Matthias Aydt
About Matthias Aydt
Matthias Aydt is Global Chief Executive Officer of Faraday Future, appointed effective September 29, 2023, and also serves on the Board of Directors; he is age 66 and has a B.Sc. from Fachhochschule Ulm – Hochschule für Technik . He joined FF in July 2016 and has held senior roles across product execution, business development, and vehicle engineering; he was placed on probation as an executive officer from April to September 2022 . Board service history: director July 2021–March 2023 and from September 2023 to present; he is a management (non‑independent) director and has served on the Finance & Investment Committee, with committee chair roles held by independent directors .
- Dual‑role implications: As CEO and director, Aydt is not independent under Nasdaq standards; FF’s Board has affirmed independence for other directors (Chad Chen, Jie Sheng, Lev Peker) and maintains a governance framework that contemplates a Lead Independent Director when the Chair is not independent .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faraday Future | Global Chief Executive Officer; Board member | CEO since Sep 29, 2023; Board July 2021–Mar 2023 and Sep 2023–present | Led FF 91 production/deliveries focus; management presence on Board |
| Faraday Future | SVP Product Execution; SVP Business Development & Product Definition; Vehicle Line Executive/Engineering | 2016–2023 | Drove product strategy, licensing, B2B sales; led product execution and engineering |
| Qoros Auto | Vice President, Vehicle Engineering | 2015–2016 | Led OEM vehicle engineering programs |
| Magna Steyr | Branch Manager; Head of Project Management (China); other leadership roles | 2006–2014 | Managed China operations/projects; multinational process development |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qoros Auto | Vice President, Vehicle Engineering | 2015–2016 | Oversaw OEM engineering execution |
| Magna Steyr | Branch Manager; Head of Project Management (China); various leadership | 2006–2014 | Led multinational project management and operations in China |
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Terms | Effective Date/Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base salary (CEO appointment) | $400,000; bonus eligibility up to $100,000 | Sep 29, 2023 / FY2023 | |
| 2016 offer letter | Base salary $240,000; $40,000 sign‑on; $6,000 settling allowance; discretionary bonus target $40,000; at‑will employment | Jul 1, 2016 | |
| 2016 option grant | 250,000 options; vest 25% at 1‑year; 1/36 monthly thereafter; continuous service required | Jul 1, 2016 | |
| 2024 comp changes (approved) | Annual base $700,000; annual discretionary target bonus $700,000; one‑time recognition bonus $500,000 | Sep 4, 2024 | |
| 2024 salary actually paid | $266,667 | FY2024 | |
| 2024 bonus actually paid | $250,000 | FY2024 | |
| 2023 salary | $348,250 | FY2023 | |
| 2023 bonus | $5,000 | FY2023 |
Performance Compensation
| Metric/Incentive | Weighting | Target | Actual/Payout | Vesting | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary annual performance bonus (2024) | Not disclosed | $100,000 target | $250,000 paid | Cash, FY2024 | |
| One‑time recognition bonus (2024) | N/A | $500,000 approved | Not separately enumerated in SCT | Cash; timing per Board approval | |
| Time‑based RSUs (annual grant) | Not disclosed | Grant date fair value $2.1 million (annual) | 35,740 RSUs granted late 2024; fully vested Dec 3, 2024 | Fully vested Dec 3, 2024 | |
| Performance‑based RSUs (PSUs, annual grant) | Not disclosed | Target grant date fair value $2.1 million (annual) | Specific metric targets not disclosed | PSU terms not detailed |
Notes: FF’s proxy does not disclose PSU performance metrics or weights; RSU/PSU values reflect grant‑date fair value targets; 2024 RSU counts (e.g., 35,740) are explicitly disclosed and fully vested on Dec 3, 2024 .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Date (Record) | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Composition/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2, 2024 | 6,836; incl. 5,585 options exercisable within 60 days | <1% | No reported sales since public listing |
| Jun 18, 2024 | 2,464; incl. 2,046 options exercisable within 60 days | <1% | No reported sales since public listing |
| Apr 17, 2025 | 47,659; incl. 69 options exercisable within 60 days | <1% | Reflects vested RSUs and salary stock purchases |
| Alignment Mechanism | Detail | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Salary stock purchases | Intends to use ~64% of initial pro‑rated $550,000 base salary to purchase Class A shares (Sep–Nov 2024), and continue until full salary restoration company‑wide | Sep–Nov 2024 and ongoing |
| Hedging/pledging policy | FF’s proxy includes a “Prohibition on Hedging and Pledging of Company Securities” section (policy details not reproduced in available chunks) | As per corporate governance disclosures |
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Employment status | At‑will | |
| Initial equity award | 250,000 options; 25% after 1 year; 1/36 monthly thereafter | |
| CEO appointment | Effective Sep 29, 2023 | |
| Severance / Change‑of‑control | Not disclosed for Aydt in available filings | — |
| Clawback / Tax gross‑ups | Not disclosed in available chunks | — |
Board Governance
| Period | Board Service | Committee Roles | Independence/Leadership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2021–Mar 2023 | Director | Not listed | Management director; not independent |
| Sep 2023–present | Director; Global CEO | Finance & Investment Committee member; no chair roles | Independent directors (Chad Chen, Jie Sheng, Lev Peker) chair Audit/Comp/Nominating; Board leadership provides for Lead Independent Director if Chair not independent |
- Meeting attendance and committee compositions are disclosed at a high level; all non‑management director compensation is separate, and Aydt as an employee does not receive director compensation .
Investment Implications
- Pay‑mix shift toward equity with sizable RSU/PSU targets ($2.1m each annually) plus a one‑time $500k bonus indicates retention focus; however, PSU metric details are undisclosed, limiting pay‑for‑performance assessability .
- Strong alignment signal: Aydt’s commitment to dedicate ~64% of pro‑rated salary to direct share purchases during liquidity‑constrained periods, with beneficial ownership rising to 47,659 shares by April 2025, albeit still <1% of outstanding shares .
- Near‑term supply considerations: 35,740 RSUs vested fully on Dec 3, 2024; while sales are not disclosed here, vesting events can create potential selling pressure; FF notes no share sales by Aydt through mid‑2024 .
- Governance risk is moderated by independent committee chairs and a governance framework providing a Lead Independent Director when Chair is not independent, but CEO‑director dual role remains a standard independence constraint; probation in 2022 warrants monitoring of execution and governance continuity .