Zhang Huiqi
About Zhang Huiqi
Ms. Zhang Huiqi (age 35) has served on GMRE’s board since March 2016. She holds an MSc in Project and Enterprise Management from University College London (2015), an MSc in Management from the University of Leicester (2013), and a Bachelor of Management in Business Administration (Information Management and Information Systems) from Beijing Forestry University (2011). The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee cited her knowledge in real estate and property development as rationale for board service .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henan Hongguang Real Estate Limited | Supervisor | Jan 2013 – present | Oversight role in property development entity |
| Henan Zensun Corporate Development Group Co. Ltd. | Supervisor | Sep 2013 – present | Oversight of infrastructure investment and related sectors |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xingye Wulian Service Group Co. Ltd. (HK Main Board, Stock Code: 9916) | Non-Executive Director | Current | Board role at HK-listed property services company |
| Zensun Enterprises Limited | Director; Compensation Committee member | Current | Compensation oversight; Zensun ties to GMRE’s prior external advisor |
Board Governance
- Independence: Ms. Zhang is not designated “independent” in the proxy’s director table († marks independence for others; her entry lacks †) .
- Tenure: Director since March 2016 .
- Committee assignments: As of January 1, 2025, board committees are composed as follows—Audit (Wittman, Crowley, Cole, Cypher; chair: Wittman), Compensation (Crowley, Cole, Marston; chair: Crowley), Nominating & Corporate Governance (Cypher, Marston, Crowley, Cole; chair: Cypher), ESG (Cole, Wittman, Cypher; chair: Cole). Ms. Zhang is not listed on these committees .
- Attendance: In 2024, the board met 13 times; no director attended fewer than 75% of board and committee meetings; all directors at the time attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Lead Independent Director: Lori Wittman .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Component | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Annual cash retainer (independent directors) | Varies by director; e.g., $105,000 (Cole), $90,000 (Wittman), $80,000 (Crowley), $77,500 (Cypher, Marston) | Independent director cash fees during 2024 |
| 2024 | Ms. Zhang (independent director table line) | — | The independent director compensation table shows dashes for Ms. Zhang (no cash or stock under the independent director program) |
Note: The table explicitly summarizes compensation paid to independent directors; Ms. Zhang’s row displays “-” for cash and stock awards, indicating she did not receive compensation under the independent director program in 2024 .
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Amount | Grant Basis | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LTIP Units (independent directors) | $80,000 | Priced at $8.59 per LTIP unit (10-day VWAP as of May 15, 2024) | Time-based; generally vest on first anniversary of grant date | None disclosed (time-based only) |
| Ms. Zhang (independent director program) | — | — | — | — (no award under independent director program in 2024) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Ms. Zhang serves on the Compensation Committee at Zensun Enterprises Limited; Zensun is controlled by Joy Town, Inc., which is wholly owned by the Superior Glory Enterprises Trust where Ms. Zhang is a beneficiary, and Zensun was (prior to GMRE’s 2020 internalization) the 85% owner of GMRE’s former external advisor—creating a network interlock with a former controlling advisory party .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Real estate and property development expertise cited by GMRE’s Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee .
- International education and management training reinforce governance and oversight capabilities .
Equity Ownership
| Holder/Type | Shares/Units | Nature of Ownership | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zensun Enterprises Limited (beneficially owned; Ms. Zhang co-controls) | 3,715,611 shares | Shared voting and dispositive control via Superior Glory Enterprises Trust beneficiaries (Ms. Zhang and Huang Yanping) | Based on Schedule 13D; Joy Town controls Zensun; prior advisory relationship to GMRE |
| Ms. Zhang LTIP Units (vested) | 30,000 units | Convertible one-for-one into common stock subject to conditions | Vested units as noted in footnote |
| Ownership guideline compliance | Met | Each director must retain LTIP Units or common stock equal to 3x annual cash retainer; since Mar 5, 2024 each director met the policy | Board Equity Ownership Policy statement |
Governance Assessment
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Independence risk: Ms. Zhang is not designated independent in GMRE’s proxy and has shared control over a large shareholding via Zensun/Trust structure; this raises potential conflicts of interest and control influence concerns for investors .
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Committee participation: She currently holds no committee seats, limiting direct involvement in audit, compensation, nominating, or ESG oversight; investors may view this as reduced board-level checks-and-balances from her role .
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Attendance and engagement: Board-level attendance met the ≥75% threshold in 2024; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting, supporting basic engagement standards .
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Director pay alignment: Independent director compensation is structured as cash plus time-based LTIP equity; Ms. Zhang did not receive compensation under the independent director program in 2024, with her economic alignment primarily via significant beneficial ownership tied to Zensun rather than GMRE’s independent director pay mix .
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Related-party oversight: GMRE maintains policies requiring Audit Committee pre-approval and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee review for related-person transactions; the company disclosed and ratified a related-person employment (Cole’s son) with abstention by the related director, indicating formal controls, but Ms. Zhang’s affiliations necessitate ongoing scrutiny for any transactions involving Zensun-linked entities .
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Say-on-frequency signal: Stockholders supported annual say-on-pay votes (~95%), indicating strong preference for ongoing compensation oversight; useful context for governance sentiment though not director-specific .