Salman Alam
About Salman Alam
Salman Alam (age 42) is an independent director of CSLM Acquisition Corp. (CSLMF) and has served on the board since January 2022. He is Vice President, Legal at SanDisk, with deep expertise in technology law across AI, licensing, and data privacy; previously he held roles at Western Digital, technology startups, and Newmeyer & Dillion LLP. He holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Western Digital | Vice President; prior roles of increasing responsibility | Corporate legal leadership in technology and data ecosystem |
| Technology startups | Legal executive | Corporate transactions, governance, emerging tech |
| Newmeyer & Dillion LLP | Corporate transactional attorney | M&A, capital markets, governance matters |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Scope/Focus |
|---|---|---|
| SanDisk (flash/memory solutions) | Vice President, Legal | Worldwide product development, commercial and go‑to‑market technology legal issues |
Board Governance
- Board size and leadership: 5 directors; Chairman is Jonathan Binder .
- Independence: Board determined Salman Alam is independent under SEC and Nasdaq standards .
- Committee assignments and chair roles:
- Audit Committee: Member; committee chaired by Irakli Gilauri .
- Compensation Committee: Member; committee chaired by Peter Tropper .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Chair .
- Independent‑only sessions: Independent directors have regularly scheduled meetings without management .
- Attendance: No director meeting attendance rates disclosed.
| Committee | Salman Alam Assignment | Chair |
|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | Irakli Gilauri |
| Compensation | Member | Peter Tropper |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair | Salman Alam |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (cash) | $0 | No cash paid to directors/officers |
| Committee membership fees | Not disclosed | No specific committee fees disclosed |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed in filings |
| Equity (founder shares) | 50,000 shares transferred to Salman Alam | Transfer by sponsor at original ~$0.006 per share purchase price; founder share program for independent directors |
Performance Compensation
| Performance-linked element | Disclosure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bonuses/PSUs/RSUs tied to financial or ESG metrics | None disclosed | No performance-based director compensation disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Current public company boards (besides CSLM) | None disclosed for Salman Alam |
| Prior public company boards | None disclosed for Salman Alam |
| Private/non-profit/academic boards | Not disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology legal expertise spanning AI, licensing, and data privacy across global markets .
- Corporate transactions and governance experience (startups and law firm) .
- Education: B.A. UC Berkeley; J.D. UC College of the Law, San Francisco .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Ownership Nature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salman Alam | 50,000 | <1% | Founder shares transferred by sponsor; subject to lock‑up/transfer restrictions |
- Founder shares lock‑up: Transfer restrictions until the earlier of one year post‑business combination or specified trading price/transaction conditions .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent director with relevant technology legal expertise for AI/digital governance; adds diversity of skills to audit, compensation, and governance committees .
- Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; board has adopted a Code of Ethics and publishes committee charters; clawback policy is on file (Exhibit 97.1) .
-
Risks and red flags:
- Founder share grants to independent directors (including Alam) may create perceived misalignment with public shareholders, as founder equity can incentivize deal completion regardless of quality (RED FLAG) .
- Corporate opportunity waiver in articles reduces obligations to present opportunities to CSLM, heightening conflicts across affiliated entities (RED FLAG) .
- Initial shareholders/sponsor maintain controlling stakes (approx. 75%–84% depending period), enabling effective control of outcomes and director elections prior to the business combination (RED FLAG) .
- Attendance metrics, ownership guidelines, hedging/pledging policies for directors not disclosed; limits transparency on board effectiveness .
Overall: Alam is an independent director with strong technology legal credentials and governance leadership. The SPAC structure and founder share compensation introduce material governance risks (control concentration, corporate opportunity waivers, and equity incentives), which investors should weigh against his committee roles and expertise .