Robert Machinist
About Robert Machinist
Robert Machinist, age 72, serves as an independent director of ECD Automotive Design (ECDA). He is a seasoned investor and operator with senior leadership experience across investment banking and credit management, and holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Chemistry from Vassar College with graduate work in biochemistry at the Weizmann Institute of Science. He is a Class I director with a term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting. His background includes CEO/Chairman of Troika Media Group and senior roles at Bank of New York Capital Markets and Patricof & Co. Capital Corp.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Troika Media Group (Nasdaq: TRKA) | Chief Executive Officer and Chairman | Mar 2018 – May 2022 | Led public media/marketing company |
| Atlantic International Corp. | Chairman of the Board | Since Oct 2022 | Ongoing board leadership |
| Pyrolyx A.G. (S26.DU) | Vice Chairman | 2014 – 2018 | Sustainability/recycling (carbon black) |
| CIFC Corp. (Nasdaq: CIFC) | Chairman; Founding Board Member | Through Dec 2016 (company sold) | Publicly listed credit manager ($14B AUM) |
| MESA (sold to Houlihan Lokey in 2016) | Chairman, Board of Advisors | Through 2016 (company sold) | Media and entertainment merchant banking |
| Columbus Nova | Partner | Not disclosed | Private investment fund partner |
| Bank of New York & Capital Markets | Managing Director; Head of Investment Banking | Nov 1999 – Dec 2002 | Led IB franchise |
| Patricof & Co. Capital Corp. (APAX Purchasers) | President; Principal Founder | Apr 1986 – Nov 1999 | Built and led private equity advisory platform |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weizmann Institute of Science | Chairman, International Board | Current | Global institutional governance |
| Maimonides Medical Center | Chairman, Investment Committee | Current | Oversees investment policy/portfolio |
| Vassar College | Trustee; Vice Chairman; Executive Committee | Past/Current as disclosed | One of three trustees managing endowment |
| Parachute Health, LLC | Board Member | Current | Health-tech board service |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined that Robert Machinist is an independent director under Nasdaq rules.
- Committee assignments and roles:
- Nominating Committee: Chair (members: Machinist, Lavelle, Wood).
- Audit Committee: Member (Chair: Thomas Wood; members: Wood, Machinist, Lavelle).
- Compensation Committee: Member (Chair: Patrick Lavelle; members: Lavelle, Machinist, Wood).
- Attendance: Each director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of Board and applicable committee meetings in the last fiscal year.
- Board structure: Classified Board; Machinist is a Class I director with term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Board meeting fee (non-employee directors) | $12,500 per quarterly meeting attended; maximum $50,000 per year. |
Performance Compensation
| Instrument | Grant Size | Exercise Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-time stock option grant (non-employee directors) | Up to 15,000 options | 110% of Common Stock price per share at Closing Date | Implemented following the Business Combination; individual director award details not itemized in proxy. |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Company | Role | Dates/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current (as disclosed) | Atlantic International Corp. | Chairman | Since Oct 2022 (listing status not specified) |
| Current (private) | Parachute Health, LLC | Director | Current |
| Prior public | Troika Media Group (Nasdaq: TRKA) | CEO & Chairman | Mar 2018 – May 2022 |
| Prior public | CIFC Corp. (Nasdaq: CIFC) | Chairman; Founding Board Member | Through Dec 2016 (sold) |
| Prior international listing | Pyrolyx A.G. (S26.DU) | Vice Chairman | 2014 – 2018 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Principal investor/operator with multi-sector experience; former head of investment banking at Bank of New York Capital Markets and president/founder at Patricof & Co. Capital Corp. (APAX Purchasers).
- Public company leadership as CEO/Chairman (TRKA) and credit manager board leadership (CIFC).
- Governance leadership including chairing nominating committee at ECDA and chairing major institutional boards (Weizmann International Board; Maimonides Investment Committee).
- Education: B.A. (Philosophy and Chemistry), Vassar College; graduate work in biochemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % (of 47,582,259 O/S as of Jul 2, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Machinist | 50,000 | Less than 1% |
Governance Assessment
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Positives for investor confidence:
- Independent director with multi-committee service and chair of Nominating Committee, which oversees director qualifications, committee structure, succession planning, and related-party transaction policy—supports board independence and oversight rigor.
- Audit and Compensation Committee membership enhances cross-committee information flow; audit committee composed solely of independent directors.
- Attendance at or above 75% threshold indicates baseline engagement.
- Non-employee director pay structure is primarily pay-for-service (per-meeting cash) with a capped annual amount and a one-time equity grant, limiting ongoing equity dilution and aligning incentives.
-
Watch items:
- Personal ownership stake is modest (<1%); while common for small-cap boards, investors may prefer additional open-market purchases to strengthen alignment.
- The company proposes a substantial increase to the 2023 Equity Incentive Plan share reserve; while not director-specific, investors should monitor potential dilution and board stewardship of equity usage.
-
Related-party/conflicts:
- The Nominating Committee’s remit includes developing and overseeing related-party transaction review policy; no specific related-party transactions involving Machinist are identified in the cited sections. Continue monitoring future proxies and 8-Ks for any transactions requiring audit/nominating committee review.