Paul Wahlgren
About Paul Wahlgren
Paul Wahlgren (age 59) is an independent director of MGO Global Inc. (MGOL) since January 13, 2023, serving on the Audit and Compensation Committees. He brings 40+ years of leadership experience across luxury consumer goods, beauty, and electronics; his education includes a B.S. in Business Administration (State University College at Buffalo), an MBA (Nyenrode Business Universiteit), and completion of Harvard’s Digital Strategy Program. He currently serves as U.S. Managing Director of Artlume and sits on the board of American Friends of Nyenrode University Inc. (AFNU). He has not previously held directorships at SEC-reporting companies.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simply Active Cosmetics (BeautyStat Cosmetics) | Co-founder; Chief Marketing Officer | 2018–2023 | Built global omni-channel brand presence |
| Biomimetic Laboratories, Inc. | Co-founder; CEO/COO | 2014–2018 | Led operations and commercialization |
| Jacob & Co. Watches Inc. | Managing Director; International Sales Manager | 2003–2008; 2011–2013 | Expanded international luxury sales |
| Theo Fennell Plc. | Director of Wholesale | 2010–2011 | Wholesale leadership in fine jewelry |
| Expert International GMBH | Senior leadership (Europe) | Earlier career | Consumer electronics leadership |
| Philips Consumer Electronics | Senior leadership (Europe) | Earlier career | Consumer electronics leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Artlume (digital art streaming) | U.S. Managing Director | Current | Commercial leadership |
| American Friends of Nyenrode University Inc. (AFNU) | Board Member | Current | Non-profit board service |
| DFO Global | Consultant (digital performance marketing) | 2018–2019 | Advisory |
| MiMedia, Inc. | Consultant (consumer cloud platform) | 2017–2018 | Advisory |
| Fox Models International | Advisor to leadership | 2016–present | Advisory |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships: Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee member; not a chair. Ping Rawson chairs Audit; Obie McKenzie chairs Compensation; Jeff Lerner chairs Nominating.
- Independence: The Board determined that Wahlgren is independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance: In FY2023, the Board met 5 times and acted by written consent 3 times; each director attended 100% of Board and committee meetings during their service period.
- Audit Committee qualification: The Audit Committee is composed of independent directors who are financially literate; Rawson is designated the financial expert.
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Retainer ($) | Committee/Meeting Fees ($) | Equity ($ FV) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 46,500 | Not separately disclosed (included in cash) | 16,708 (RSUs) | 82,900 |
- Director pay policy: Compensation Committee sets and reevaluates cash and equity awards for non-employee directors; may use peer analyses.
Performance Compensation
- Award type and structure: 2,000 RSUs granted on August 1, 2023; 666 vested during 2023 (time-based vesting), not performance-conditioned.
| Grant Date | Instrument | Shares | Vesting Status (as of 2023) | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1, 2023 | RSUs | 2,000 | 666 vested; 1,334 unvested at YE2023 | None disclosed (time-based RSUs) |
- No director performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) tied to director compensation were disclosed.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public Listing | Role | Committee Positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| None | — | — | — |
- Disclosure states Wahlgren has not previously served as a director of any reporting company; no interlocks with competitors/suppliers/customers disclosed.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Luxury consumer goods, beauty, and electronics; brand building, international sales, marketing, and operations.
- Education: B.S. Business Administration (State University College at Buffalo); MBA (Nyenrode Business Universiteit); Harvard Digital Strategy Program.
- Regulatory/financial: Member of Audit Committee (financially literate committee; financial expert designated is Rawson).
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding Shares | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Wahlgren | 12,019 | 0.41% | As of Nov 18, 2024 record date. |
- Insider trading policy prohibits pledging and hedging by directors and officers. No pledging by Wahlgren disclosed.
- Director RSUs: 2,000 granted Aug 1, 2023; 666 vested in 2023.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; 100% attendance; service on Audit and Compensation Committees; extensive consumer/luxury operating and marketing background supports brand strategy oversight.
- Alignment: Holds equity (12,019 shares) and received RSUs; insider policy prohibits hedging/pledging—supportive of alignment.
- Potential conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-party transactions involving Wahlgren disclosed; Company maintains Audit Committee oversight and formal related-person transaction policy.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Wahlgren (no legal proceedings; no pledging; no RPTs; full meeting attendance).
Overall, Wahlgren appears to be a fully independent, engaged director with relevant industry expertise; equity ownership is modest but, combined with RSUs and anti-pledging policies, provides some alignment. No conflicts or adverse disclosure items were identified in the latest proxy materials.