Shawn Taylor
About Shawn Taylor
Shawn Taylor, 62, is an independent Class I director of Nuburu, Inc. (BURU) since 2025, with his current term expiring at the 2026 annual meeting . He is a seasoned fractional CFO with 20+ years in SaaS, media, and IP-centric businesses, a Chartered Accountant (ICAEW, since 1990), and holds a BSc in Geography from King’s College London; the Board has designated him as the Audit Committee Chair and an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eight Capital Partners plc | Chief Financial Officer | Dec 2023 – present | Corporate finance, IPOs, equity/debt financings, restructurings, M&A |
| Bolt Global Media Ltd | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2022 – Dec 2023 | Venture-backed scale-up finance leadership |
| Quickmove Ltd | Chief Financial Officer | Jan 2021 – Feb 2022 | Corporate finance oversight |
| Gibbs Hybrid Ltd | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2019 – Dec 2020 | Strategic restructurings |
| Abal plc (formerly Imaginatik plc) | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2005 – Aug 2019 | Led Imaginatik IPO (AIM), scaled revenue, negotiated trade sales |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) | Fellow, Chartered Accountant | Since 1990 | Professional credential |
| Other public company directorships | — | — | None disclosed in BURU proxy |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined that all directors except Executive Chairman Alessandro Zamboni are independent under NYSE American rules; Taylor is independent .
- Committee assignments: Taylor chairs Audit and sits on Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance (N&CG) Committees; he is the Board-designated audit committee financial expert .
- Lead independent director: The Board may appoint a lead independent director in the future; none designated at the time of the proxy .
- Executive sessions: Non‑employee directors meet in executive session periodically, per NYSE American requirements and Corporate Governance Guidelines .
- Board activity: In 2024 the Board held 53 meetings; Audit Committee held 6; Compensation Committee 1; N&CG Committee 1. Each director then serving attended at least 75% of applicable meetings (note: Taylor joined in 2025; no individual attendance disclosed for him) .
| Committee | Membership | Chair | Independence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Shawn Taylor; Dario Barisoni | Shawn Taylor | Both independent; Taylor is financial expert |
| Compensation | Dario Barisoni; Shawn Taylor | Dario Barisoni | Both independent |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Dario Barisoni; Shawn Taylor | Dario Barisoni | Both independent |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Director annual retainer (cash) | $50,000 | 2024 policy; paid quarterly in arrears; unpaid 2024 compensation accepted in common stock on Jan 13, 2025 |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $50,000 | 2024 policy; role applicable to Taylor |
| Equity election of retainer | Option to convert 50%–100% of cash retainer into options at implied 75% Black-Scholes value | Grants quarterly; or cash alternative paid quarterly |
Disclosure does not provide Taylor’s 2025 director compensation amounts; table reflects 2024 policy terms applicable to his current roles .
Performance Compensation
- No performance-linked metrics disclosed for director compensation (no TSR/EBITDA/ESG metrics tied to director pay) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Position | Committee Roles | Interlocks/Related Party Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public company boards | None disclosed | — | None disclosed |
| Executive roles (see Past Roles) | CFO at multiple firms | — | No BURU-related party ties disclosed for Taylor |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial expertise: Chartered Accountant (ICAEW), designated audit committee financial expert, meets NYSE American financial sophistication .
- Capital markets: IPO leadership, equity/debt financings, restructurings, M&A .
- Education: BSc in Geography, King’s College London .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Shares Owned | Options/RSUs Exercisable within 60 days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % of Common Outstanding | Series A Preferred Shares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shawn Taylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | <1% | 0 |
- Ownership policies: Corporate Governance Guidelines include minimum shareholding requirements for officers and directors; specific multiples not disclosed . Hedging, pledging, short sales, and trading in derivatives are prohibited for directors under the insider trading policy .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independence and oversight: Independent director; Audit Chair; designated audit committee financial expert—positions Taylor as a key control over financial reporting, auditor independence, and related party transactions .
- Committee engagement: Serves across Audit, Compensation, and N&CG, indicating broad governance involvement .
- Policies: Robust prohibitions on hedging/pledging and executive sessions for non‑employee directors support alignment and oversight .
-
Potential concerns and monitoring items
- Ownership alignment: No disclosed share ownership or short-term exercisable equity as of the June 9, 2025 record date; guidelines exist, but compliance status for Taylor not disclosed (monitor for future Form 3 and equity grants) .
- Liquidity signal: Directors accepted common stock in lieu of unpaid 2024 cash fees on Jan 13, 2025—prudent liquidity management but a signal of cash constraints; requires continued Audit Committee vigilance .
- Company related-party exposure: Significant related party transactions and strategic financing activities led by Executive Chairman; Audit Committee (chaired by Taylor) has explicit oversight of related party transactions—effective oversight is critical to investor confidence .
Attendance: No individual attendance data disclosed for Taylor (joined in 2025). Board-level activity was high in 2024 (53 meetings), underscoring the expected workload for Audit Chair .
Lead Independent Director: None designated as of proxy; Board may appoint in the future .
Section 16 filings: Proxy notes that Form 3 filings were to be filed for Taylor and other directors, suggesting recent appointments; monitor for subsequent insider filings .