Obie McKenzie
SharplinkAbout Obie McKenzie
Obie McKenzie is an independent director of SharpLink Gaming, Inc. (SBET) since February 2024. He is 80 years old, holds a B.S. from Tennessee State University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and currently serves as Vice Chairman of Cordiant Capital; previously he was Managing Director at BlackRock (2000–2018) with extensive institutional client leadership, and held senior roles at Merrill Lynch, UBS Asset Management, and Chase Investors, among other financial institutions .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BlackRock, Inc. | Managing Director, institutional client relationships (TRS of Texas, NYCERS, Fed Reserve EBS, others) | Jan 2000 – Dec 2018 | Led major public fund relationships |
| Merrill Lynch | Managing Director | 1990 – 2006 | Senior distribution/asset management leadership |
| UBS Asset Management | Executive Director | 1987 – 1990 | Institutional asset management roles |
| Chase Investors | Managing Director | 1987 – 1990 | Investment management leadership |
| McKenzie & Company (NASD broker-dealer) | Founder & President | 1984 – 1987 | Built and operated regulated broker-dealer |
| Citibank, Chemical Bank, Freedom National Bank | Commercial banker | Late 1970s – early 1980s | Corporate lending/credit functions |
| The New York Times | Manager of Banking and Pensions | 1975 | Corporate treasury/pensions oversight |
| Morgan Stanley | Corporate Finance Associate | 1972 | Investment banking training |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordiant Capital | Vice Chairman | Jan 2019 – Present | Focus on digital infrastructure, renewable energy, agriculture |
| National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) | Founding Board Member | Not disclosed | Industry advocacy; Wall Street Hall of Fame Award (2001) |
| Honors & Recognition | Multiple industry awards | 2001–2013 | AIMSE Outstanding Achievement (2010); Black Enterprise “75 Most Powerful Blacks on Wall Street” (2011); MMI Public Fund Marketer of the Year (2013) |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules; board has majority independent directors. McKenzie is listed as independent alongside Leslie Bernhard and Robert Gutkowski .
- Committee assignments: Member, Audit Committee; Chair, Compensation Committee. Audit Committee chaired by Leslie Bernhard (audit committee financial expert) .
- Committee responsibilities:
- Audit: Oversees financial reporting integrity, auditor independence, cybersecurity risk, pre-approves audit/non-audit services, and reviews/approves related-party transactions .
- Compensation: Approves NEO compensation, administers equity plans, oversees incentive plans and clawback policy; McKenzie serves as Compensation Committee Chair .
- Attendance and engagement: Board held 12 meetings in 2024; Audit Committee held 3; Compensation Committee held 1. All board members attended the 2024 Annual General Meeting via teleconference (Dec 23, 2024) .
- Election/tenure: Serving since Feb 2024; nominated for re-election at the Apr 23, 2025 Annual Meeting for a term expiring at the 2026 AGM .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 | 2025 Plan | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $59,500 | $35,000 (payable monthly) | 2025 Board Compensation Plan adopted Mar 19, 2025 |
| Committee chair fee | Not disclosed | $15,000 annually (Audit or Compensation Chair), payable quarterly (Mar 31, Jun 30, Sep 30, Dec 31) | McKenzie is Comp Committee Chair |
| Committee member fee | Not disclosed | $10,000 annually for Audit/Comp members not serving as chair | |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Units | Vesting Schedule | Conditions/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (director eligibility) | 2025 | Up to 6,666 RSUs | Not specified in plan; subject to shareholder approval of Proposals 1 & 2 | 2025 Board Compensation Plan |
| RSUs (director grant) | Mar 19, 2025 | 6,667 units (per director) | Vest on date of stockholder approval of Amended 2023 Plan | Subject to shareholder approval at Special Meeting |
| RSUs (director grant) | May 26, 2025 | 74,996 units (per director) | One-third on Special Meeting date; one-third on first and second anniversaries; accelerated on termination without cause (incl. not re-elected), death/disability, failure to be re-nominated, or Change in Control | Based on closing price $9.85 on Jun 20, 2025 for valuation; vesting conditions detailed |
| RSUs reported (2024) | 2024 period | 8,889 units | Not disclosed | DEF 14A (Jul 3, 2025) |
| RSUs reported (2024) | 2024 period | 106,668 units | Not disclosed | DEF 14A (Mar 31, 2025) |
Note: 2024 RSU counts differ across filings, likely reflecting corporate actions (e.g., reverse split basis) and reporting conventions; values are presented as disclosed in each DEF 14A .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships disclosed in SBET filings |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial and institutional expertise: Decades in asset management and public fund relationships; senior leadership across major financial institutions .
- Governance credentials: Chairs Compensation Committee; committee charter indicates oversight of clawbacks and equity plan administration .
- Education: B.S. (Tennessee State University), MBA (Harvard Business School) .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 28, 2025 | 73,334 | 1.1% of 6,903,056 shares | Includes 16,667 RSUs vesting on Mar 31, 2025 |
| Jun 20, 2025 | 11,666 | “*” (less than 1%) of 62,125,336 shares | Non-employee director; address c/o company |
| Aug 29, 2025 | 44,721 | “*” (less than 1%) of 194,067,724 shares | Includes 1,389 unvested RSUs; excludes 74,996 unvested RSUs |
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals:
- Independence confirmed under Nasdaq and SEC rules; board majority independent .
- Active committee leadership: Compensation Committee chaired by McKenzie; independent Audit Committee with financial expert as chair; robust charters covering clawbacks and related-party review .
- Shareholder support: Say-on-Pay approval strong (97% in 2024; 87% in 2025), indicating broad investor acceptance of compensation structures .
- Engagement: Board and committees met regularly in 2024, and all directors attended the 2024 AGM .
- Watch items/RED FLAGS:
- Director equity acceleration: Non-employee director RSUs include accelerated vesting upon failure to be re-elected/failure to be re-nominated or change in control, which can weaken at-risk alignment for board members .
- Significant share authorization increase: Amended 2023 Equity Incentive Plan seeks an additional 8,000,000 shares, and includes sizable RSU grants to directors; potential dilution risk merits monitoring of grant practices and performance linkage .
- Policy framework: While related-party policies are administered by Audit Committee, company notes absence of a written related party transaction policy historically; continued adherence to committee oversight is key .
Related-Party Exposure
- Audit Committee explicitly reviews and approves related-party transactions; policy factors and pre-approvals described. No related-party transactions disclosed involving McKenzie .
Director Compensation Mix
- Transition from higher cash retainer in 2024 ($59,500) to lower base in 2025 ($35,000) with committee fees and RSU eligibility; plus large two-tranche RSUs subject to shareholder approval — overall mix tilting toward equity; monitor vesting triggers and dilution .
Attendance and Independence
- Attendance: Board (12), Audit (3), Compensation (1) meetings in 2024; AGM attendance confirmed; individual meeting attendance rates not disclosed .
- Independence: Confirmed across filings; Compensation Committee Interlocks section indicates no officer participation and no interlocks that would compromise independence .
Overall, McKenzie brings deep institutional asset management expertise and chairs a pivotal committee. Equity acceleration provisions for directors and the magnitude of proposed RSU grants are notable governance considerations; investors should watch alignment, dilution, and the application of clawbacks and performance frameworks in future awards .