Lauren Simmons
About Lauren Simmons
Lauren Simmons (age 29) has served as an independent director of Oak Woods Acquisition Corporation (OAKU) since February 2023. She began her finance career as an equity trader on the floor of the NYSE with Rosenblatt Securities in May 2017, and has since built a public profile as a financial commentator and brand leader for women in finance. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from Kennesaw State University and currently serves on the advisory board at Robinhood Markets, Inc. Her independent director status is affirmed under Nasdaq rules, and she sits on all three standing board committees, chairing Nominating.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Woods Acquisition Corporation (OAKU) | Independent Director | Feb 2023–present | Chair, Nominating; Member, Audit and Compensation (all committees comprised solely of independent directors) |
| Rosenblatt Securities (NYSE Floor) | Equity Trader | Started May 2017 | Established finance markets expertise; broadened network leveraged for OAKU target sourcing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinhood Markets, Inc. | Advisory Board Member | Current | Non-fiduciary advisory role; provides market/retail investing insights |
| ConsciouslyUnbiased | Board Member (former) | Not disclosed | Prior board role cited in biography |
| Entrepreneur.com (Going Public) | Host/Producer | Current | Media/education platform role |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board’s majority is independent; Simmons is one of three independent directors. Independent directors hold regular executive sessions.
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee: Member; committee of three independents; Audit Chair is Mitchell Cariaga. Responsibilities include auditor oversight, pre-approvals, related-party review. Simmons is financially literate.
- Nominating Committee: Chairwoman; oversees director nominations; no nominating committee meetings were held in FY 2024.
- Compensation Committee: Member; reviews/approves executive and director remuneration policies and plans.
- Board tenure: Director since February 2023.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cash retainer | None paid to officers or directors for services rendered (pre-business combination) | |
| Committee/Chair fees | Not disclosed (no cash compensation disclosed pre-combination) | |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed (no cash compensation disclosed pre-combination) |
Notes:
- OAKU pays its Sponsor $10,000 per month for administrative support until a business combination or liquidation, which is separate from director compensation. Potential perceived conflict given Sponsor affiliation with insiders.
Performance Compensation
| Element | Details | Source |
|---|---|---|
| RSUs/PSUs | None disclosed for directors pre-business combination | |
| Stock options | None disclosed for directors pre-business combination | |
| Performance metrics (revenue/EBITDA/TSR/ESG) | None disclosed pre-business combination | |
| Clawback provisions | Not disclosed for directors in the reviewed filings | — |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Exchange | Role | Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robinhood Markets, Inc. | NASDAQ | Advisory Board Member | Advisory (non-fiduciary). No disclosed related-party transactions between OAKU and Robinhood. Low direct conflict risk based on filings. |
No other current public company directorships were disclosed for Simmons.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Markets/trading: NYSE floor equity trading experience; financial media contributor (Bloomberg, CNBC, Yahoo Finance).
- Networks/brand leadership: Partnerships with Ford, LinkedIn, Express, Champs, Isagenix, Pure Leaf; keynote engagements (Aspen Ideas, Harvard).
- Education: B.S. Psychology, Kennesaw State University (concentration in genetics/statistics).
- Governance capability: Chairs Nominating; member of Audit and Compensation; independent under Nasdaq criteria.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Share Class | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Reference Base (Outstanding Shares) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauren Simmons | Class B Ordinary Shares | 10,000 | <1% | 5,358,050 total (3,920,550 Class A; 1,437,500 Class B) as of record date |
Additional alignment notes:
- Founder/Class B shares (including those held by insiders) become worthless if no business combination is completed, which can create incentive misalignment versus public shareholders.
- No pledging/hedging or ownership guideline disclosures for directors were identified in the reviewed filings.
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths
- Independent status with broad committee coverage; chairs Nominating; participates on Audit and Compensation—enhances oversight breadth.
- Capital markets and retail investor insight via NYSE trading background and Robinhood advisory role—potentially additive for target sourcing and investor communications.
- Audit Committee structure adheres to Nasdaq/SEC requirements; all members independent; responsibilities explicitly include related-party oversight.
-
Watch items / Potential conflicts
- Founder share exposure: Simmons holds 10,000 Class B founder shares; founder equity is at risk of becoming worthless if no business combination closes, creating a structural incentive to complete a deal even if economics are marginal.
- SPAC-stage compensation opacity: No cash compensation paid to directors pre-combination; lack of disclosed equity grant programs and performance metrics limits pay-for-performance assessment.
- Committee activity: Nominating Committee reported no meetings in FY 2024—neutral in a SPAC context, but regular cadence post-combination will be important for board refresh and skill alignment.
-
Shareholder voting signals
- Extension proposal (Mar 20, 2025): Passed with 4,804,188 votes FOR, facilitating additional time to pursue a business combination—indicates strong shareholder support for continuing the SPAC’s process.
No Lauren Simmons-specific related-party transactions, legal proceedings, hedging/pledging, or attendance rates were disclosed in the reviewed filings.