Kevin Chen
About Kevin Chen
Kevin Chen (age 48) is an independent director of Australian Oilseeds Holdings Limited (ticker: COOT), serving since March 2024; he is currently Chief Investment Officer and Chief Economist at Horizon Financial (since May 2018) and previously served as Chairman and CEO of EDOC Acquisition Corp from September 2020 to March 2024 . He holds a PhD in Finance from the University of Lausanne (2005), an MS in finance from Tilburg University (2001), and a BA in Economics from Renmin University of China (1998), with prior roles at Crédit Agricole/Amundi Asset Management, Morgan Stanley, and China Development Bank . The Board has determined Mr. Chen is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDOC Acquisition Corp | Chairman & CEO | Sep 2020 – Mar 2024 | Led SPAC through business combination process; governance and transaction oversight |
| Crédit Agricole/Amundi Asset Management | Senior Portfolio Manager | Until Oct 2015 | Asset management and portfolio construction responsibilities |
| Morgan Stanley | Director of Asset Allocation | Aug 2004 – Aug 2008 | Multi-asset allocation leadership |
| China Development Bank | Manager | Sep 1998 – Aug 2000 | Credit and banking operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Horizon Financial (NY) | Chief Investment Officer & Chief Economist | Since May 2018 | Advises on investing in U.S. healthcare facilities |
| InFinT Acquisition Corporation (SPAC) | Board Member | Nov 2021 – Sep 2024 | Public-company SPAC directorship |
| Horizon Global Access Fund (Cayman), a segregate portfolio of Flagship Healthcare Properties Fund | Board Member | Since Feb 2019 | Governance linked to a leading U.S. healthcare REIT platform |
| Economic/Policy/Academic Affiliations (e.g., Economic Club of NY, NYU adjunct) | Member/Adjunct | Various | Industry thought leadership and academic engagement |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Kevin Chen serves on the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees; he is not a chair (Audit Chair: Gowri Shankar; Compensation Chair: Kapil Singh; Nominating Chair: Menaka Athukorala) .
- Independence: Board determined he is independent; majority of Board is independent .
- Attendance: No director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings in fiscal 2024 (post-Business Combination) .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in executive sessions during each regularly scheduled Board meeting .
- Audit oversight: Kevin Chen is listed on the Audit Committee Report alongside other members, evidencing active involvement in financial oversight .
- Clawback policy: Company adopted a compensation clawback policy on April 10, 2024 covering restatement-related clawbacks for executive officers (3-year lookback) and misconduct-based clawbacks for employees .
- Trading policy: Insider Trading Policy restricts short-swing trading, short sales, and derivatives/hedging (e.g., puts, calls, collars) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer | $6,000 per month (3 months) = $18,000 | Only Kevin Chen received director compensation; Company intends to adopt a director compensation policy |
| Committee fees | Not disclosed | — |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | — |
Performance Compensation
- No equity grants (RSUs/PSUs/options) or performance-based director compensation disclosed for FY 2024; Company indicates intent to adopt a director compensation policy, but none detailed beyond cash to date .
- No performance metrics (TSR, revenue growth, EBITDA, ESG) tied to director compensation disclosed .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Overlap with COOT | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| InFinT Acquisition Corporation (SPAC) | None disclosed with COOT suppliers/customers | Public SPAC experience; no related-party ties disclosed |
| Horizon Global Access Fund (Cayman) / Flagship Healthcare Properties Fund platform | None disclosed with COOT supply chain | Healthcare REIT-linked governance; no related-party ties disclosed |
| Horizon Financial | Advisory in healthcare facilities investing; no COOT transaction disclosed | External employment; no related-party transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial markets and asset allocation expertise from senior roles at Amundi and Morgan Stanley .
- SPAC governance and transaction leadership (EDOC Chairman & CEO) .
- Academic credentials: PhD in Finance (Lausanne), MS finance (Tilburg), BA Economics (Renmin) .
- Industry engagement: Economic Club of NY, adjunct professor at NYU, various advisory boards and forums .
Equity Ownership
| Record Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Shares Outstanding | Reference Shares Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 20, 2025 | 132,863 | <1% | 23,224,102 |
| Jul 2, 2025 | 132,863 | <1% | 27,898,538 |
- Section 16(a) filing compliance: Company disclosed a late Form 3 filing for Kevin Chen upon appointment as director on March 21, 2024 (delinquent Section 16(a) initial ownership report) .
- Hedging/pledging: Policy restricts hedging and derivative transactions; no pledging by Kevin Chen disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with broad finance and governance experience; member of all three key committees (Audit, Compensation, Nominating); no related-party transactions involving Kevin Chen disclosed; attendance thresholds met; active in Audit oversight per committee report .
- Compensation alignment: Limited disclosed director pay (cash only, $18,000 over three months in FY 2024), with no equity grants to align with shareholder outcomes; Company intends to adopt a formal director compensation policy, which should address long-term alignment .
- Red flags and risk indicators: Late Section 16(a) Form 3 filing upon appointment (timeliness/compliance issue); broader company governance environment under stress due to Nasdaq listing deficiencies (minimum bid price and stockholders’ equity) and planned reverse split, which may heighten investor scrutiny of board effectiveness .
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirmed independence; no disclosed conflicts or related-party exposures tied to Kevin Chen; Audit Committee reviews related-party transactions (none involving him listed) .
- Policies: Clawback policy in place (restatement and misconduct triggers); robust insider trading restrictions (short sales, options, collars prohibited) support governance standards .