Angel Liriano
About Angel Liriano
Angel Liriano (age 29) was appointed as a director of Shuttle Pharmaceuticals Holdings, Inc. on September 12, 2025 and became Chairman of the Compensation Committee on September 15, 2025; he also serves on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. He has a civil engineering and real estate investment background, including ownership of Biscayne Advisory, and graduated from Ball State University . As of March 31, 2025, SHPH’s independent directors meet at least annually in executive session; the board has not designated a lead independent director .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biscayne Advisory | Owner; real estate investment and advisory | Ongoing | Focused on high-end residential/commercial projects; consulting, strategy, marketing |
| Luxury residential/commercial development (various clients) | Civil engineering/design and development | Prior to 2025 | Project design and investment specialty |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCoreConnect Inc. (NASDAQ: ICCT) | Director | Since April 2025 | Public company directorship; biography lists age 29 and role |
| Mixed Martial Arts Group Limited (NYSE American: MMA) | Director | Appointed April 2025 | Board changes disclosed alongside financing; highlights appointment of Liriano |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chairman, Compensation Committee; Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (appointed September 15, 2025) .
- Independence and related-party review: No family relationships and no material interests in transactions requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) were reported at appointment (supports independence) .
- Board structure and sessions: No Lead Independent Director designated; independent directors meet at least annually in executive session without management .
- Attendance: Company reported 100% director attendance across five board meetings in 2024; Liriano joined in 2025 so his individual attendance is not yet disclosed .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Timing/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (non-employee directors) | $25,000 | Payable quarterly | |
| Initial RSU grant (non-employee directors) | $100,000 fair value | Granted upon appointment; vests one-third annually over three years | |
| Reimbursement | Actual expenses | Out-of-pocket costs for meeting attendance |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Performance Metrics | Vesting/Measurement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSUs | None disclosed (time-based vesting) | Vest in one-third increments on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd anniversaries of grant | No director-specific performance hurdles disclosed |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Potential Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCoreConnect Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | No SHPH-related transactions disclosed |
| Mixed Martial Arts Group Limited | Director | Not disclosed | Appointment alongside financing; no SHPH-related transactions disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Civil engineering and real estate investment expertise; owner/operator experience in consulting, strategy, and marketing .
- Public company governance exposure via directorships at ICCT and MMA .
Equity Ownership
| Filing | Date | Reported Relationship | Holdings Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership) | Oct 29, 2025 | Director | Initial beneficial ownership filed; detailed holdings accessed via SEC Form 3 XML |
- Director stock ownership guidelines, pledged shares, and hedging policies for directors are not disclosed in the proxy materials; SHPH maintains an insider trading policy with blackout periods and pre-clearance requirements .
Governance Assessment
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Key findings:
- As Compensation Committee Chair, Liriano will influence equity award design at a micro-cap company that recently increased the share reserve under the 2018 Equity Incentive Plan by 5,000,000 shares, elevating dilution sensitivity for investors .
- Appointment disclosures show no related-party transactions and no family relationships, supporting independence and reducing immediate conflict risks .
- Director pay structure blends modest cash retainer with time-vested RSUs, improving long-term alignment but lacking performance-based features for directors .
- Company-level clawback policy exists (primarily for incentive compensation tied to financial results), signaling governance controls; however, no director-specific clawback is described .
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RED FLAGS:
- Heavy reliance on equity capacity expansions and capital-raising proposals (reverse split authorization, expanded equity plan) increases governance pressure on the Compensation Committee to balance retention with dilution and pay-for-performance rigor .
- Sector expertise gap: Liriano’s primary background is in real estate and civil engineering rather than biotech/pharma; as Compensation Chair, he should demonstrate robust engagement with scientific and regulatory milestones when calibrating equity awards and incentives .
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Implications for investor confidence:
- Independence, non-employee status, and no 404(a) exposures are positives .
- Time-based RSUs provide alignment but would benefit from clear, disclosed performance frameworks tied to clinical and financing milestones to strengthen pay-for-performance optics .
- Monitoring future proxy disclosures for committee consultant use, chair fees, and any performance metrics added to director or executive equity awards is warranted .
Net: Liriano’s independence and committee leadership are constructive, but investors should scrutinize how the Compensation Committee governs equity usage amid dilution-sensitive financing and whether performance conditions are introduced to bolster alignment in a capital-intensive clinical phase .