Helge Kristensen
About Helge Kristensen
Helge Kristensen (age 65) has served as a director of Datavault AI Inc. (DVLT) since August 2010. He has held senior management roles in technology for 25+ years; for the last 18 years he has been Vice President of Hansong Technology (China) and President of Platin Gate Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd., and since August 2015 he has been co‑founder and director of Inizio Capital (Cayman Islands). He holds a master’s degree in Engineering and an HD‑R graduate diploma in Business Administration (Financial and Management Accounting) from Aalborg University, Denmark; the board cites his technology and managerial experience and audio industry knowledge as core qualifications.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Datavault AI Inc. | Director | Aug 2010–present | Not assigned to audit, compensation, or nominating committees |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Location | Tenure Start | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansong Technology | Vice President | China | ~2007 (18 years as of 2025) | ODM of audio products; involved in DVLT related‑party transactions |
| Platin Gate Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. | President | China | ~2007 (18 years as of 2025) | Service‑branding in lifestyle/pro line products |
| Inizio Capital | Co‑founder & Director | Cayman Islands | Aug 2015 | Investment firm |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined Helge Kristensen is not independent under Nasdaq rules due to relationships that interfere with independent judgment; other non‑independent directors are Nathaniel Bradley, Brett Moyer, and David Howitt. Independent directors are Briskey, Gilbert, Peruvemba, Tobias, and Wilson.
- Committee assignments: Audit (Briskey chair, Peruvemba, Wilson), Compensation (Peruvemba chair, Gilbert, Tobias), Nominating & Corporate Governance (Tobias chair, Gilbert). Kristensen is not a member of any committee.
- Attendance: In FY2024 the board held 4 meetings; no incumbent director attended fewer than 75% of board/committee meetings for which they were a member.
- Leadership structure: CEO is Nathaniel Bradley; Chairman is Brett Moyer; no Lead Independent Director. The company prohibits insider hedging.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash fees (annual/meeting) | $20,000 |
| Committee fees | Not disclosed (no committee assignment) |
| Other cash/perqs | $0 |
| Total Cash | $20,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Date | Instrument | Shares Granted (#) | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting Start | Vesting Schedule | Final Vest Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 7, 2024 | Restricted Common Stock | 4,616 | Included in 2024 total | Sep 20, 2024 | Equal installments every 3 months | Sep 20, 2027 |
| Jul 30, 2024 | Restricted Common Stock | 7,541 | Included in 2024 total | Dec 20, 2024 | Equal installments every 3 months | Dec 20, 2027 |
| Nov 12, 2024 | Restricted Common Stock | 7,422 | Included in 2024 total | Mar 15, 2025 | Equal installments every 3 months | Mar 15, 2028 |
| 2024 Director Stock Awards Summary | Amount |
|---|---|
| Aggregate grant‑date fair value of stock awards | $44,090 |
| Option awards | None disclosed in 2024 director compensation table |
- Performance metrics and options: Director equity awards are time‑vested; no director performance metrics (e.g., TSR/EBITDA) or option grants are disclosed for Kristensen.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Type | Public/Private | Relationship to DVLT | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansong Technology | Supplier/Customer | Private | ODM supplier and module customer; multi‑period related‑party transactions with DVLT | Related‑party transactions under Audit Committee oversight |
| Platin Gate Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. | Operating company | Private | No transactions disclosed | None disclosed |
| Inizio Capital | Investment company | Private | No transactions disclosed | None disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology management and audio industry expertise; 25+ years in technology; 18 years in senior roles at Hansong and Platin Gate.
- Education: Master’s in Engineering; HD‑R in Business Administration (Financial and Management Accounting) from Aalborg University, Denmark.
- Board role: Brings technology and managerial experience; board cites his audio industry knowledge as value‑add.
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2025 | 120,363 | <1% (*) |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Less than 1% (shares not separately quantified beyond <1%) | <1% |
| Dec 31, 2023 | Less than 1% (shares not separately quantified beyond <1%) | <1% |
(*) Beneficial ownership table shows 120,363 shares and “less than 1.0%.”
- Pledging/Hedging: Company policy prohibits insider hedging transactions. No pledging disclosure for Kristensen.
Related‑Party Transactions (Hansong Technology)
| Period | Hansong purchases of DVLT modules ($) | Payments from Hansong to DVLT ($) | Hansong sales of speaker products to DVLT ($) | DVLT payments to Hansong ($) | Hansong A/R owed to DVLT ($) | DVLT A/P owed to Hansong ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2023 | 88,000 | 254,000 | 128,000 | 1,223,000 | 4,000 | 250,000 |
| FY2024 | 58,000 | 38,000 | 28,000 | 235,000 | 24,000 | 43,000 |
| Q2 2024 (3 months ended Jun 30) | 10,000 | 0 | 1,000 | 63,000 | 39,000 | 163,000 |
| Q2 2025 (3 months ended Jun 30) | 26,000 | 0 | 1,000 | 2,000 | 61,000 | 42,000 |
| H1 2024 (6 months ended Jun 30) | 35,000 | 0 | 1,000 | 88,000 | — | — |
| H1 2025 (6 months ended Jun 30) | 37,000 | 0 | 1,000 | 2,000 | — | — |
- Oversight: DVLT has a Related Person Transaction Policy; the Audit Committee reviews and only approves transactions on terms comparable to arm’s‑length dealings; independence and committee eligibility impacts are explicitly considered.
Insider Trades
- Section 16(a) compliance: DVLT states all required insider ownership reports were filed on a timely basis during FY2024.
- Note on data access: Attempt to fetch Form 4 transactions for “Helge Kristensen” (2024‑01‑01 to 2025‑11‑19) via the insider‑trades skill returned an authorization error (401), so specific trade records could not be listed here. Monitoring of future Form 4s is recommended. [ReadFile SKILL.md] (tool run error details)
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee participation: Kristensen is not independent and holds no committee roles, limiting direct influence over audit, compensation, and nominating oversight—this may reduce board checks and balances from his position.
- Related‑party exposure (RED FLAG): Ongoing transactions with Hansong Technology, where Kristensen is a senior executive, create potential conflicts. While governed by the Audit Committee policy, the pattern and dollar amounts across 2023–2025 warrant scrutiny for pricing, terms, and necessity.
- Attendance/engagement: Board met 4 times in 2024, and no director fell below the 75% attendance threshold, indicating acceptable baseline engagement.
- Pay alignment: Director pay combines modest cash ($20,000) with time‑vested restricted stock ($44,090 fair value), providing equity linkage but lacking performance metrics, which can weaken pay‑for‑performance signals for directors. No options disclosed.
- Board leadership and investor confidence: Absence of a Lead Independent Director and multiple non‑independent directors (including Kristensen) reduce perceived board independence. Insider hedging is prohibited, which supports alignment.
Key monitoring items for investors: rigor of Audit Committee oversight on Hansong transactions; disclosure of any amendments to related‑party terms; continued confirmation of director independence standards; and future changes to director equity structures to incorporate performance‑based elements.