Koti Meka
About Koti Meka
Koti Meka is Chief Financial Officer of Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc., appointed effective September 23, 2024 after serving as Acting Head of Finance Operations and earlier roles in FP&A, operations controlling, and cost estimating at the company; he is 56, and his education includes an MBA (University of Michigan–Dearborn), an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Wayne State University), and a B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering (Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University) . In Q3 2025, he reported loss from operations of $206.8 million vs. $25.2 million in Q3 2024, operating cash outflow of $79.2 million for nine months vs. $51.8 million prior year, and financing cash inflows of $135.8 million for nine months vs. $55.7 million, underscoring capital runway and sensitivity of the balance sheet to equity-linked valuation movements . He signed FF’s NT 10‑Q filing on November 14, 2025, indicating a delayed quarterly report but no anticipated significant change versus prior-year results . As of August 6, 2025, his beneficial ownership is less than 1% of Class A Common Stock with 5,849 shares owned and options to acquire 10 shares vesting/exercisable within 60 days; to the company’s knowledge he has not sold any shares since FF became public .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. | CFO (Principal Financial Officer) | Sep 23, 2024 – Present | Oversees Accounting and Finance; advances dual-brand strategy and cost efficiencies |
| Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. | Acting Head of Finance Operations | Nov 2023 – Sep 2024 | Led FP&A, process improvement, target setting, cost-reduction initiatives |
| Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. | Director of Finance (FP&A) | Jul 2017 – Nov 2023 | Managed financial planning and analysis for evolving portfolio |
| Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. | Operations Controller | Aug 2016 – Jul 2017 | Strengthened operational finance controls amid scaling |
| Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. | Senior Manager, Cost Estimating | Feb 2016 – Aug 2016 | Established cost frameworks for product programs |
| Ford Motor Company | Finance roles (cost optimization, product development finance, corporate finance) | Jul 2002 – Feb 2016 | Led financial analysis at Ford Business Services Center in Chennai, India (Dec 2009 – Jul 2013) |
| Accenture | Management Consultant | Not disclosed | Consulting in operations/finance as part of early career |
| Detroit Diesel | Product & Application Engineer | Not disclosed | Engineering foundation relevant to automotive finance ops |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualigen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: QLGN) | Chief Financial Officer | Oct 2, 2025 – Present | Strengthen financial transparency, governance, and strategic growth following financing and board changes; serves as certifying officer on Q3 2025 10‑Q |
Fixed Compensation
Compensation Terms (Offer Letter)
| Component | Terms |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $300,000 initial; increases to $350,000 after 6‑month probation; initially pro‑rated at $200,000 due to company-wide salary reductions until restored |
| Target Bonus | Discretionary annual up to $150,000; increases to up to $200,000 after 6‑month probation; payable only if awarded and employed on payment date |
| RSU Awards (anticipated post‑probation, subject to Board and 2021 Plan) | Grant date fair value: $100,000 (Sep 23, 2025), $200,000 (Sep 23, 2026), $300,000 (Sep 23, 2027), $400,000 (Sep 23, 2028), $500,000 (Sep 23, 2029); each vests 25% annually over four anniversaries |
| PSU Awards (anticipated post‑probation, subject to Board) | Target total $1,000,000 across five Board‑defined milestones: $100,000, $150,000, $200,000, $250,000, $300,000; each grant vests one‑third annually over three anniversaries following grant |
2024 Actual Compensation (FF Named Executive Officers)
| Metric | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary ($) | $160,159 |
| Bonus ($) | — |
| Stock Awards ($) | $10,502 (RSUs fully vested Dec 3, 2024) |
| Option Awards ($) | — |
| All Other Compensation ($) | — |
| Total ($) | $170,661 |
Performance Compensation
PSUs (Performance Stock Units) Structure
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Board‑defined milestones (five tranches) | Not disclosed | $100k / $150k / $200k / $250k / $300k target grant date fair value per milestone | Not disclosed | Not disclosed; grants occur upon milestone achievement | Each grant vests one‑third on each of first three anniversaries of grant date |
Note: FF uses discretionary bonuses (non‑formulaic). 2024 target bonus for CFO was $150,000; actual 2024 bonus not paid based on reported compensation .
RSUs (Time‑Based) – Award and Vesting Detail
| Grant | Grant Date | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| One‑time 2024 RSU grant | Late 2024 | 10,502 RSUs (fully vested on Dec 3, 2024) | Fully vested 12/03/2024 |
| Annual RSU schedule | 09/23/2025 | $100,000 | 25% on each of first four anniversaries, subject to continued employment |
| Annual RSU schedule | 09/23/2026 | $200,000 | 25% annual over four years |
| Annual RSU schedule | 09/23/2027 | $300,000 | 25% annual over four years |
| Annual RSU schedule | 09/23/2028 | $400,000 | 25% annual over four years |
| Annual RSU schedule | 09/23/2029 | $500,000 | 25% annual over four years |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership (as of Aug 6, 2025)
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Class A Common Shares Beneficially Owned | 5,849 shares; less than 1% of class |
| Options Exercisable/vesting within 60 days | 10 shares |
| Sales History | To the company’s knowledge, no sales since becoming a public company |
Cumulative Grants under 2021 Plan (lifetime to Aug 6, 2025)
| Instrument | Count |
|---|---|
| Stock Options | 4 |
| RSUs | 10,505 |
Plan overhang context: FF sought shareholder approval in Aug 2025 to increase shares available under the 2021 Plan by 9,500,000; historical awards and share authorizations inform future grant capacity .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employment Start (CFO) | Appointed September 23, 2024 |
| Contract Type | Offer letter; compensation subject to Board approval under Amended & Restated 2021 Stock Incentive Plan |
| Severance Provisions | Not specifically disclosed for Mr. Meka in filings reviewed |
| Change‑of‑Control | Not specifically disclosed for Mr. Meka in filings reviewed |
| Clawback | Not specifically disclosed for Mr. Meka in filings reviewed |
| Ownership Guidelines | Not disclosed in reviewed filings |
| Additional roles & filings | Signed FF NT 10‑Q (Nov 14, 2025) as CFO ; serves concurrently as CFO of QLGN (appointed Oct 2, 2025); no compensation arrangements were entered into by QLGN upon his appointment |
Performance & Track Record Highlights
| Period | Operating Loss | Operating Cash Outflow | Financing Cash Inflow | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 2025 (vs. Q3 2024) | $206.8m vs. $25.2m | Nine months: $79.2m vs. $51.8m | Nine months: $135.8m vs. $55.7m | Financing inflows outpaced operating outflows for six consecutive quarters; balance sheet sensitive to equity-linked valuation movements |
Additional operating updates delivered by Meka include FX Super One product features, pre‑orders (>11,000 B2B and ~250 B2C as of Oct 28), tariff impact commentary, and U.A.E. strategy, providing context for execution against FF’s FX platform roadmap .
Investment Implications
- Pay‑for‑performance alignment is limited near‑term: 2024 compensation comprised salary and a fully vested RSU grant; PSUs exist but milestone metrics are unspecified and grants are contingent on achievement, indicating discretionary and Board‑determined performance calibration rather than formulaic targets .
- Retention levers are strong: a multi‑year RSU schedule from 2025 through 2029 with four‑year vesting per award, plus PSUs vesting over three years post‑grant, create sustained unvested equity that can reduce near‑term voluntary exit risk if grants proceed as anticipated .
- Insider selling pressure windows: the full vest of 10,502 RSUs on Dec 3, 2024 created a potential liquidity event; future annual RSU tranches, if granted, will vest annually on grant‑date anniversaries, creating recurring delivery windows that could correlate with sales activity, though filings indicate no sales to date .
- Alignment via ownership is modest: 5,849 shares and 10 options within 60 days is less than 1% ownership, limiting direct “skin‑in‑the‑game” versus plan‑based awards, though continued equity grants may increase exposure over time .
- Execution risk and governance context: NT 10‑Q filing signals reporting delay management; concurrent CFO role at QLGN could increase time commitments and cross‑company coordination needs, although QLGN disclosed no new compensation arrangements upon his appointment .