Yue Zhou (Emily) White
About Yue Zhou (Emily) White
Independent director (age 53) elected to the Quantum (QMCO) Board in September 2021. Senior data and analytics leader with prior roles at Cisco (VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics, Jul 2024–Jul 2025), Nike (VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics, Apr 2020–), Synchrony Financial (VP, Enterprise Data Engineering, Feb 2017–Apr 2020), GE Healthcare (Data Science Director & Global Commercial IT Director, Nov 2013–Jun 2015), and GE Transportation (Global Enterprise Resource Director & Senior Global BI Program Manager, May 2007–Oct 2013). Education: BS Accounting & Finance (Shenyang Polytechnic University), MBA (Huron University), MS Applied Mathematics in Computer Science (University of Central Oklahoma), Certificate in Health Economics & Outcomes Research (University of Washington) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cisco Systems, Inc. | VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics | Jul 2024 – Jul 2025 | Senior management experience in data science and analytics |
| NIKE, Inc. | VP, Enterprise Data & Analytics | Apr 2020 – present | Senior leadership in analytics; public company experience |
| Synchrony Financial | VP, Enterprise Data Engineering | Feb 2017 – Apr 2020 | Consumer financial services analytics leadership |
| GE Healthcare | Data Science Director & Global Commercial IT Director | Nov 2013 – Jun 2015 | Oversight of medical imaging IT and data science |
| GE Transportation | Global Enterprise Resource Director & Sr. Global BI Program Manager | May 2007 – Oct 2013 | Enterprise systems and BI program leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships or board interlocks disclosed for Ms. White . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Audit Committee; Leadership & Compensation Committee (LCC); Corporate Governance & Nominating Committee; Special Committee .
- Independence: Board determined all current members other than the CEO are independent; independent directors meet in executive session at least quarterly .
- Attendance: Board met 34 times in Fiscal 2025; Ms. White did not attend at least 75% due to unusually high number of meetings, job change, and international travel; Board expects improved attendance in Fiscal 2026 .
- Committee activity and expertise: Audit Committee met 10 times (all members independent and financially literate; cybersecurity oversight); LCC met 5 times (comp philosophy; human capital oversight); Corporate Governance & Nominating met 5 times (board effectiveness; conflicts) .
- Leadership structure: Roles of Board Chair and CEO separated upon CEO appointment (Jun 2, 2025); Donald J. Jaworski serves as Chairman; strong emphasis on independent oversight .
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Fiscal 2025 Value | Frequency/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board Retainer (non-employee director) | $50,000 | Equal quarterly installments |
| Committee Membership Fees | Audit $12,500; LCC $10,000; Corp Gov & Nom $7,500; Special $12,500 | Annual; equal quarterly installments |
| Committee Chair Fees | Audit $25,000; LCC $17,500; Corp Gov & Nom $15,000; Special $30,000 | Annual; equal quarterly installments |
| Meeting Fees | None | Company does not pay meeting fees |
| Deferred Compensation Plan | Available; excludes QMCO stock as investment option; no director participation in Fiscal 2025 | Tax deferral; deemed investment mirrors 401(k) options |
| Director (Ms. White) | Cash Fees (Fiscal 2025) | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Yue Zhou (Emily) White | $59,063 | Board retainer $50,000; Committee membership retainer $9,063; no chair fees |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Shares | Grant Date Fair Value Basis | Vesting | Fiscal Year Attribution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (fully vested) | 12,000 | $3.42 closing price per share | 100% vested at grant | Fiscal 2024 refresh grant delivered in Fiscal 2025 |
| RSUs (time-based) | 12,000 | $3.42 closing price per share | Vest at earlier of next Annual Meeting or Oct 1, 2026, subject to continued Board service | Fiscal 2025 annual grant |
| Total Stock Awards (Ms. White) | — | $82,080 | — | Fiscal 2025 director compensation table |
- Change-of-control protections: Non-employee directors have agreements providing automatic accelerated vesting of equity-based awards if service ends within 12 months following a change of control (other than for death/disability) .
- Equity program design changes: In Fiscal 2025, LCC engaged Compensia and updated program to fixed share grants and added Special Committee fees; refresh equity was delayed in Fiscal 2024 due to stock price/dilution; delivered in Fiscal 2025 alongside new time-based grants .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Public company boards (current) | None disclosed for Ms. White |
| Compensation committee interlocks | None; prior comp committee members (including Ms. White) had no interlocking relationships |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Data science and analytics executive across consumer, tech, and industrials, adding depth to oversight of data/cyber and digital transformation .
- Degrees in accounting/finance, MBA, applied mathematics/computer science, and certificate in health economics & outcomes research, supporting quantitative governance and risk oversight .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | % of Class |
|---|---|---|
| Yue Zhou (Emily) White | 29,139 | <1% (based on 13,399,093 shares outstanding as of Oct 20, 2025) |
- Ownership guidelines: Directors must hold 5x annual retainer; eligible holdings include open-market purchases, ESPP, exercised options, and vested RS/RSUs; options and unvested RS/RSUs do not count; compliance measured over 5 years; at end of Fiscal 2025, all included positions were on track .
- Hedging/pledging: No specific disclosures for Ms. White; deferred comp plan excludes investing in QMCO stock .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director serving across Audit, LCC, Corporate Governance & Nominating, and Special Committee—broad oversight touchpoints; Audit Committee report signed by Ms. White indicates active participation; Board structure emphasizes independence (Chair separated from CEO; 86% independent; independent committee chairs) .
- Alignment: Fixed-share RSU grants with time-based vesting and stringent 5x retainer ownership guideline support alignment; no meeting fees; option repricing prohibited under plan .
- Process quality: LCC retained Compensia; program refined to address dilution and governance considerations; committees met regularly and cover risk (including cybersecurity) and conflicts .
- RED FLAGS: Attendance below 75% in Fiscal 2025, albeit with Board-explained mitigating factors and expectation of improvement—monitor near-term engagement; low absolute ownership (<1%) typical for directors but watch progress toward 5x guideline; director change-of-control acceleration could be viewed unfavorably by some governance investors .
