Pamay Bassey
HOULIHAN LOKEYAbout Pamay Bassey
Ekpedeme “Pamay” M. Bassey, age 52, has served as an independent director of Houlihan Lokey since 2020; she is Chief Learning and Culture Officer at The Kraft Heinz Company and brings deep expertise in AI‑derived learning theory, leadership development, and human capital strategy across large, complex public companies . She holds a B.S. in Symbolic Systems with an AI concentration from Stanford University and an M.S. in Computer Science from Northwestern University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlackRock | Global Head of Learning Platform & Professional Development | Prior to Dec 2018 | Led global learning platform strategy and professional development programs |
| The Pamay Group | President | Prior to BlackRock | E‑learning design and strategy leadership |
| Accenture | Media Technologies Group (early career) | Early career | Technology and media learning solutions exposure |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Kraft Heinz Company | Chief Learning & Culture Officer | Since Dec 2018 | Drives inclusive culture and global learning strategy |
| Northwestern Alumni Association Board | Executive Committee Member | Ongoing | Alumni governance and engagement leadership |
| Council on Foreign Relations | Life Member | Ongoing | Thought leadership exposure |
| M&G Etomi Foundation | Advisory Board | Ongoing | Advisory contributions |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Bassey is independent under NYSE rules .
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation Committee; chair is Gillian Zucker .
- Attendance: In fiscal 2025, each director (including Bassey) attended at least 75% of board and relevant committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting (in person or by phone) . In fiscal 2024, each director attended at least 75% of meetings; all directors attended the 2023 annual meeting .
- Board classification and term: Class III director; term expires at the 2027 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: Lead Independent Director presides over executive sessions of independent directors at least annually .
- Controlled company context: HL Voting Trust controls majority voting power; while HLI is a “controlled company,” it states current compliance with non‑controlled governance criteria, though exemptions may be used in future .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer ($) | $90,000 | $100,000 |
| Committee chair cash fees ($) | $0 (not chair) | $0 (not chair) |
| Meeting fees ($) | None disclosed | None disclosed |
Notes:
- Director travel expenses reimbursed per policy .
Performance Compensation
| Component | FY 2024 | FY 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Annual equity grant – fully vested Class A common stock (grant‑date fair value, $) | $88,739 | $99,085 |
| Committee chair equity grant ($) | $0 (not chair) | $0 (not chair) |
| Options/option‑like awards | None; company does not grant option‑like awards | None; company does not grant option‑like awards |
Performance metric structure (outside directors):
- Equity grants are dollar‑denominated, fully vested common stock; no PSUs/RSUs or performance conditions disclosed for directors .
- Stock grant shares are determined by the average closing price over 10 days after earnings release; this is a mechanical valuation method, not a performance metric .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Public company boards: None disclosed for Bassey in HLI proxy biography .
- Compensation committee interlocks: None; members (including Bassey) have never been HLI officers or employees; no related person transactions requiring disclosure for committee members .
Expertise & Qualifications
- AI/learning theory expertise; design of transformative leadership and learning solutions .
- Human capital development leadership at Kraft Heinz; previously led learning platforms at BlackRock .
- Technical education: Stanford Symbolic Systems (AI focus); Northwestern Computer Science .
- Governance and engagement: Northwestern Alumni Association Executive Committee; CFR life member; advisory board experience .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Jul 25, 2024 | As of Jul 24, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership – Class A shares (count) | 5,064 | 5,627 |
| Ownership as % of Class A outstanding | <1% | <1% |
| Vested vs. unvested | No unvested restricted shares for outside directors as of Mar 31, 2025 | No unvested restricted shares for outside directors as of Mar 31, 2025 |
| Hedging/pledging | Prohibited by insider trading policy (hedging, margin purchases, pledging) | |
| Stock ownership guideline | Outside directors must hold ≥4x annual cash retainer (raised to $400,000 in FY25); all directors in compliance |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent status, Compensation Committee membership, and consistent attendance support effective oversight; executive sessions of independent directors provide a venue for candid discussion .
- Alignment: Balanced director pay mix (~50/50 cash/equity in FY25) and stringent stock ownership guidelines, combined with prohibitions on hedging/pledging, demonstrate alignment with shareholder interests .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related person transactions disclosed for Compensation Committee members; related person transactions noted in the proxy involve children of other directors/executives, not Bassey .
- Controlled company risk: The HL Voting Trust’s control is a structural governance consideration; HLI states current compliance with independence committee standards but may utilize exemptions, which investors should monitor for potential dilution of minority protections .
- Consultant independence: Compensation Committee selects independent compensation consultants and assesses conflicts; WTW provided market data on peers and director compensation in FY24/FY25, indicating attention to market standards .
RED FLAGS: None identified specific to Bassey. No hedging/pledging, no related‑party transactions, and independence affirmed . The broader “controlled company” status is a governance risk to monitor at the issuer level, not specific to Bassey .