Anna Brunelle
About Anna Brunelle
Anna Brunelle (age 57) is an independent director of Compass Digital Acquisition Corp. (CDAQF) since August 31, 2023. She chairs the Audit Committee and is designated an “audit committee financial expert.” Her background includes CFO roles at Ouster Inc. (Aug 2020–May 2023), Kinestral Technologies (Apr 2018–May 2020), and Soylent (CFO and Interim COO, Mar 2016–Oct 2017), plus senior finance leadership at GlobalLogic and TiVo and prior consulting at Deloitte. She holds a B.S. in Business Administration (accounting) from California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo and currently serves as a director of Bolt Threads, Inc. and Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VI (HCVI) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ouster Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2020 – May 2023 | Led finance through SPAC merger and subsequent industry consolidation |
| Kinestral Technologies | Chief Financial Officer | Apr 2018 – May 2020 | Finance leadership for smart glass tech company |
| Soylent | CFO; Interim Chief Operating Officer | Mar 2016 – Oct 2017 | Operational and financial leadership in consumer nutrition |
| GlobalLogic | Chief Financial Officer | Not disclosed | Senior finance leadership (dates not disclosed) |
| TiVo, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Not disclosed | Senior finance leadership (dates not disclosed) |
| Deloitte & Touche, LLP | Senior Consultant | Not disclosed | Early career experience in audit/consulting |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolt Threads, Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VI (HCVI) | Director | Current | HCVI chaired/led by Daniel J. Hennessy (interlock) |
| Halio International | Director | Mar 2019 – May 2020 | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Board classification: Three classes; Brunelle is in the third class (term expires at the third annual general meeting) .
- Independent status: The Board determined Brunelle is an independent director under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors hold regularly scheduled meetings with only independent directors present .
| Item | Detail | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Members: Anna Brunelle (Chair), Matt Schindel, Kirk Hovde; all independent; Brunelle is “audit committee financial expert” | |
| Compensation Committee | Members: Matt Schindel (Chair), M. Joseph Beck; independent | |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | Exists; membership not disclosed | |
| Director Appointment Date | Aug 31, 2023 (post Sponsor Handover) |
Fixed Compensation
- Company disclosure: “None of our officers or directors has received any cash compensation for services rendered to us, other than our Chief Financial Officer” (CFO paid $22,000 in 2023 and $20,500 in 2024). This implies director cash retainers/fees were $0 in 2023–2024 .
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Director cash retainer ($) | $0 | $0 |
| Committee chair fees ($) | $0 | $0 |
| Meeting fees ($) | $0 | $0 |
Performance Compensation
- Equity/Options: No director equity awards disclosed; Brunelle shows zero beneficial ownership of Class A and Class B shares in the company’s beneficial ownership table .
| Component | Grant Date | Quantity | Vesting | Fair Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs/PSUs | Not disclosed | None | Not applicable | Not applicable | No grants disclosed |
| Options | Not disclosed | None | Not applicable | Not applicable | No grants disclosed |
| Performance metrics tied to pay (TSR/EBITDA/etc.) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | No director performance pay disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Sector | Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| HCVI (NASDAQ: HCVI) | Director | SPAC | Interlock with Daniel J. Hennessy, who chairs HCVI and is Sponsor member at CDAQF; potential network influence |
| Bolt Threads, Inc. | Director | Materials/Biofabrication | No business relationship with CDAQF disclosed |
| Halio International | Director | Smart glass | Prior role; no current interlock disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance leadership: 20+ years across CFO roles (Ouster, Kinestral, Soylent, GlobalLogic, TiVo) with IPOs and M&A execution experience .
- Audit expertise: Audit Committee Chair; SEC-defined “audit committee financial expert” designation .
- Education: B.S. in Business Administration (accounting), Cal Poly SLO .
- Industry scope: Technology hardware/sensors, materials, consumer nutrition, software/services .
Equity Ownership
- As of March 19, 2025 (Record Date), total ordinary shares outstanding: 7,791,607. Brunelle beneficially owns zero shares (Class A and Class B) .
| Holder | Class A Owned | Class B Owned | Total Owned | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Brunelle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00% (of 7,791,607) |
- Pledging/Hedging: No pledging or hedging disclosures specific to Brunelle identified in the reviewed filings .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with deep CFO experience; serves as Audit Committee Chair and SEC “financial expert,” reinforcing financial reporting oversight .
- Independent directors hold executive sessions, supporting board independence and candid oversight .
-
Risks/Red Flags:
- Sponsor/insider control: Sponsors, officers, and directors collectively held ~68.15% of voting power as of the March 2025 meeting context, enabling proposals to pass without broader public shareholder support . This concentration can dilute minority shareholder influence.
- Interlocks: Brunelle’s directorship at HCVI alongside Daniel J. Hennessy’s leadership there reflects network interlocks within the Hennessy ecosystem; while permitted, investors should monitor for perceived influence channels and potential conflicts in SPAC deal selection or advisory relationships .
- Alignment: Zero share ownership reduces “skin-in-the-game” alignment; no director equity grants disclosed to offset this .
-
Related-Party/Conflicts Context:
- Multiple Sponsor-related financing arrangements (promissory notes, registration rights) and founder share structures exist at CDAQF; these are not specific to Brunelle but shape the governance environment and potential conflicts at the entity level .
Overall implication: Brunelle’s audit leadership and independence strengthen board oversight of financial reporting. However, sponsor control and intra-network interlocks warrant heightened monitoring of process integrity, potential conflicts in transaction decisions, and efforts to enhance director-shareholder alignment through ownership or equity-based compensation in any post-combination governance redesign .