Paramita Das
About Paramita Das
Paramita Das is principal of DRE Chicago LLC and was onboarded by Stardust Power Inc. (SDST) as Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Advisor to the CEO under a $500,000 consulting agreement dated September 18, 2024 . She subsequently provided related-party financing via DRE Chicago: a $250,000 short-term loan at 15% interest with an additional $375,000 “equity kicker” in SDST common stock and five-year warrants, all maturing March 2025 and repaid in March 2025; the company issued the agreed shares and warrants on April 24, 2025 . No age, education, or personal performance metrics for Das are disclosed; company-level TSR, revenue, and EBITDA measures tied to Das’s tenure are not specified in filings.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stardust Power Inc. (SDST) | Chief Strategy Officer and Senior Advisor to CEO | Started Sep 18, 2024 | Strategic advisory to CEO; engagement via $500,000 consulting agreement |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DRE Chicago LLC | Principal | Not disclosed | Counterparty on consulting and financing arrangements with SDST; provided $250,000 loan and received equity/warrants as part of “equity kicker” |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Terms | Date(s) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consulting Agreement | $500,000 | Chief Strategy Officer & Senior Advisor to CEO | Sep 18, 2024 | Executed; disclosed in Q1, Q2, Q3 2025 10-Qs |
Performance Compensation
No performance-based incentive metrics (e.g., revenue/EBITDA/TSR targets) are disclosed for Paramita Das; SDST’s DEF 14A only details PSU metrics for named executive officers, not Das .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
DRE Chicago LLC (principal: Paramita Das) received equity and warrants from SDST tied to the loan “equity kicker.” Issuance details by period:
| Metric | Q1 2025 (10-Q) | Q2 2025 (10-Q) | Q3 2025 (10-Q) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equity Kicker (Contracted) | $375,000 in common stock | $375,000 in common stock | $375,000 in common stock |
| Shares issued to DRE Chicago | 104,748 shares (issued Apr 24, 2025) | 104,748 shares (issued Apr 24, 2025) | 10,474 shares (issued during 9M 2025; reflects post-split reporting) |
| Warrants issued to DRE Chicago | 52,374 warrants | 52,374 warrants | 52,374 warrants |
| Warrant Exercise Price | $11.50 (5-year term; 1 warrant = 1 share) | $11.50 | $115.00 (5-year term; 10 warrants = 1 share) |
| Loan Collateral Pledge (CEO shares) | 470,000 shares pledged | 470,000 shares pledged | 47,000 shares pledged (reflects post-split reporting) |
| Loan Repayment | Principal $250,000 + interest $9,166 repaid Mar 2025 | Principal $250,000 + interest $9,166 repaid Mar 2025 | Confirmed repaid Mar 2025 |
| Related Party Interest Expense (period) | $7,187 interest to DRE Chicago for Q1 2025 | $7,187 (six months ended) | $7,187 (nine months ended, cumulative) |
Notes:
- DEF 14A captured initial contracted terms and “yet to issue” status at the time, with $375,000 equity kicker and $11.50 warrant exercise price .
- Later 10-Qs reflect issuance (Apr 24, 2025) and reverse-split-adjusted counts/prices (e.g., Q3 2025 shows $115 exercise price with 10 warrants per share and lower pledged share count) .
Pledging/Hedging: The company’s Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging/monetization transactions for covered persons; pledging of company stock was used by the CEO to secure the DRE Chicago loan (a governance risk signal, though not attributed to Das personally) .
Employment Terms
| Term | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Sep 18, 2024 (consulting agreement; CSO & Senior Advisor) | |
| Contract Type | Consulting agreement ($500,000) | |
| Severance / Change-of-Control | Not disclosed for Das; NEO equity awards accelerate on change-of-control (not applicable to Das) | |
| Clawback Policy | Adopted for Section 16 “officers”; applies to erroneously awarded incentive-based compensation (not specifically tied to Das) | |
| Indemnification | Company has indemnification agreements for directors and executive officers; Das not listed as an executive officer in DEF 14A |
Related Party Transactions (paramount to alignment and risk)
| Counterparty | Instrument | Principal | Interest | Maturity | Collateral | Equity Kicker | Warrants | Repayment/Issuance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRE Chicago LLC (principal: Paramita Das) | Short-term loan | $250,000 | 15% | Mar 2025 | CEO shares pledged: 470,000→47,000 post-split | $375,000 in common stock | 52,374 warrants; $11.50→$115 post-split mechanics | Repaid Mar 2025; Issued Apr 24, 2025 (shares and warrants) |
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: Das’s engagement is a fixed-fee consulting arrangement with no disclosed performance-based metrics; equity exposure arises indirectly via DRE Chicago’s loan “equity kicker” rather than RSU/PSU awards typical for executives, weakening classic pay-for-performance alignment for Das personally .
- Overhang and selling pressure: The issued warrants to DRE Chicago (5-year term; reverse-split adjusted terms) create potential future dilution/overhang; exercise-price mechanics changed post-split, but the economic exposure persists, which can pressure shares upon exercise windows .
- Governance and related-party risk: A principal advisor simultaneously acting as a lender receiving equity-linked consideration is a red flag; pledging of CEO shares to secure the Das-related loan further elevates governance risk. Investors should monitor future related-party arrangements and Form 4 disclosures for Das/DRE Chicago to assess ownership alignment and potential sales .
- Retention risk: With no disclosed employment severance/change-of-control cash protections for Das and compensation structured via consulting and financing, retention hinges on ongoing advisory need rather than long-term equity vesting. This can be flexible for SDST but offers limited long-term alignment signals for Das .
Monitoring checklist: track additional 8-K Item 5.02 filings for role changes; review future DEF 14A for any formalization of Das’s compensation/equity; and watch insider transactions for DRE Chicago/Das once reported.