Jeffrey Owens
indie SemiconductorAbout Jeffrey Owens
Jeffrey Owens, age 70, is an independent director of indie Semiconductor since June 2021; he is a retired automotive technology executive who served as Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of Delphi Automotive PLC until his retirement in 2017, following a 40+ year career with leadership roles including President of Delphi’s Electronics & Safety Division and President of Delphi Asia Pacific . He holds an MBA from Ball State University and a Bachelor’s in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering from Kettering University, and completed Duke Fuqua’s Global Executive Program and Northwestern Kellogg’s Corporate Governance Program . Owens brings deep operations/supply chain and technology industry expertise relevant to INDI’s automotive semiconductor focus .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delphi Automotive PLC | Executive Vice President & CTO | Retired in 2017 | Led global technology strategy; prior roles include President, Electronics & Safety Division; President, Asia Pacific |
| Delphi Automotive PLC | Various technology/engineering/operating roles | Over 40 years | Built deep domain expertise in automotive electronics and global operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rogers Corporation (NYSE: ROG) | Director | 2017–present | Public company board experience; materials and components exposure |
| Cypress Semiconductor Corporation | Director | 2017–2020 | Semiconductor governance experience |
| Kettering University | Board of Trustees (past Chairman) | Not disclosed | Higher-education governance; engineering talent pipeline |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (Chair: Sonalee Parekh); Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member (Chair: Diane Brink) .
- Classification and term: Class I director; standing for election at the June 4, 2025 Annual Meeting to serve through the 2028 Annual Meeting if elected .
- Independence: Board affirms Owens as an independent director under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 10 times in 2024; all incumbent directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings. Audit Committee met 8 times; Nominating & Corporate Governance met 4 times in 2024 .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Non‑employee directors must own stock equal to ≥$375,000 by March 16, 2028 and retain 50% of net shares from RSUs until compliance .
- Board service limits: Maximum of four public company boards for non-management directors; Owens’ disclosed public boards suggest he is within limits .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2024 |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (program level) | $75,000 |
| Committee chair fee (per chair; Owens not a chair) | $15,000 — not applicable to Owens |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed — |
| Fees earned/paid in cash (Owens) | $56,260 |
| RSUs issued in-lieu of cash (Owens) | 3,627 shares; $28,135 equivalent |
| Voluntary forfeiture of quarterly cash retainer | Sep 1, 2024–Mar 31, 2025 (all directors) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Units | Fair Value | Vesting Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant (Owens) | Jun 13, 2024 | 23,681 | $175,003 | Vests on earlier of Jun 13, 2025 or date of 2025 Annual Meeting |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding (as of Dec 31, 2024) | — | 23,681 | — | Time-based; no performance metrics disclosed |
- No director stock options or performance-based equity awards were disclosed for Owens; director compensation relies on cash retainers and time-based RSUs, with mandatory holding requirements until ownership guidelines are met .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Institution | Role | Overlap/Interlocks with INDI |
|---|---|---|
| Rogers Corporation (NYSE: ROG) | Director | No INDI-related party transaction disclosures involving Owens |
| Cypress Semiconductor Corporation | Director (2017–2020) | No INDI-related party transaction disclosures involving Owens |
| Kettering University | Trustee (past Chairman) | Not applicable (non-profit) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Skills profile: Executive leadership; corporate governance; public company board experience; finance/financial expertise; M&A/strategic growth; cybersecurity/IT; operations/supply chain; technology/industry experience .
- Education and governance training: MBA (Ball State); BS Mechanical/Electrical Engineering (Kettering); Global Executive Program (Duke Fuqua); Corporate Governance Program (Northwestern Kellogg) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Apr 4, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership – Class A shares (Owens) | 128,528 |
| Class V shares | — |
| % of total common stock | * (less than 1%) |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding | 23,681 |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Prohibited by policy (no pledging permitted) |
- Footnote: Beneficial ownership calculations include securities that may vest or be exercisable within 60 days of April 4, 2025 per SEC rules .
- Ownership guidelines: Must reach ≥$375,000 by March 16, 2028; directors must retain half of net RSU shares until guideline met (compliance status not disclosed) .
Governance Assessment
- Positives: Owens is independent and brings highly relevant automotive electronics operating expertise; he serves on Audit and Nominating committees, meeting frequency indicates active engagement; director compensation is equity‑heavy with RSU holding requirements and strict anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging policies that enhance alignment; no related‑party transactions disclosed involving Owens; Section 16 filings were timely for directors except one Form 4 for Aldrich, indicating solid compliance .
- Potential risks/flags: Staggered board structure (classified board) can reduce accountability; director ownership guideline compliance status is not disclosed—investors may monitor progress toward the $375,000 threshold by 2028; no explicit disclosure of director‑level performance metrics or meeting fees—comp structure relies on time‑based RSUs rather than performance‑linked pay .
- Overall: Owens’ background and committee roles support board effectiveness in risk oversight and governance; absence of conflicts and strong policy framework (clawbacks, anti‑hedging/pledging, independent committees/advisors) underpin investor confidence .