Manpreet Khaira
About Manpreet Khaira
Independent Class III director at Credo (CRDO), age 59 as of the record date, serving on the Board since September 2021. Khaira is Vice President and General Manager of AI Solutions at Skyworks Solutions, Inc., joining in 2018 after Skyworks acquired Avnera, which he co-founded and led; prior to Avnera, he co-founded and led Mobilian until its acquisition by Intel. He holds an M.S. in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, and is designated by the Board as an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avnera Corporation | Co-founder; Chairman, President & CEO | Nov 2003–2018 (acquired by Skyworks) | Led low-power analog SoC provider; founder leadership through acquisition |
| Mobilian Corporation | Co-founder; Chairman, President & CEO | Feb 1999–Nov 2003 (acquired by Intel) | Led wireless systems company to strategic sale |
| Credo Technology Group | Independent Director | Since Sep 2021 | Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee Chair; “audit committee financial expert” |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyworks Solutions, Inc. | Vice President & General Manager, AI Solutions | 2018–present | Joined after Skyworks acquired Avnera; public company executive role |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments and independence:
- Audit Committee: Member; Board determined Audit members (including Khaira) meet Nasdaq/SEC independence and financial literacy; Khaira designated an “audit committee financial expert.”
- Compensation Committee: Chair; members (including Khaira) meet independence requirements; no compensation committee interlocks.
- Committee meeting cadence in FY2025: Audit (8 meetings, plus one unanimous written consent); Compensation (4 meetings, plus eleven unanimous written consents); NCG (5 meetings).
- Attendance and engagement: Each current director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings in FY2025; independent directors met regularly in executive session without management.
- Audit Committee report and auditor oversight: Audit Committee (Hosein, Chair; Danesh; Khaira) recommended inclusion of audited financial statements and appointed EY LLP as independent auditor for FY2026 (subject to shareholder ratification).
- Compensation Committee report and risk assessment: Committee (Khaira, Chair; Acevedo; Hosein) concluded programs do not encourage excessive risk; recommended inclusion of CD&A in proxy.
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Fiscal Year | Cash Fees ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 68,367 | Aggregate Board/committee cash fees earned/paid in FY2025 |
| Fee Schedule (FY2025) | — | Board annual retainer $50,000; Audit Chair $20,000; Compensation Chair $15,000; NCG Chair $10,000; Audit member $10,000; Compensation member $7,500; NCG member $5,000; paid quarterly in arrears |
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Fiscal Year | Stock Awards ($) | Annual RSU Grant Value | Outstanding RSUs (units) | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 292,956 | 175,000 | 4,408 | RSUs vest on earlier of one-year anniversary or the 2025 Annual General Meeting; annual RSU grant value set on first business day after 12/18/2024 AGM (shares calculated using $39.70 closing price) |
No option awards or performance metrics are disclosed for non-employee directors; director equity is time-based RSUs.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company directorships: None disclosed for Khaira beyond Credo.
- Compensation committee interlocks: None during FY2025 involving Credo’s executive officers or directors.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical/operator credentials: Founder-CEO of two semiconductor/wireless companies (Avnera, Mobilian); senior executive in analog/AI semiconductors at Skyworks.
- Financial oversight: Board-designated “audit committee financial expert.”
- Education: M.S. Computer Science (Carnegie Mellon); B.S. Computer Science & Engineering (IIT Kharagpur).
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 55,416 | Less than 1% of 172,914,100 shares outstanding as of 7/31/2025 |
| Direct Outstanding Shares | 53,541 | Footnote (8) breakdown |
| RSUs Vesting ≤60 Days | 1,875 | Included in beneficial ownership (vested/will vest within 60 days of 7/31/2025) |
| Outstanding RSUs (total) | 4,408 | RSUs held as of FY2025 year-end |
| Ownership Guidelines | 4× annual cash retainer for non-employee directors; 4 years to comply; unvested and unearned awards excluded from calculation | |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited under compensation governance practices |
Governance Assessment
- Signals supporting investor confidence:
- Independent director with dual committee responsibilities (Audit member; Compensation Chair), designated audit financial expert—strong governance skill mix.
- Documented attendance (≥75%) and frequent committee actions (e.g., Compensation unanimous written consents)—indicates engagement.
- Stock ownership guidelines (adopted 3/20/2025) for directors and executives; no hedging/pledging—alignment structure improving.
- Compensation Committee uses independent consultant (Compensia), reviews peer group, and performs annual risk assessment—governance process maturity.
- Say-on-pay support for executives in FY2024 at >88%—broader shareholder support for pay practices.
- Potential conflicts and monitoring points:
- External executive role at Skyworks (a semiconductor company); no related-party transactions above $120,000 disclosed, but monitor for any commercial relationships or information flow risks.
- Red flags observed: None disclosed regarding related-party transactions, hedging/pledging, option repricings, or committee interlocks.
Overall, Khaira’s profile blends deep semiconductor operating experience with finance oversight credentials, while committee leadership and policy enhancements (ownership guidelines; clawback policy for executives) suggest improving alignment and governance rigor; continued monitoring for any Skyworks-related conflicts is prudent.