Eileen Cheigh Nakamura
About Eileen Cheigh Nakamura
Independent Trustee of The Gabelli Global Utility & Income Trust (GLU) since February 13, 2025; year of birth 1969. Retired executive with 30+ years of experience across finance and health care; most recently Vice President / Business Assessment Lead at Pfizer, Inc. (2018–January 2025). Education: BA, Wesleyan University; MBA, Wharton School. Oversees 4 portfolios in the Gabelli Fund Complex.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pfizer, Inc. | Vice President / Business Assessment Lead | 2018–January 2025 | Senior management role in business assessment and finance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various non-profit boards | Trustee/Board Member | Not disclosed | Serves on several non-profit boards (names not listed) |
Board Governance
- Independence: GLU’s Board consists entirely of Trustees who are not “interested persons” under the 1940 Act; Ms. Nakamura is an Independent Trustee.
- Tenure: Appointed February 13, 2025; nominated to stand for election to a term expiring at the 2028 Annual Meeting.
- Lead Independent Trustee: James P. Conn (presides over executive sessions).
- Committee memberships (standing committees): Audit Committee members are Enright (Chair), Melarkey, Salibello, Zizza; Nominating Committee members are Enright (Chair), Melarkey, Zizza. Ms. Nakamura is not listed as a member of these standing committees.
- Executive sessions: Independent Trustees meet regularly in executive session and chair all Board committees.
- Attendance: In FY2024, the Board met 4 times; each Trustee then serving attended at least 75% of Board and relevant committee meetings. (Ms. Nakamura joined in 2025; FY2024 attendance does not apply.)
- Annual shareholder meeting attendance: GLU does not expect Trustees/nominees to attend; none attended the May 13, 2024 annual meeting.
Fixed Compensation
| Compensation Element | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual retainer (Independent Trustee) | $3,000 | Paid by the Fund |
| Board meeting fee | $1,000 per meeting | Paid per meeting attended |
| Committee meeting fee | $500 per meeting | Paid to all Board committee members |
| Audit Committee Chair fee | $3,000 annual | Chairman: Vincent D. Enright |
| Nominating Committee Chair fee | $2,000 annual | Chairman: Vincent D. Enright |
| Lead Independent Trustee fee | $1,000 annual | Lead Independent Trustee: James P. Conn |
| Aggregate remuneration paid by the Fund to all Independent Trustees (FY2024) | $66,646 | Excludes out-of-pocket expenses |
| Ms. Nakamura’s aggregate compensation from GLU (FY2024) | $0 | Joined Board in 2025 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Equity grants (RSUs/PSUs), Options | None disclosed for Trustees (proxy details reflect cash retainers/meeting fees) |
| Performance metrics linked to director pay | None disclosed |
| Clawback/change-in-control/severance provisions for directors | Not disclosed in proxy |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Tenure |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | None disclosed | — | — |
- Proxy table lists “Other Directorships Held by Trustee” as “—” for Ms. Nakamura (no public company boards disclosed).
Expertise & Qualifications
- Health care and finance executive background, including senior management roles at Pfizer.
- MBA (Wharton) and BA (Wesleyan) underpin financial and strategic skill set.
- Oversees 4 fund portfolios in the Gabelli Fund Complex (industry familiarity within regulated fund environment).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Common shares beneficially owned (GLU) | 1,834 shares (as of Dec 31, 2024) | |
| Ownership % of shares outstanding | Less than 1% | |
| Dollar range of equity securities held in GLU | “C” ($10,001–$50,000) | |
| Aggregate dollar range in Fund Complex | “E” (Over $100,000) | |
| Valuation date reference | December 31, 2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status, strong health care/finance background, and Wharton MBA; presence of robust Board structures (Lead Independent Trustee, Audit/Nominating committees, executive sessions) supports board effectiveness.
- Ownership alignment: Holds 1,834 GLU shares; dollar-range “C” in GLU and “E” across the fund complex indicates meaningful alignment within the broader complex, albeit GLU-specific ownership is modest in absolute terms.
- Engagement/attendance: Board met quarterly in 2024 with ≥75% attendance among then-serving Trustees; Ms. Nakamura’s tenure begins 2025, so ongoing monitoring of attendance and committee participation is warranted.
- Committees & influence: Not currently listed on Audit or Nominating; near-term signal is limited committee footprint—watch for future committee assignments to assess engagement depth in oversight.
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: Proxy notes independent trustees (with exceptions not including Ms. Nakamura) and discloses specific affiliate interests for other trustees; no related-party interests disclosed for Ms. Nakamura. Section 16(a) filings in 2024 were in compliance.
- RED FLAGS: None specific to Ms. Nakamura identified in the proxy; general note that GLU trustees and nominees did not attend the 2024 shareholder meeting (consistent with fund’s stated expectation). Monitor for future disclosures of committee roles, ownership changes, and any related-party transactions.