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Robert Harcourt

Director at Coda Octopus Group
Board

About Robert R. Harcourt

Robert R. Harcourt (age 80) is an independent director of CODA, serving since June 2023. He is a certified public accountant with a BBA in Accountancy from Pace University and has completed coursework at Harvard University and Stanford University; his background spans auditing, financial management, and financial reporting, including roles with KPMG, the PCAOB, and expert consulting at Analysis Group and Cornerstone Research .

Past Roles

OrganizationRoleTenureCommittees/Impact
KPMGAudit/Advisory; Partner; later Consultant1967–2011; Consultant 2007–2011Senior leadership and audit experience
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB)Associate Director, Division of Registrations and Inspections2011–2016Oversight of audit inspections
Analysis GroupFinancial accounting and auditing expert (consulting to attorneys)2018–presentExpert testimony/consulting on accounting/reporting and audit procedures
Cornerstone ResearchFinancial accounting and auditing expert (consulting to attorneys)2018–presentExpert testimony/consulting on accounting/reporting and audit procedures

External Roles

OrganizationRoleTenureCommittees/Impact
Analysis GroupConsulting expert in financial accounting/auditing2018–presentExpertise supports legal/accounting matters
Cornerstone ResearchConsulting expert in financial accounting/auditing2018–presentExpertise supports legal/accounting matters
Other public company boardsNone disclosedNo other public directorships disclosed

Board Governance

  • Independence: The Board determined all directors were independent except the CEO (Annmarie Gayle) and Dr. McFadzean; Harcourt is independent under NASDAQ rules .
  • Committees: Audit (member), Compensation (member), Nominating (member). Audit Committee chaired by Michael Hamilton; Compensation Committee chaired by Michael Hamilton; Nominating Committee membership includes Harcourt, Rouy-Poirier, and Hamilton (chair not specified for 2025). Historical 2024 Nominating Committee chair was G. Tyler Runnels .
  • Meetings and attendance (FY ended Oct 31, 2024): Board met 4 times; Audit met 4; Compensation met 4; Nominating met 3. Each director attended all Board and applicable committee meetings for the periods served (100% attendance) .
  • Audit Committee Report Engagement: Harcourt co-signed the Audit Committee Report recommending inclusion of audited financials in the 2024 Form 10-K .
  • Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; the Board does not designate a separate Lead Independent Director, asserting whole-board oversight processes instead .

Fixed Compensation

Year (Fiscal, ended Oct 31)Cash Retainer ($)Committee/Chair Fees ($)Meeting Fees ($)Total ($)
202450,000 50,000
202316,667 66,667

Notes: 2023 includes stock awards in total; cash appears prorated given mid-year appointment in June 2023 .

Performance Compensation

Year (Fiscal, ended Oct 31)Stock Awards ($)Award TypeGrant DateShares (#)Grant-Date Fair Value ($)Vesting/Metrics
2024— (none for Harcourt) Not disclosed
202350,000 Not specifiedNot disclosedNot disclosed50,000 Not disclosed (no director-specific performance metrics revealed)
  • Company equity plans: CODA maintains 2017 and 2021 Stock Incentive Plans administered by the Compensation Committee; plan share pools and activity are disclosed at the company level (not director-specific) .
  • Clawback: CODA adopted a Claw Back Policy effective September 7, 2023 to comply with Nasdaq Rule 5608 and Exchange Act Section 10D; applies to Covered Executives (not specifically directors) .

Other Directorships & Interlocks

ItemDetail
Compensation Committee interlocksNone; no member has been an employee; no executive officer of CODA serves on another entity’s board/comp committee with reciprocal service at CODA .
Other public boards (Harcourt)None disclosed .

Expertise & Qualifications

  • Certified Public Accountant with extensive audit oversight, including PCAOB inspection leadership; deep financial reporting expertise .
  • BBA in Accountancy (Pace University); further coursework at Harvard and Stanford supports continuous technical development .
  • Board deems Harcourt highly qualified given auditing, financial management, and reporting background .

Equity Ownership

HolderShares Beneficially Owned (#)Percent of Common Stock
Robert R. Harcourt6,273 Less than 1% (based on 11,248,867 shares outstanding)
  • Pledging/hedging: No pledging or hedging by Harcourt disclosed; related-person transactions: none required to be reported .
  • Options/RSUs: No director-specific option/RSU holdings for Harcourt disclosed in the proxy tables; only officer awards are detailed .

Governance Assessment

  • Strengths: Independent status; multi-committee membership (Audit, Compensation, Nominating); 100% attendance; active engagement via Audit Committee Report; CPA credentials align with CODA’s need for strong financial oversight .
  • Alignment: Harcourt received cash-only director compensation in 2024, with prior equity award in 2023; beneficial ownership stands at 6,273 shares (<1%), indicating some but limited “skin in the game” relative to outstanding shares .
  • Conflicts/Red Flags: No related-party transactions requiring disclosure; no comp committee interlocks; Section 16(a) compliance generally monitored with no noted issues; no legal or SEC investigations disclosed tied to Harcourt .
  • Board structure consideration: Combined CEO/Chair and absence of a Lead Independent Director may constrain independent leadership signals; mitigated by committee independence and full attendance, but remains a governance watchpoint for investors .