Daniel J. Hennessy
About Daniel J. Hennessy
Daniel J. Hennessy, 67, is a Class I independent director at Innventure, Inc. (INV) and Learn CW’s director designee under the Business Combination Agreement. He currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII (Nasdaq: HVII) and VI (Nasdaq: HCVI), and as Chairman of Compass Digital Acquisition Corp. (Nasdaq: CDAQ). He holds a B.A. from Boston College and an MBA from the University of Michigan, and the Board has determined he is independent under SEC and Nasdaq standards; he also qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert.”
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. V (SPAC) | Chairman & CEO | Oct 2020 – Dec 2022 | Led SPAC; predecessor to VI/VII; governance/transaction experience |
| Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp. IV (SPAC) | Chairman & CEO | Pre-Dec 2020 | Completed business combination with Canoo Holdings Ltd. in Dec 2020 |
| Daseke, Inc. (Nasdaq: DSKE) | Director | 2017 – 2021 | Public company board experience (trucking/logistics) |
| Continental Illinois National Bank (now Bank of America) | Banking Officer (Oil & Gas Lending) | Began 1981 | Finance/lending background |
External Roles
| Company | Ticker | Role | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII | HVII | Chairman & CEO | Current |
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VI | HCVI | Chairman & CEO | Current |
| Compass Digital Acquisition Corp. | CDAQ | Chairman of the Board | Current |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (all members independent; Hennessy is an audit committee financial expert):
- Audit Committee: Chair James O. Donnally; Members Elizabeth Williams, Daniel J. Hennessy; 2 meetings in 2024
- Compensation Committee: Chair Bruce Brown; Members James O. Donnally, Daniel J. Hennessy; 1 meeting in 2024
- Nominating & Corporate Governance (N&CG): Chair Michael Amalfitano; Members Bruce Brown, Elizabeth Williams; 1 meeting in 2024
- Independence: Board determined Hennessy independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules .
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024 the Board met three times and all directors attended all Board and relevant committee meetings; independent directors held two executive sessions since the Business Combination and expect at least two annually .
- Board structure: No Lead Independent Director presently; Board leadership includes independent committee chairs and an Executive Chairman .
- Designation rights (potential influence): Hennessy is Learn CW’s designee; Founding Investors hold nomination rights under the Investor Rights Agreement, currently up to three directors, indicating sponsor influence over board composition .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25,000 | Director cash fees (Board formed Oct 2024) |
Performance Compensation
| Year | Stock Awards ($) | Instrument | Outstanding RSUs at 12/31 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 89,999 | RSUs | 7,377 | Grant-date fair value per FASB ASC 718; count outstanding for each non-management director |
- No performance metrics for director equity awards are disclosed in the proxy; awards are identified as RSUs without metric detail .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Ticker | Role | Potential Interlock/Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VII | HVII | Chairman & CEO | SPAC leadership; unrelated to Innventure operations |
| Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VI | HCVI | Chairman & CEO | SPAC leadership; unrelated to Innventure operations |
| Compass Digital Acquisition Corp. | CDAQ | Chairman | SPAC leadership; unrelated to Innventure operations |
| Daseke, Inc. | DSKE | Former Director (2017–2021) | Prior board role (no current interlock disclosed) |
| Learn CW Investment Corporation | — | Designating party | Hennessy is Learn CW’s designee to INV’s Board under the BCA |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert (Reg S-K Item 407) designation; financial literacy confirmed for audit committee .
- 25+ years in investment, strategic, and leadership roles; extensive SPAC formation and governance experience .
- Education: B.A. Boston College; MBA University of Michigan .
- Non-profit board service (Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, National MS Society, Shedd Aquarium, Georgetown University, Yellowstone Forever) .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Common Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Common Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 6, 2025 | 1,177,639 | 2.03% | Based on 57,920,864 common shares outstanding |
| Dec 31, 2024 | 7,377 RSUs outstanding | — | RSUs held as of year-end (included as stock awards disclosure) |
- Insider trading/hedging policies: Hedging transactions prohibited; pledging discouraged under Insider Trading Policy .
- Pledging/hedging by Hennessy: No pledging by Hennessy is disclosed in the stock ownership section reviewed .
Governance Assessment
-
Positives:
- Independent director; audit committee financial expert; serves on Audit and Compensation Committees; 100% Board and committee attendance in 2024, supporting engagement and oversight quality .
- Meaningful equity alignment: 1,177,639 shares (2.03%) beneficially owned as of Oct 6, 2025; director pay is equity-heavy via RSUs ($89,999 vs $25,000 cash in 2024) .
- Clawback policy adopted in Oct 2024 for Section 16 officers and robust anti-hedging policy for directors and employees .
-
Watch items / RED FLAGS:
- Sponsor influence: Hennessy is Learn CW’s designee; Founding Investors have ongoing director nomination rights under the Investor Rights Agreement, which can concentrate board selection power among key holders .
- Time/attention risk: Concurrent leadership roles at multiple SPACs (HVII, HCVI, CDAQ) may strain bandwidth, though 2024 attendance was exemplary .
- Pledging discouraged (not outright prohibited) in Insider Trading Policy; while no pledging by Hennessy is disclosed, a full prohibition often signals stronger alignment .
-
Structural notes:
- No Lead Independent Director currently; independent chairs lead Audit, Compensation, and N&CG Committees .
- Board formed in Oct 2024; governance framework (Corporate Governance Guidelines) adopted with regular executive sessions for independent directors .
Overall, Hennessy brings deep capital markets and audit oversight expertise with strong 2024 engagement and significant share ownership, while sponsor designation rights and multiple concurrent SPAC roles warrant continued monitoring for potential independence and time-commitment risks .