Nathan Richardson
About Nathan Richardson
Nathan Richardson (age 54) is an independent director of Grindr Inc. (GRND) serving since November 2022; he is a designated “audit committee financial expert,” former inaugural Audit Committee chair (Nov 18, 2022–Jun 3, 2025), and currently sits on the Audit, Compensation, and Privacy & Trust committees. He holds a B.S. in Business from Babson College and an MBA from Georgetown University; his background spans fintech, digital media, and commerce leadership roles. The board has affirmatively determined his independence under NYSE standards.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joffre Capital | Partner | Jun 2021–present | Interlock with GRND Chair James Fu Bin Lu (managing partner/co-founder) |
| Red Ventures | EVP | Aug 2019–Oct 2021 | Digital operating leadership |
| Trading Ticket, Inc. | Co‑Founder & CEO | Apr 2014–Aug 2019 | Fintech; founder/CEO |
| Waywire | Co‑Founder & CEO | Apr 2012–Aug 2013 | Video sharing; founder/CEO |
| Gilt City (Gilt Groupe) | President | 2009–2012 | Commerce operations |
| Dow Jones Online | SVP & GM | 2005–2006 | Digital media P&L |
| Yahoo | GM, Finance Division | 2000–2005 | Internet media leadership |
| Citigroup | Global Emerging Markets Mgmt Associate | 1998–1999 | Finance training |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pyxus (NYSE: PYX) | Director | Feb 2019–Aug 2020 | Prior public company board experience |
| Caribe Media, Inc. | Director | 2011–2019 | Private company directorship |
| Joffre Capital | Partner | Jun 2021–present | Affiliation with GRND Chair’s PE firm (interlock) |
Board Governance
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent under NYSE standards |
| Committees | Audit (Member; former Chair), Compensation (Member), Privacy & Trust (Member) |
| Audit Financial Expert | Designated as Audit Committee financial expert (with Chad Cohen) |
| Meeting cadence (2024) | Board: 6; Audit: 4; Compensation: 4; Privacy & Trust: 2 |
| Special committee | Member, special committee for warrant redemption; received additional $25,000 cash (approved Oct 24, 2024) |
| Attendance | Individual attendance rates not disclosed; four directors attended 2024 annual meeting (names not provided) |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $54,000 |
| Stock Awards (grant‑date fair value) | $117,618 |
| Total | $171,618 |
| Role (Effective Jun 3, 2025 policy) | Annual Cash Retainer ($) |
|---|---|
| Board Member | $40,000 |
| Audit Committee Member | $6,000 |
| Compensation Committee Member | $1,000 |
| Privacy & Trust Committee Member | $1,000 |
Notes:
- Directors do not receive meeting fees; committee member cash retainers were added in 2025.
- In 2024, special committee service added $25,000 cash.
Performance Compensation
| Role (Effective Jun 3, 2025 policy) | Annual RSU Value ($) |
|---|---|
| Board Member | $140,000 |
| Audit Committee Member | $24,000 |
| Compensation Committee Member | $4,000 |
| Privacy & Trust Committee Member | $4,000 |
Vesting and provisions:
- Annual RSUs vest 25% every three months; prorated awards vest on scheduled quarterly dates and fully vest before the next annual meeting or upon change‑in‑control, subject to service.
- On Jun 3, 2025, supplemental RSUs were approved for continuing directors to true‑up the increase; they vest in full on Jul 19, 2025 (Richardson included).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Connection | Description | Potential Exposure |
|---|---|---|
| Joffre Capital | Richardson is Partner; GRND Chair James Fu Bin Lu is managing partner/co‑founder | Relationship tie between two GRND directors (monitor for perceived influence on Compensation/Audit decisions) |
| Prior public board | Pyxus (NYSE: PYX) director (2019–2020) | Adds governance experience; no current interlocks disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance, commerce, and digital media operating leadership (Yahoo, Dow Jones Online, Gilt City; multiple founder/CEO roles in fintech/video).
- MBA (Georgetown) and BS Business (Babson).
- Audit Committee financial expertise designation.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial shares owned | 16,126 |
| RSUs vesting by Aug 3, 2025 (included in beneficial ownership) | 3,023 |
| Shares outstanding (Record Date Jun 4, 2025) | 196,195,509 |
| Ownership % of common stock | ~0.008% (16,126 / 196,195,509) |
| RSUs outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024 | 7,618 |
| Pledging/Hedging | Company discourages hedging and prohibits pledging without pre‑clearance; no pledging disclosed for Richardson |
Insider Trades and Filings
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Section 16(a) | One Form 4 was inadvertently filed late for Richardson (annual non‑employee director equity award) |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Recognized inaugural Audit Committee chair; maintains membership; designated audit committee financial expert—supports financial oversight and investor confidence.
- Multi‑industry operating background and prior public board service enhance committee effectiveness (Audit, Compensation, Privacy & Trust).
- Board affirmed independence; no material disqualifying relationships identified.
-
Watch items / potential red flags
- Interlock with GRND Chair via Joffre Capital may create perceived influence; continued transparency and robust committee independence controls are advisable (board states independence).
- Section 16(a) late filing indicates need for continued rigor in insider reporting processes (minor process issue).
- Board‑level concentration and pledging by other directors (Zage: 43.8%; Lu: 13.6%) could create volatility and governance risk if foreclosures occur; not specific to Richardson but relevant to overall board risk oversight.
-
Compensation alignment
- Director pay mix emphasizes equity with quarterly vesting and change‑in‑control acceleration; time‑based RSUs align directors to stock performance but lack explicit performance metrics (typical for directors).
- 2025 increases in cash and equity retainers reflect market alignment and role complexity; supplemental RSU “true‑up” granted once.
Overall, Richardson’s profile supports board effectiveness (financial oversight, operating breadth) with one interlock to monitor; no related‑party transactions or pledging disclosed for him, and independence affirmed, which mitigates conflict concerns.