Hyunsu Jung
About Hyunsu Jung
Hyunsu Jung, 29, is Chief Investment Officer and a Director of Hyperion DeFi, Inc. (ticker EYEN in this context) since June 2025; he previously served as a Portfolio Manager at DARMA Capital and as a Consultant at EY‑Parthenon, and holds a B.A. from Vassar College . In late 2025 he also signed SEC filings as Interim Chief Executive Officer (and, at times, as Interim Principal Financial and Accounting Officer), indicating expanded leadership responsibilities during the period . Company TSR, revenue growth, and EBITDA growth figures tied to his tenure were not disclosed in the filings cited.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DARMA Capital (CFTC/NFA‑registered, $1B+ AUM) | Portfolio Manager | 2021–2025 | Digital assets portfolio management at a $1B+ manager . |
| EY‑Parthenon | Consultant | 2018–2021 | Drove finance and digital transformation for major enterprise M&A deals . |
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Amount | Effective/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | $250,000 | Initial salary under Jung Employment Agreement upon appointment as CIO (June 17, 2025) . |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive | Metric | Target/Trigger | Weighting | Actual | Payout/Size | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inducement equity (share/RSU) | N/A (inducement) | Appointment as CIO | N/A | N/A | 500,000 share‑equivalents | Inducement equity was described as 500,000 shares granted (8‑K) and, in the purchase agreement conditions, as 500,000 RSUs vesting upon issuance; both disclosures refer to an immediate vesting inducement . |
| Performance RSUs (Tranche 1) | Market capitalization | $150 million company market cap achieved on 10 of 30 consecutive trading days | N/A | N/A | 500,000 RSUs | Vest on milestone achievement; subject to any necessary Board/stockholder approvals . |
| Performance RSUs (Tranche 2) | Market capitalization | $500 million company market cap achieved on 10 of 30 consecutive trading days | N/A | N/A | 500,000 RSUs | Vest on milestone achievement; subject to any necessary Board/stockholder approvals . |
Notes: The 8‑K appointing Jung states a 500,000 share inducement plus 1,000,000 RSUs; the purchase agreement conditions specify the inducement as 500,000 RSUs vesting upon issuance and two 500,000 RSU performance tranches with $150m/$500m market‑cap hurdles .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Beneficial ownership: The 2025 proxy’s ownership table reports no beneficial ownership for Hyunsu Jung as of July 8, 2025 . His initial Form 3 filed July 9, 2025 states “No securities are beneficially owned” .
- Hedging/pledging: The company’s Insider Trading Policy “strongly discourages” hedging, holding shares in margin accounts, or pledging shares as collateral .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed for executives in the cited filings.
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start date and roles | Appointed Chief Investment Officer and Director effective June 17, 2025 . |
| Agreement term | Four years, subject to earlier termination per contract . |
| Severance (non‑CIC) | If terminated without cause or resigns for good reason after first six months: (i) Accrued obligations, (ii) 12 months of then‑current base salary, (iii) up to 12 months of group health insurance continuation . |
| Change‑in‑control (CIC) protection | Upon a qualifying termination within 12 months following a change in control, eligible for similar severance benefits (double‑trigger structure) . |
| Other covenants | Non‑compete/non‑solicit terms not detailed in the 8‑K summary (not disclosed in the cited filings) . |
Board Governance
- Board service: Director since June 2025 .
- Independence: The board determined three directors (Strahlman, Geltzeiler, Jacobson) are independent; Jung is an executive officer and thus not listed as independent .
- Committees: Audit Committee (Geltzeiler chair; Jacobson; Strahlman), Compensation Committee (Strahlman chair; Geltzeiler; Jacobson), and Nominating & Corporate Governance (Jacobson chair; Geltzeiler; Strahlman). Jung is not listed as a member of these committees .
- Chair: Michael Rowe served as Acting Chairman from June 2025 .
- Director compensation context: As of July 22, 2025, non‑employee directors receive a $25,000 quarterly retainer and a one‑time grant of 50,000 RSUs at the 2025 annual meeting; beginning with 2026, an annual RSU grant valued at $185,000. Committee and chair retainers apply; the annual dollar limit on non‑employee director awards was removed via plan amendments proposed in 2025 . (Jung is an employee‑director; these non‑employee director fees pertain to non‑employee directors.)
Performance & Track Record
- Expanded responsibilities: Jung signed multiple SEC registration statements and certifications in late 2025 as Interim Chief Executive Officer (and at times Interim Principal Financial and Accounting Officer), evidencing expanded operational responsibility during that period .
- Appointment linkage: His appointment as CIO/Director was tied to a securities purchase agreement that grants certain investors nomination rights for his replacement in those roles within 36 months if he ceases to serve, and the ability to nominate a Board Chair, reflecting investor alignment/governance provisions .
Compensation Structure Analysis
- Pay mix: Low cash base ($250k) with substantial equity tied to market‑cap milestones concentrates incentives on equity value creation .
- Plan mechanics: The 2018 equity plan (as amended) includes a minimum 12‑month vesting schedule (with administrator discretion to accelerate) and prohibits repricing without stockholder approval; 2025 amendments increased the share reserve and removed the annual dollar cap for non‑employee director awards .
- Potential overhang: Inducement equity with immediate vesting (as described in purchase conditions) and two large performance RSU tranches could create selling pressure if/when milestones are achieved .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and upside: Market‑cap RSUs (500k each at $150m and $500m thresholds measured over 10 of 30 trading days) tightly align Jung’s equity upside with enterprise value expansion .
- Near‑term float dynamics: Inducement equity (500k share‑equivalents with immediate vesting per purchase conditions) could add near‑term supply; however, Form 3 and proxy show no beneficial ownership as of early July 2025, suggesting awards had not vested/settled by those dates .
- Retention risk: Severance provides 12 months’ salary and COBRA (non‑CIC) and similar benefits on a double‑trigger CIC, which is modest versus typical small‑cap executive packages and may not strongly deter turnover absent realized equity .
- Governance considerations: As an officer‑director, Jung is non‑independent; his appointment is linked to investor nomination rights, and he later served as Interim CEO, consolidating influence—factors to monitor for checks‑and‑balances and board independence .