Martin Kunz
About Martin Kunz
Independent director of LiqTech International (LIQT) since June 23, 2023; age 58 at nomination in 2023 and 59 in 2024, with board-determined independence under SEC and Nasdaq rules. Background spans general management of global businesses and functional expertise in sales, marketing, operations, and supply chain, with industry experience in water and fluid management; education includes a B.S. in Engineering from H.F. Technology and Management School (TGZ), Zurich, Switzerland .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twist Bioscience (TWST) | Senior Vice President, Operations | Appointed Feb 7, 2019 | Oversaw global operations, software, and IT; brought 20+ years in DNA synthesis; press release highlights operational scaling and leadership . |
| Eurofins Genomics US | President | Jun 2010–Jan 2019 | Implemented new synthesis platform; increased production volumes; prior CTO (Sep 2008–Jun 2010) focusing on IT off-shore capacity and systems architecture . |
| Operon Biotechnologies | Chief Information Officer | Sep 2005–Sep 2008 | Built global IT team; deployed CRM, e-commerce, and BI systems . |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Committees/Position | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed in LIQT filings reviewed | — | — | — |
LIQT’s 10-K/A and proxies reviewed do not list other public company directorships for Martin Kunz .
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (current): Audit Committee (member; Chair: Richard Meeusen), Compensation Committee (member; Chair: Peyton Boswell), Governance & Nominating Committee (member; Chair: Alexander Buehler) .
- Independence: Board determined Kunz is independent under SEC and Nasdaq listing standards .
- Attendance: Board met 20 times in 2023; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; no policy on attending annual meetings of stockholders .
- Audit Committee activity: Met four times in fiscal 2024; all members able to read and understand fundamental financial statements; Meeusen designated Audit Committee Financial Expert .
| Committee | Chair | Members | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Richard Meeusen | Peyton Boswell; Martin Kunz | 4 meetings in FY 2024; related-party review responsibility . |
| Compensation | Peyton Boswell | Richard Meeusen; Alexander Buehler; Martin Kunz | Oversees director/officer pay policies and stock-based comp . |
| Governance & Nominating | Alexander Buehler | Richard Meeusen; Peyton Boswell; Martin Kunz | Board composition and governance practices . |
Fixed Compensation
- Structure (2023 policy): Non-executive director cash retainer $31,500/year; Chairman additional $31,500; Audit Chair $11,000; Compensation Chair $6,500. Annual equity grant: $36,750 to non-executive directors (January grant), vests over one year; Chairman annual stock grant $73,500 (January), vests over one year. No special agreements for retirement, resignation, change of control, or other events leading to departure .
- 2023 actuals for Kunz (partial year since appointment): Cash fees $15,750; stock awards grant-date fair value $36,750; total $52,500 .
| Metric | 2023 Amount |
|---|---|
| Director cash retainer (policy) | $31,500/year |
| Audit Chair additional retainer | $11,000/year |
| Compensation Chair additional retainer | $6,500/year |
| Non-exec director annual equity grant (policy) | $36,750 (January; vests over one year) |
| Martin Kunz – Fees earned (cash) | $15,750 |
| Martin Kunz – Stock awards (grant-date fair value) | $36,750 |
| Martin Kunz – Total 2023 director compensation | $52,500 |
Performance Compensation
- Structure: Director equity is time-based RSUs (no performance metrics); initial appointment grant $36,750 RSUs vest over one year . Policy provides automatic annual stock grant in January for non-executive directors ($36,750), vesting over one year . No option awards for directors in 2023; tax withholding permitted under the equity plan .
| Compensation Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial RSU grant (appointment) | $36,750 RSUs; vesting over one year |
| Annual director RSU grant (policy) | $36,750 in January; vesting over one year |
| Options to directors | None in 2023 director comp table |
| Performance metrics (directors) | None disclosed; time-based vesting only |
| Tax withholding under plan | Company may withhold taxes before share issuance |
RSU award events observed:
- Jan 3, 2024: Form 4 shows award of 10,470 shares; post-transaction ownership 22,402 shares .
- Jan 7, 2025: Form 4 shows award of 26,516 shares; post-transaction ownership 48,918 shares .
- Jun 23, 2023: Initial Form 4 shows 11,932 shares awarded at appointment .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- No other public company directorships or interlocks disclosed for Martin Kunz in LIQT filings reviewed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Board qualifications: Experience in general management of global businesses; functional expertise in sales, marketing, operations, and supply chain; industry expertise in water and fluid management, supporting profitable growth and strategic marketing perspectives .
- Education: B.S. in Engineering from H.F. Technology and Management School (TGZ), Zurich, Switzerland .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 18, 2024 (proxy record date) | 11,932 | Less than 1% | Beneficial ownership as reported in DEF 14A; standard SEC Rule 13d-3 methodology . |
| Jan 7, 2025 (post-Form 4 grant) | 48,918 | — | Post-transaction ownership per Form 4; reflects cumulative RSU awards; percent not disclosed in Form 4 . |
- Pledging/hedging: No pledging disclosed in reviewed LIQT filings .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed for directors in reviewed filings .
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent director with broad operating and supply chain expertise relevant to LiqTech’s industrial water and fluid management focus .
- Active committee participation across Audit, Compensation, and Governance & Nominating; Audit Committee met 4 times in 2024; Board met 20 times in 2023 with ≥75% attendance by each director, indicating engagement .
- Director compensation predominantly equity via time-based RSUs, aligning interests with shareholders; no director-specific severance or change-of-control entitlements, reducing entrenchment risk .
-
Watch items / Red flags
- Attendance disclosure threshold (≥75%) meets minimum; detailed individual attendance rates are not provided—monitor future proxies for individual attendance granularity .
- No explicit disclosure of director ownership guidelines; consider engagement on adopting/clarifying director ownership policies to enhance alignment .
- Related-party transactions reviewed by Audit Committee; none involving Kunz at appointment—continue monitoring Item 404(a) disclosures; currently no conflicts disclosed .
Director Compensation Detail (2023)
| Name | Fees Earned (Cash) | Stock Awards (Grant-date FV) | Option Awards | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin Kunz | $15,750 | $36,750 | — | $52,500 |
Insider Trades (Section 16) – Martin Kunz (LIQT)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Shares Transacted | Post-Transaction Ownership | SEC Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27, 2023 | Jun 23, 2023 | A (Award) | 11,932 | 11,932 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1307579/000143774923020945/0001437749-23-020945-index.htm |
| Jan 10, 2024 | Jan 3, 2024 | A (Award) | 10,470 | 22,402 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1307579/000143774924001087/0001437749-24-001087-index.htm |
| Jan 13, 2025 | Jan 7, 2025 | A (Award) | 26,516 | 48,918 | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1307579/000143774925000909/0001437749-25-000909-index.htm |
| Jul 27, 2023 | Jun 23, 2023 | Form 3 | — | 0 (initial) | https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1307579/000143774923020946/0001437749-23-020946-index.htm |
Insider trades data retrieved via the insider-trades skill; more current than proxy disclosures.
Additional Notes
- Appointment and Independence: Appointed June 23, 2023; independent; initial RSU grant $36,750 vesting over one year; no Item 404(a) related-party transactions at appointment .
- Committee Charters and Responsibilities: Audit Committee includes related-party review and oversight of internal controls; Compensation Committee oversees pay policies and stock-based compensation .
- Board Composition and Ages (reference): Nominees listed with ages (Kunz 58 in 2023; 59 in 2024) .