James Black
About James Black
James Black, 53, is Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of NextNav Inc. (NN) since March 2025; he holds a B.S. from James Madison University, an M.A. from The George Washington University, and a J.D. from William & Mary Law School . As Corporate Secretary, he signed multiple SEC filings in 2025, evidencing a core governance role (Apr 16 8‑K, May 23 8‑K, Sep 22 8‑K, Sep 25 8‑K, Oct 15 8‑K, Nov 6 8‑K) . Company performance context: FY2024 revenue rose to $5,669 thousand from $3,862 thousand in FY2023; operating loss narrowed to $60,098 thousand from $63,529 thousand, while net loss widened to $101,879 thousand from $71,735 thousand; year-end 2024 cash and short-term investments totaled $80,115 thousand and long-term debt (net) was $54,621 thousand .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terran Orbital Corporation (NYSE) | SVP, General Counsel & Secretary | Aug 2022–Oct 2024 | Led legal until company acquisition by Lockheed Martin in Oct 2024 |
| Arqit Inc. | US Head of Legal | 2022 | Legal leadership at a quantum encryption technology company |
| Ultra Electronics (UK defense) | VP & Deputy General Counsel, North America | 2020–2022 | Senior legal role across North American operations |
| Osiris Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq) | Chief Legal Officer | 2019 | Legal leadership pre-acquisition by Smith & Nephew |
| Orbital ATK / Orbital Sciences | Various roles incl. VP & Deputy GC | 2010–2018 | Senior legal roles through transformation and sale to Northrop Grumman |
| Northrop Grumman | Director & Corporate Counsel | Post‑2018 | Corporate counsel following acquisition of Orbital ATK |
| Hogan & Hartson LLP (Hogan Lovells) | Associate | 2004–2009 | Associate attorney; preceded by federal district court clerkship |
Fixed Compensation
- No James Black–specific base salary, target bonus, or equity grant details were disclosed in the FY2024 proxy (he was not a Named Executive Officer for FY2024) .
- Company-level governance policies relevant to compensation alignment: anti-hedging and anti-pledging (no pledging of company stock permitted), SEC Rule 10D-1 compliant clawback policy filed as a 10-K exhibit, and insider trading policy .
Performance Compensation
- No James Black–specific annual incentive metrics, weightings, or payouts were disclosed in 2025 filings reviewed; FY2024 NEO compensation narrative describes company practice of base salary, annual cash bonus, and equity awards for NEOs in line with pre‑revenue peers .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Individual beneficial ownership for James Black was not itemized in the FY2025 proxy’s beneficial ownership table, which listed directors and Named Executive Officers; directors and current executive officers as a group held 7.7% as of the Record Date .
- Alignment safeguards: anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging policy (prohibits margin purchases and pledging), clawback policy, and insider trading policy (all filed with most recent 10‑K) .
Employment Terms
- Start date and role: Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary since March 2025 .
- As Corporate Secretary/GC, Black signed board and corporate actions in multiple 8‑Ks during 2025 (e.g., director appointments, CEO compensation adjustment, agreement amendment, press releases) .
- No employment agreement specifics (term, severance, change‑of‑control) for James Black were disclosed in the filings reviewed; for context, the company’s CEO/CFO/COO agreements include severance of 1.0x base salary plus COBRA, acceleration of time‑based vesting for 12 months, and 1.5x salary+target bonus upon qualifying change‑of‑control termination, with RSU/PSU treatment per grant documents .
Performance & Track Record
| Metric | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($USD Thousands) | 3,862 | 5,669 |
| Operating Loss ($USD Thousands) | 63,529 | 60,098 |
| Net Loss ($USD Thousands) | 71,735 | 101,879 |
| Cash & Cash Equivalents ($USD Thousands) | 81,878 | 39,330 |
| Short‑Term Investments ($USD Thousands) | 3,954 | 40,785 |
| Long‑Term Debt, net ($USD Thousands) | 48,447 | 54,621 |
- 2025 operational/filing activity under Black’s tenure as Corporate Secretary: Annual Meeting results reporting (Item 5.07) ; CEO compensation adjustment (Item 5.02) ; extension of AT&T Pinnacle network agreement (Item 1.01) ; quarterly results press release filing (Item 2.02/9.01) .
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment and selling pressure: Anti‑hedging/pledging policy materially reduces risk of misaligned hedging or pledged shares; clawback policy supports pay‑for‑performance integrity . Lack of disclosed individual comp and ownership for Black limits direct analysis of sell pressure or equity alignment.
- Retention and change‑of‑control economics: While Black’s specific terms aren’t disclosed, company agreements for other senior officers follow a standardized framework (1.0x base salary severance and partial vesting; 1.5x salary+target bonus on CoC with vesting accelerations), indicating board preference for competitive but not excessive protections; Black’s terms remain unknown .
- Execution risk and value creation: Black’s deep legal/regulatory experience in aerospace/defense and telecom positions him to support NextNav’s FCC and strategic initiatives; 2024 financials show rising revenue but continued losses and leverage that heighten execution demands for regulatory and commercial milestones .