Christopher Bradley
About Christopher Bradley
Christopher Bradley, age 47, is Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Secretary of HYAC; he has served as CFO and Secretary since inception (March 2023) and was appointed CEO, Chairman, and Director on November 7, 2024 . He holds an A.B. from the University of Chicago and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, with 20+ years across venture capital, private equity, and public companies, including Managing Director at Mistral Equity Partners since 2008 and founder/CEO of The Beacon Consumer Incubator Fund since 2016 . HYAC is a SPAC; filings emphasize completing an initial business combination by July 28, 2025, so operating performance metrics (TSR, revenue/EBITDA growth) are not disclosed for Bradley’s tenure, and HYAC notes sponsor-controlled voting for directors pre-combination, underscoring governance considerations rather than operating KPIs .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haymaker Acquisition Corp. I (SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer | 2017–Mar 2019 | Led deal sourcing, negotiation, structuring; merger with OneSpaWorld (NASDAQ: OSW) . |
| Haymaker Acquisition Corp. II (SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer | 2019–Dec 2020 | Led deal sourcing, negotiation, structuring; merger with ARKO (NASDAQ: ARKO) . |
| Haymaker Acquisition Corp. III (SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer | Mar 2021–May 2022 | Led deal sourcing, negotiation, structuring, diligence; merger with biote (NASDAQ: BTMD); later Strategic Advisor to biote until Sep 2023 . |
| Tastemaker Acquisition Corp (TMKR, SPAC) | Chief Financial Officer & Secretary | Jan 2021–Jul 2023 | Executive leadership in SPAC formation and transaction sourcing . |
| Banc of America Securities | Investment Banker | 2005–2006 | Capital markets and advisory experience . |
| Burger King | Strategy Manager | 2004 | Corporate strategy role . |
| PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) | Manager, Management Consulting | 1999–2004 | Consulting and corporate transformation experience . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mistral Equity Partners | Managing Director | 2008–present | Consumer/retail PE investing; board and transaction oversight . |
| Beacon Consumer Incubator Fund | CEO & Director; Board Member | 2016–present | Early-stage consumer tech investing; fund governance . |
| Roth CH Acquisition Co. (formerly TKB Critical Technologies 1) | Director | Jun 2023–present | Blank check company oversight . |
| Insomnia Cookies Holdings, LLC | Director | Jul 2024–present | Retail/consumer board governance . |
| Carnegie Park Capital | Advisory Board | 2023–present | Multi-strategy investment fund advice . |
| Prior public/private boards (selected) | Director | Various (2009–2020) | Lovesac (2010–2019), Jamba (2009–2013), XWELL (2012–2014), Country Pure Foods (2010–2014), Creminelli (2016–2020) . |
Fixed Compensation
None of HYAC’s officers or directors receive cash compensation prior to the initial business combination. HYAC reimburses certain service arrangements at $20,000 per month and accrues advisory fees tied to completion of the business combination .
| Item | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Officer/director cash compensation (pre-business combination) | $0 | $0 |
| Administrative Services (affiliate of Vice President Andrew Heyer) | $104,516 | $240,000 |
| Advisory Services (affiliate of CFO; payable only if business combination completes) | $104,516 (contingent) | $344,516 (contingent) |
Notes:
- Insider Trading Policy prohibits directors and certain employees, including all executive officers, from hedging HYAC securities (options, puts, calls) and short selling .
Performance Compensation
No annual bonus, LTIP, RSU/PSU, or option awards are disclosed pre-business combination; any post-combination compensation will be set by a compensation committee of independent directors of the combined company and disclosed at that time .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Holder | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Haymaker Sponsor IV LLC (Sponsor) – Class A shares | 797,600 (3.4%) | 797,600 (3.4%) |
| Haymaker Sponsor IV LLC (Sponsor) – Class B (Founder Shares) | 5,750,000 (100.0%) | 5,750,000 (100.0%) |
| Approximate % of outstanding ordinary shares (Sponsor aggregate) | 22.2% | 22.2% |
| Christopher Bradley – direct beneficial ownership | — | — |
Additional alignment facts:
- All officers and directors are members of the Sponsor and disclaim beneficial ownership other than any pecuniary interest; only Class B holders (Sponsor) appoint directors prior to the business combination, concentrating control pre-deal .
- Founder shares were purchased for $25,000 (0.004 per share) and will automatically convert into Class A on a one-for-one basis at the business combination, preserving ~20% post-conversion (anti-dilution within SPAC norms) .
- Lock-up: Founder shares not transferable until six months after the business combination; private placement units/shares/warrants restricted until 30 days post-combination, subject to limited exceptions; transferees must accept restrictions .
- Hedging/shorting prohibited for executive officers per Insider Trading Policy; pledging not specifically disclosed .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail |
|---|---|
| Appointment | Appointed CEO, Chairman, and Director on Nov 7, 2024; concurrently CFO and Secretary; term expires at the third annual general meeting unless earlier cessation . |
| Officer appointments | Officers serve at the Board’s discretion; Board authorized to appoint officers as appropriate . |
| Executive agreements | No employment agreement or compensatory arrangement disclosed upon appointment; no Item 404 transactions with Bradley . |
| Service agreements | Advisory Services Agreement (affiliate of CFO) $20,000/month; payable only upon successful business combination; accrued contingent fees disclosed. Administrative Services Agreement (affiliate of Vice President) $20,000/month with acceleration of remaining payments upon business combination or liquidation . |
| Clawback | Audit/Compensation Committees advise on SEC Rule 10D-1 clawbacks if triggered by restatements; policy references in committee charters . |
Board Governance
- Bradley serves as Chairman, CEO, CFO, and Secretary; standing committees are comprised of independent directors, which mitigates some dual-role risks but Sponsor voting control over director appointments pre-combination limits public shareholder influence .
- Committees (DEF 14A, July 1, 2025):
- Audit Committee: Meltzer, McLallen, Shimko; Shimko chair; all financially literate; Shimko deemed “financial expert” .
- Compensation Committee: Meltzer, McLallen, Shimko; McLallen chair; charter empowers independent adviser retention; oversight of CEO pay and officer plans, change-of-control policies, director pay, perquisites .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Meltzer, McLallen, Shimko; Meltzer chair; director qualifications/governance guidelines/board self-evaluation .
- Pre-business combination: only Class B holders appoint directors; Public Shareholders lack director appointment rights until post-combination .
Director Compensation
- No cash compensation to officers/directors prior to the business combination; post-combination fees/equity may be determined by the combined company’s board and disclosed in transaction materials .
Related Party Transactions
- Founder Shares: Sponsor acquired 5,750,000 Class B shares for $25,000; over-allotment fully exercised on July 28, 2023; lock-up restrictions apply .
- Private Placement: Sponsor purchased 797,600 units at $10.00 per unit at IPO; warrants exercisable at $11.50; transfer restrictions until 30 days post-combination .
- Administrative Services Agreement: $20,000/month to affiliate of Vice President for office, secretarial, administrative services; acceleration upon completion/liquidation; expenses incurred $104,516 (FY 2023) and $240,000 (FY 2024) .
- Advisory Services Agreement: $20,000/month to affiliate of CFO; payable only upon successful business combination; contingent fee accrual $104,516 (FY 2023) and $344,516 (FY 2024) .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Dual-role concentration: CEO + Chairman + CFO + Secretary, with Sponsor control of director appointments pre-combination, elevates governance and independence concerns until de-SPAC .
- Insider trading policy bans hedging/shorting, which is positive; pledging not disclosed, leaving potential information gap on collateralization .
- Compensation opacity pre-combination: No salary/bonus/stock awards disclosed; contingent advisory fees could create incentives tied to deal completion rather than long-term performance .
- Timeline pressure: Must complete business combination by July 28, 2025 or redeem trust; NYSE’s three-year requirement could impact listing if unmet .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Committee responsibilities include reviewing CEO goals and compensation, approving officer incentive/equity plans, perquisites, change-of-control policies, director pay, and disclosure (CD&A/reporting), with authority to hire independent consultants subject to SEC/NYSE independence tests .
- Say-on-Pay framework and parachute-change-of-control policy are addressed in charter responsibilities; actual votes/pay practices not applicable pre-combination .
Equity Ownership & Beneficial Holders (Context)
- As of March 14, 2025 and March 29, 2024, Sponsor beneficially owns 22.2% of outstanding ordinary shares; major public holders include Wealthspring, First Trust Parties, HGC Investment Management, Fort Baker Parties (various Class A positions) .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Bradley personally discloses no direct share ownership; alignment is via membership in the Sponsor holding founder shares subject to six-month post-merger lock-up, which can temper immediate insider selling pressure but concentrates control pre-deal .
- Incentives: Absence of cash comp pre-combination and contingent advisory fees highlight incentives tied to deal completion rather than sustained operating outcomes; post-combination compensation will be set by an independent committee, but terms remain unknown until de-SPAC .
- Governance: CEO/Chairman/CFO consolidation raises independence concerns; mitigations include independent committees, but Sponsor-exclusive director appointment pre-combination limits public shareholder governance influence until after the merger .
- Trading signals: Lock-up mechanics and hedging prohibitions reduce near-term insider selling risk post-merger; monitor de-SPAC timeline, any 8-K updates on compensation packages, and any changes to committee compositions or clawback/ownership policies as the transaction approaches .