David Thompson
About David Thompson
David Thompson, age 61, is Chief Executive Officer of Creative Media & Community Trust Corporation (CMCT) since March 2019 and previously served as CMCT’s Chief Financial Officer from March 2014 to March 2019 . He is also a Principal and Chief Financial Officer of CIM Group, L.P., serves on CIM’s Investment and Valuation Committees and ICCS, and has been CEO and Trustee of CIM Real Assets & Credit Fund since February 2019 . Earlier, he spent 15 years at Hilton Hotels Corporation, most recently as Senior Vice President and Controller; he began his career as a CPA at Arthur Andersen & Co. and holds a B.S. in Accounting from USC . CMCT’s proxy states Mr. Thompson’s compensation is determined and paid by an affiliate of CIM Group (the external operator/administrator), and CMCT did not pay him any compensation in 2024 or 2023; as such, the proxy does not discuss his compensation, and any pay-for-performance linkages at CMCT are not applicable to him .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creative Media & Community Trust (CMCT) | Chief Financial Officer | Mar 2014 – Mar 2019 | Led finance through externally managed structure; foundation for transition to CEO |
| Hilton Hotels Corporation | SVP & Controller | ~1994 – 2009 (15 years) | Oversaw worldwide financial reporting, FP&A, internal control, technical accounting; executed real estate transactions across multiple sectors |
| Arthur Andersen & Co. | CPA (Los Angeles) | Early career | Public accounting foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| CIM Group, L.P. | Principal; Chief Financial Officer; Member of Investment and Valuation Committees and ICCS | Since 2009 | Integral to capital allocation and oversight at external manager to CMCT |
| CIM Real Assets & Credit Fund | Chief Executive Officer and Trustee | Since Feb 2019 | Leadership of affiliated closed-end interval fund investing in real estate and credit |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary ($) | Target Bonus % | Actual Bonus ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $0 | N/A | $0 | CMCT did not pay Mr. Thompson; paid by CIM affiliate |
| 2023 | $0 | N/A | $0 | CMCT did not pay Mr. Thompson; paid by CIM affiliate |
- CMCT’s 2025 proxy explicitly states Mr. Thompson is employed and compensated by an affiliate of the Operator/Administrator; CMCT did not pay him in 2024 or 2023 .
Performance Compensation
| Plan/Instrument | Metric(s) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Incentive (Company-paid) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $0 | N/A |
| Equity Awards (RSU/PSU/Options) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | $0 | N/A |
- There were no grants of equity or other plan-based awards to CMCT’s named executive officers during 2024; no outstanding equity awards for NEOs as of 12/31/2024; no equity vested/exercised in 2024 . For Mr. Thompson specifically, CMCT did not pay compensation in 2024/2023; thus no CMCT-linked performance metrics or payouts apply to him .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned | 102 shares; less than 1% of class |
| Preferred ownership (Series A / A1 / D) | None disclosed for Mr. Thompson |
| Vested vs unvested shares | No equity awards outstanding for NEOs at 12/31/2024 |
| Options (exercisable/unexercisable) | None outstanding for NEOs at 12/31/2024 |
| Hedging policy | Hedging in Company securities prohibited (options, short selling, swaps, collars, etc.) |
| Pledging policy | Pledging permitted only with approval of a Company-designated attorney |
| Insider trading policy reference | Insider trading policy on file as Exhibit 19.1 to 2024 Form 10-K |
- The beneficial ownership table for April 14–15, 2025 shows Mr. Thompson with 102 common shares and no preferred, “<1%” of class . The table provides no footnote indicating pledged shares for Mr. Thompson .
- Company-wide policy restricts hedging and requires approval for any pledging, which mitigates alignment risks associated with derivative hedging or uncontrolled pledging .
Employment Terms
| Term | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Employer | Employed by affiliate of the Operator (CIM Group affiliate) and the Administrator; not directly by CMCT for pay purposes |
| Compensation payor | Determined and paid by CIM affiliate; CMCT paid $0 to Mr. Thompson in 2024 and 2023 |
| Severance / Change-in-Control (CIC) | Not disclosed for Mr. Thompson; CMCT’s “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” section addresses CFO Berlin only |
| Clawback | Not specifically disclosed for Mr. Thompson; CMCT cites general trading/hedging/pledging restrictions |
| Non-compete / Non-solicit | Not disclosed in CMCT proxy for Mr. Thompson |
| Ownership guidelines | Not specifically disclosed for executives in proxy; beneficial ownership presented |
Performance & Track Record
- Management commentary: In August 2025, Mr. Thompson highlighted progress on refinancing, balance sheet strengthening, and leasing momentum, including repaying a recourse credit facility, closing a revolving facility against SBA 7(a) loans, executing over 78,000 sq ft of office leases 1H25 plus 61,747 sq ft in July, and hotel NOI up ~5.5% 1H25 post-renovation (press release content referenced within 8-K exhibit) .
- Proxy and filings reviewed do not disclose Mr. Thompson-specific TSR, revenue growth, or EBITDA growth linkages at CMCT due to external management and absence of CMCT-paid executive compensation for him .
Compensation Committee and Governance Touchpoints
- Compensation Committee members: Douglas Bech (Chair) and Elaine Wong; Committee indicates no consultant engaged in 2024 and minimal company employees (five as of 12/31/2024) .
- Say-on-pay: Stockholders approved executive compensation in 2024 on an advisory basis; the Board noted support and made no program changes; the 2025 vote again seeks advisory approval (applies principally to CFO Berlin, as Mr. Thompson receives no CMCT-paid compensation) .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance linkage at CMCT is not applicable to Mr. Thompson: CMCT paid him $0 in 2024 and 2023, and compensation is set/paid by a CIM affiliate under the external management structure; investors may need to evaluate alignment through the operator-level incentives rather than CMCT’s compensation program .
- Insider selling pressure appears limited from CMCT equity incentives, given no outstanding equity awards and minimal direct share ownership (102 shares, <1%); hedging is prohibited and pledging requires approval, which reduces alignment risks from derivatives or collateralized shares .
- Retention/transition risk is tied to the external manager: Tenure as CMCT CEO since 2019 and concurrent senior roles at CIM Group suggest continuity is influenced by CIM Group’s organizational dynamics rather than CMCT-specific employment agreements (no CMCT severance/CIC terms disclosed for Mr. Thompson) .
- Governance monitoring: With externally set CEO pay and advisory votes focused on the company-paid NEO (CFO), engagement on alignment may require transparency into the Operator’s incentive structure and fee arrangements to assess incentives driving capital allocation and operational decisions .
Sources: CMCT DEF 14A (June 27, 2025): executive officers/biography, compensation framework, ownership tables, trading policy ; CMCT DEF 14A (Aug 27, 2025): ownership table corroboration ; CMCT DEF 14A (July 5, 2024): prior-year officer ages/biography ; CMCT 8‑K (Aug 13, 2025) press release with management commentary .