wang, Luo) .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure:
- Corporate opportunity waiver in the charter is a structural risk—SPAC directors may have duties to other entities (including another SPAC), potentially diverting opportunities; Company asserts it did not interfere with target identification but risk persists (RED FLAG) .
- Initial shareholders’ interests (founder shares/private units) create incentive asymmetry; while Wei is independent with no reported holdings, overall board/sponsor economics can bias process (signal for investors) .
- Letter Agreement signed by Insiders obligates voting for a Business Combination and restricts redemption—standard for SPACs, but signals sponsor-driven alignment rather than public shareholder alignment .
- Cross-border enforcement risk: Company disclosed difficulties enforcing U.S. judgments as key directors (including Li Wei) reside in China; raises investor protection concerns (RED FLAG) .
- Independence: Board affirmations of Wei’s independence maintained through 2024–2025; related-party transaction policy requires Audit Committee pre‑approval and excludes director participation if related—mitigates transaction conflicts .
Overall signal: Wei brings significant markets and compensation governance expertise, but dual SPAC directorship and the corporate opportunity waiver, combined with sponsor economics and cross‑border enforcement limitations, present governance red flags investors should monitor through the de‑SPAC process .