Jason Krikorian
PLAYSTUDIOSAbout Jason Krikorian
Jason Krikorian (age 53) has served on the PLAYSTUDIOS (MYPS) board since June 21, 2021; he is independent, the Lead Independent Director, Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, and a member of the Audit Committee . He was a General Partner at DCM (2010–2022), co-founded Sling Media (creator of the Slingbox), and previously worked at id8 Group and Boston Consulting Group; he holds a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley, and both an MBA and JD from the University of Virginia .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCM (venture capital firm) | General Partner | 2010–2022 | Board experience with many public/private companies |
| Sling Media, Inc. | Co-founder; led operator partnerships and international expansion | Not disclosed in proxy | Pioneering digital media; created Slingbox |
| id8 Group | Partner (product/business strategy for digital media/mobile) | Not disclosed in proxy | Advised leading global brands |
| Boston Consulting Group | Consultant (Fortune 500 advisory) | Not disclosed in proxy | Retail, automotive, utilities sectors |
External Roles
No current public company directorships are named in the proxy; it notes broad board experience but does not list specific boards .
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under SEC/Nasdaq rules (with Horowitz, Mencher) .
- Lead Independent Director: Serves as principal liaison to Chair/CEO, presides over executive sessions of independents, can chair meetings in Chair’s absence, collaborates on agendas/schedules/materials .
- Committees: Audit (member); Nominating & Corporate Governance (Chair) .
- Attendance: The Board met 5 times in 2024; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Controlled Company: MYPS is a Nasdaq “controlled company” (Andrew Pascal controls ~77% voting power); while MYPS states it does not currently use controlled-company exemptions, it may elect to in the future .
| Board/Committee | Meetings Held (2024) |
|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 5 |
| Audit Committee | 4 |
| Compensation Committee | 5 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | 3 |
RED FLAG: Audit Committee currently functioning without a chair following the March 7, 2025 resignation of the prior chair; current members are Jason Krikorian and Judy K. Mencher (both independent) .
Fixed Compensation
Director compensation program for non-employee directors (standard rates):
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $40,000 | All non-employee directors |
| Lead Independent Director retainer | $15,000 | Additional to base |
| Committee chair fee | $5,000 | Per committee chair |
| Committee member fee | $10,000 | Per committee membership |
| Non-executive chair retainer | $20,000 | If applicable |
| Ad hoc committee retainer | As determined | Board discretion |
| Annual RSU grant target | $150,000 | Vests quarterly over one year |
Jason’s actual 2024 director compensation:
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Krikorian | 96,553 | 150,000 | 246,553 |
Performance Compensation
- Equity vehicle: Annual RSU grant with a target grant value of $150,000; time-based vesting quarterly over one year .
- No director stock options or performance-based director equity awards are described; the program details only time-based RSUs for directors .
| Equity Type | Grant Value (Target) | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs | $150,000 | Quarterly over 1 year | Not described in proxy (time-based only) |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- MGM Interlock: MGM Resorts International is a significant shareholder; MGM’s President of Operations (Steven J. Zanella) serves on the MYPS board .
- Sponsor/Legacy SPAC ties: Historical Sponsor shares/warrants and registration rights are described; none of these related-party items identify Jason Krikorian specifically .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: BA, Psychology (UC Berkeley); MBA and JD (University of Virginia) .
- Domain expertise: Digital media, mobile device platforms, venture investing, operator partnerships and international expansion .
- Board qualifications: Experience as investor and board member across tech/mobile; governance chair experience aligns with independence and oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares Owned | Class B Shares Owned | % of Class A Outstanding | Combined Voting Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Krikorian | 124,992 | — | * (less than 1.0%) | * (less than 1.0%) |
- Hedging/Pledging: Directors are prohibited from hedging or shorting MYPS stock; pledges/margin accounts are prohibited under the Insider Trading Policy .
- Section 16 compliance: No failures to timely file reported for 2024 .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Krikorian’s role as Lead Independent Director and Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance enhances independent oversight, agenda-setting, and executive-session leadership—valuable in a controlled-company context .
- Engagement/attendance: Board met 5x in 2024; incumbents (including Krikorian) met the ≥75% attendance threshold, supporting engagement .
- Independence and committees: Independent status; dual roles on Audit and as N&CG Chair provide key oversight on risk, governance, conflicts, and board performance .
- Pay alignment: Director pay skews to equity (RSUs $150k target) with role-based cash retainers; Jason’s 2024 mix of $96,553 cash and $150,000 stock supports alignment with shareholder value via equity exposure .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions identified involving Krikorian; however, MGM’s presence on the board and significant ownership requires ongoing conflict monitoring by committees he participates in .
- Risk indicators:
- RED FLAG: Audit Committee operating without a chair post-3/7/2025 resignation; chair vacancy should be filled promptly to strengthen financial oversight .
- Controlled company: With ~77% voting power held by the CEO/Chair, governance depends heavily on the effectiveness of independent leadership—Krikorian’s role is pivotal .
- Policy safeguards: Prohibitions on hedging/pledging and active related-party policy mitigate alignment and conflict risks .
Overall signal: As Lead Independent Director and governance chair, Krikorian appears to be a critical counterbalance within MYPS’s controlled structure; swift remediation of the Audit Committee chair vacancy would further bolster investor confidence .