Dr. Jeffrey M. Gilbert
About Dr. Jeffrey M. Gilbert
Independent director of Datavault AI Inc. (DVLT), age 54, serving since April 2015. He is currently with Google’s Research and Machine Intelligence and Project Loon teams (since March 2014) and previously held CTO roles at Silicon Image (2011–2013) and SiBEAM (2005–2011) and engineering leadership at Atheros Communications (2000–2005). He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering (UC Berkeley), an M.Phil. in Computer Speech and Language Processing (Cambridge), and a B.A. in Computer Science (Harvard).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google, Inc. | Research & Machine Intelligence and Project Loon (staff) | March 2014–present | Advanced AI/wireless technology; advisory capacity to DVLT on technology developments |
| Transformational Technology Insights LLC | Principal (consulting) | Jan–Mar 2014 | Technology advisory |
| Silicon Image, Inc. | Chief Technology Officer | May 2011–Dec 2013 | Technology vision, standards initiatives |
| SiBEAM Inc. | Chief Technical Officer | May 2005–May 2011 | Millimeter-wave wireless silicon solutions; product architecture |
| Atheros Communications | Director of Algorithms & Architecture; engineering/management roles | May 2000–May 2005 | Led 802.11n/802.11g, XR, Smart Antenna technologies |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public Company Board? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google, Inc. | Research & Machine Intelligence and Project Loon (employee) | Not disclosed | Active employment; no public company directorships disclosed for Dr. Gilbert beyond DVLT in proxy |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Dr. Gilbert is independent under Nasdaq rules; he qualifies for Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance committee independence standards.
- Committee memberships: Compensation Committee (member; chair is Sriram Peruvemba) and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member; chair is Robert Tobias).
- Committee activity: Compensation Committee held 0 meetings in 2024 (actions by unanimous written consent); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee held 0 meetings in 2024 (actions by unanimous written consent).
- Board attendance: Board held 4 meetings in FY2024; no incumbent director attended fewer than 75% of aggregate Board/committee meetings while a member.
- Annual meeting attendance policy: Encouraged but not required; 2024 Annual Meeting attendance noted for Brett Moyer; Dr. Gilbert’s attendance not specified.
- Lead independent director: None; CEO and Chair roles held by Nathaniel Bradley (CEO) and Brett Moyer (Chair).
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $20,000 | Standard director fees; no meeting fees disclosed |
| Committee chair fees | — | Not applicable; Dr. Gilbert is not a chair |
| Committee membership fees | — | Not separately disclosed |
| Other cash | — | None disclosed |
| Total cash | $20,000 | — |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Shares Granted | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting Start | Vesting Cadence | Vesting End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Common Stock | Jun 7, 2024 | 4,616 | Included in total $44,090 | Sep 20, 2024 | Equal quarterly installments | Sep 20, 2027 |
| Restricted Common Stock | Jul 30, 2024 | 7,541 | Included in total $44,090 | Dec 20, 2024 | Equal quarterly installments | Dec 20, 2027 |
| Restricted Common Stock | Nov 12, 2024 | 7,422 | Included in total $44,090 | Mar 15, 2025 | Equal quarterly installments | Mar 15, 2028 |
| Total FY2024 Stock Awards | — | — | $44,090 | — | — | — |
- No director options/option repricing disclosed; awards are time-based restricted stock (service vesting), not performance-conditioned (no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics disclosed for directors).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Potential Interlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed in proxy for Dr. Gilbert beyond DVLT | — | — | No related-party transactions identified for Dr. Gilbert |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep technology leadership across wireless, semiconductor, and AI; prior CTO roles and algorithmic architecture leadership (802.11 standards, millimeter-wave RF).
- Advanced technical education: Ph.D. (UC Berkeley), M.Phil. (Cambridge), B.A. (Harvard).
- Company designates him qualified to advise on technology developments and management.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Jeffrey M. Gilbert | 120,363 | <1% | Shares per Oct 14, 2025 record; excludes unvested RSUs and certain convertible/warrant securities noted in proxy footnotes |
- Insider trading/hedging: Company policy prohibits insiders (including directors) from engaging in any hedging transactions.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths
- Independent director with long tenure (since 2015) and strong technical pedigree; serves on key governance committees (Compensation and Nominating), supporting board oversight of pay and director nominations.
- Board-level attendance satisfactory; no incumbent below 75% in 2024.
- Hedging prohibited for insiders, aligning director incentives with shareholders.
- Risks / Red Flags
- Compensation and Nominating committees held zero meetings in 2024 (actions by unanimous written consent), which may indicate lighter formal engagement on pay/governance matters.
- No lead independent director, with CEO/Chair roles split but concentrated influence remains; independent leadership structure not formalized.
- Broader company governance context includes significant related-party transactions with EOS controlled by CEO and substantial prospective dilution tied to Scilex pre-funded warrant and authorized share increase—board oversight quality will be scrutinized; while not tied to Dr. Gilbert personally, these factors can affect investor confidence.
Director Compensation Summary (FY2024)
| Metric | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $20,000 |
| Stock Awards (Grant-Date Fair Value) | $44,090 |
| Total | $64,090 |
Independence, Attendance, and Engagement
- Independent under Nasdaq Rule 5605; qualifies for independence standards for Compensation and Nominating committees.
- Board met 4 times in 2024; no incumbent director fell below 75% attendance; Compensation and Nominating committees did not formally meet in 2024.
Potential Conflicts or Related-Party Exposure
- No related-party transactions disclosed for Dr. Gilbert. Company’s related-party items primarily involve EOS (CEO-controlled) and certain director-linked entities (Hansong Technology; Meriwether Group).