Yibo Yang
About Yibo Yang
Yibo Yang (age 46) has served as a director of Gulf Resources, Inc. since October 2023. He holds a Diploma in economic management from Shandong University of Technology and has over a decade of experience in the chemical industry, currently serving as deputy general manager at Shouguang Haoyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. and Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group; he is an 18% shareholder of Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group . Board-designated independence does not include Yang among independent directors; independent directors are identified as Qiang Liu, Shitong Jiang, Dongshan Wang, and Shengwei Ma .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shouguang Haoyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. | Deputy General Manager | Since 2009 | Operating leadership in chemical manufacturing |
| Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group | Deputy General Manager; 18% shareholder | Since Dec 2020 | Ownership interest and senior management role |
| Shouguang City Yuxin Chemical Co., Ltd. | Executive Director and Managing Director | Since Jul 2023 | Executive oversight |
| Shandong Caiting Lighting Technology Co., Ltd. | Supervisor | Since Jun 2023 | Supervisory role |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public Company? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shouguang Haoyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. | Deputy General Manager | No disclosure as public | Role since 2009 |
| Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group | Deputy General Manager; 18% shareholder | No disclosure as public | Minority owner; entity holds 6.2% of GURE via 824,947 shares |
| Shouguang City Yuxin Chemical Co., Ltd. | Executive Director & MD | No disclosure as public | Since Jul 2023 |
| Shandong Caiting Lighting Technology Co., Ltd. | Supervisor | No disclosure as public | Since Jun 2023 |
Board Governance
- Board meeting cadence and attendance in 2024: Board met 4 times; Audit 4; Compensation 1; Nominating 1. No director attended fewer than 75% of applicable meetings .
- Committee structure and chairs:
- Audit Committee: Members—Shitong Jiang (Chair, Financial Expert), Qiang Liu, Shengwei Ma; all determined independent .
- Compensation Committee: Members—Dongshan Wang (Chair), Shitong Jiang, Shengwei Ma; all determined independent .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Members—Dongshan Wang, Shitong Jiang, Yang Zou; Qiang Liu to replace Yang Zou upon election; Chair—Shitong Jiang .
- Lead independent director: None designated; independent directors conduct executive sessions collaboratively .
- Yang’s committee assignments: Not listed as a member of Audit, Compensation, or Nominating committees .
- Independence: Yang is not designated independent by the Board under NASDAQ Rule 5605(a)(2) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $10,016 | Reported for director Yibo Yang; other columns for stock/option awards show “—” |
Programmatic director pay: Independent directors receive 1,000 shares of restricted common stock annually and “We do not pay any cash compensation to the independent directors.” Yang’s cash fees indicate he is not treated as an independent director for pay purposes .
Performance Compensation
| Element | FY2024 Detail | Metrics/Targets |
|---|---|---|
| Stock Awards (RSUs/PSUs) | — | Not disclosed for Yang |
| Option Awards | — | Not disclosed for Yang |
| Performance Metrics | Not disclosed | No director-specific metrics disclosed (board-wide equity plan terms in 2025 Plan) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Link to GURE | Nature of Interlock | Potential Conflict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group | 6.2% holder of GURE (824,947 shares) | Yang is an 18% shareholder and deputy GM | Related-party influence risk via shareholder/management overlap |
| Shouguang Haoyuan Chemical Co., Ltd. | Operationally connected to GURE’s bromine/chemical activities historically | Yang is deputy GM | Management overlap may affect independence on operating decisions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Industry: >10 years in chemical sector; senior operating roles in multiple chemical companies .
- Education: Diploma in economic management, Shandong University of Technology .
- Board-noted qualifications: Contributes to Board’s development vision in chemical industry context .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Class | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yibo Yang | — | — | No direct beneficial ownership reported as of July 15, 2025 (13,346,618 shares outstanding) |
| Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group | 824,947 | 6.2% | Controlled 82% by Chen Yang; Yang holds 18% of SHIG (indirect exposure) |
Governance Assessment
- Committee assignments and engagement: Yang holds no standing committee roles, limiting direct oversight impact (audit/comp/nominating). Attendance across the Board met thresholds in 2024, but individual attendance percentages for Yang are not disclosed .
- Independence and conflicts: The Board does not classify Yang as independent; he has material ties as an 18% shareholder and executive at Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group, which owns 6.2% of GURE, and senior roles at affiliated chemical entities—this presents potential conflicts on related-party oversight and strategic decisions .
- Pay and alignment: Yang received cash fees ($10,016) while independent directors are paid in stock only, reinforcing non-independence status. No equity awards are disclosed for Yang in FY2024; beneficial ownership is reported as none, reducing direct alignment via personal share ownership .
- Board structure signals: CEO also serves as Chair; no lead independent director; independent directors organize executive sessions informally—combined roles and lack of lead ID can weaken independent oversight; Yang’s non-independent status amplifies this risk if he influences decisions .
RED FLAGS
- Non-independent status with overlapping management/ownership at a 6.2% shareholder (Shandong Haoyuan Industrial Group) .
- No committee roles, limiting governance contribution in key oversight functions .
- No disclosed personal GURE share ownership; cash-based director pay for a non-independent director while independent directors are stock-only .
- Board leadership concentration (CEO as Chair) and absence of lead independent director .
Related-party environment: The company maintains related-party arrangements (e.g., property management with an entity historically controlled by former Chair Ming Yang), underscoring the importance of robust independent oversight; while not directly tied to Yang, the overall related-party backdrop elevates conflict risk .