Songyee Yoon
HPAbout Songyee Yoon
Independent Director of HP Inc. (HPQ) since 2025; age 49. Managing Partner at Principal Venture Partners focused on AI-native companies, with prior senior roles in technology and telecom (NCSoft; SK Telecom; McKinsey). Education: BS Electrical Engineering (KAIST), JD (Santa Clara University), PhD Computational Neuroscience (MIT). Appointed to bring expertise in technology, AI, and international business to HP’s board .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCSoft Corporation | President; Chief Strategy Officer; CEO of NCWest | 2008–2023 | Led global expansion and AI integration across multiple countries |
| SK Telecom | Vice President, Communications Intelligence | 2004–2007 | Telecom strategy and intelligence functions |
| McKinsey & Company | Engagement Manager | 2000–2002 | Management consulting on operations/strategy |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Venture Partners, L.P. | Founder & Managing Partner | 2024–Present | Focus on investments in AI-native companies |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Finance, Investment and Technology (FIT) Committee member .
- Audit Committee financial expert designation: The Board determined Ms. Yoon is an “audit committee financial expert” under SEC rules .
- Independence: Classified as independent; Board affirmed independence for all committee members per NYSE and HP standards .
- Board meeting cadence (FY24): Board met 7 times; committees met Audit (9), FIT (4), HRC (8), NGSR (4). Incumbent directors attended ≥75% of applicable meetings in FY24; Yoon joined in 2025 (attendance not applicable for FY24) .
- Shareholder support: Elected with 99.7% “For” votes at the April 14, 2025 annual meeting (695,155,930 For; 2,049,583 Against; 1,021,234 Abstain) .
Fixed Compensation
HP’s non‑employee director program (FY24 baseline; Board Year beginning March 1):
- Annual cash retainer: $105,000 .
- Annual equity retainer: $220,000 (fully vested at grant; not subject to service-related vesting) .
- Chair of Board cash retainer: $200,000 .
- Committee chair fees: Audit $35,000; HRC $25,000; NGSR $20,000; other standing committees $20,000 .
- Meeting fees: $2,000 per meeting above 10 per Board Year (board or committee) .
- Deferral options: May defer cash retainers/fees and settlement of RSUs (to separation/death/disability or specified date) .
- Travel/perqs: Reimbursement for business expenses and permitted use of company aircraft for board duties .
Director-specific grants reported:
| Item | Date | Amount/Units | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSU grant (pro‑rated annual equity retainer) | Feb 6, 2025 | 426 RSUs | Vested on grant date | Reported on Form 4; pro‑rated for initial service period |
Performance Compensation
HP does not use performance-linked metrics for non-employee director compensation (equity is fully vested at grant; no PSUs/options in director program) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Start | Committee Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HP Inc. | Director | 2025 | Audit; FIT | No other current public company boards reported; none prior . |
- Overboarding limits: HP Bylaws cap service at ≤5 public company boards including HP; directors must seek NGSR pre-approval for new for‑profit boards . Yoon currently on one public board (HP) .
- Related‑party transactions: No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Yoon; HP’s policy governs review/approval thresholds and pre‑approvals . FY24 disclosed item involves another director (Clemmer/Greenwave), not Yoon .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology/AI: Venture investor in AI-native companies; led AI integration at NCSoft .
- International business: Senior roles spanning Asia/US; global expansion leadership .
- Finance/audit literacy: Designated audit committee financial expert .
- Education: BS KAIST; JD Santa Clara; PhD MIT (computational neuroscience) .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Detail | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 426 RSUs granted and immediately vested; reporting person elected to defer receipt of common shares | Form 4 (Feb 6, 2025) and Form 4 (Apr 16, 2025) |
| Deferral election | Deferred settlement of common stock until April 1, 2028 | SEC Form 4 XML |
| Ownership guidelines | Required to hold ≥5x annual cash retainer within 5 years; directors with <5 years are on track | HP director stock ownership guidelines |
No pledging or hedging: HP prohibits hedging and pledging by directors .
Insider Trades
| Date (Filed) | Transaction Date | Type | Quantity | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 10, 2025 | Feb 6, 2025 | Stock Award (Grant) RSUs | 426 | $0.00 | Fully vested on grant; pro‑rated annual equity retainer; Attorney‑in‑Fact signature by Rick Hansen |
| Apr 16, 2025 | Apr 14, 2025 | Deferral Election | — | — | Elected to defer receipt of common stock until 04/01/2028; Attorney‑in‑Fact signature by Rick Hansen |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Yoon strengthens HP’s technology/AI bench and global perspective, aligned with Board focus on AI, capital allocation, and risk oversight (Audit/FIT committee work) . Her audit financial expert status enhances financial oversight quality .
- Independence and conflicts: Board affirmed independence; no related‑party transactions disclosed involving Yoon; HP’s policies and NGSR oversight mitigate conflict risks .
- Ownership alignment: Fully vested equity retainer, optional deferral, and 5x retainer ownership guideline support long-term alignment; prohibitions on hedging/pledging further align incentives .
- Shareholder confidence: Strong 99.7% “For” vote on election and robust 93.7% “For” say‑on‑pay in 2025 indicate high investor support for governance/compensation practices .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Yoon (no attendance concerns yet; no related‑party ties; no pledging/hedging). Continue monitoring Principal Venture Partners’ portfolio for potential transactions with HP that could trigger related‑party scrutiny under HP’s policy .