Benjamin Worthy James
About Benjamin Worthy James
Benjamin Worthy James was appointed as a director of the post-merger surviving company (Merger Sub II) in connection with SK Growth Opportunities Corporation’s business combination with Webull; SKGR ceased to exist and its prior directors resigned concurrent with the merger consummation . He is also identified as a member of Webull’s Risk Management Committee established in January 2023 . Biographical details (age, education) and an SKGR independence designation were not disclosed in SKGR’s 2024/2025 proxies; SKGR’s 2025 EGM proxy focused solely on extension and trust amendments, not director biographies .
Past Roles
No prior roles or biography for Benjamin Worthy James are disclosed in SKGR’s definitive proxies or 8-Ks beyond his post-merger board appointment and risk committee membership .
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Webull Corporation | Risk Management Committee member | Committee established Jan 2023 | Participates in enterprise risk oversight; committee chaired by Anquan Wang |
Board Governance
- Appointment: Director of Merger Sub II (surviving company) upon SKGR’s merger closing; all SKGR directors/officers resigned at the First Merger Effective Time .
- Committee assignments: Member of Webull’s Risk Management Committee; no SKGR committee roles disclosed for him prior to the merger .
- Independence: Not specified for SKGR; SKGR’s board independence list (Boehner, Payne, Noonen) did not include James before the merger .
- Attendance: SKGR disclosed 2023 board/committee meeting counts and ≥75% attendance for its then-directors, but James was not on SKGR’s board in that period; no attendance data for him was provided .
- Lead independent/executive sessions: Not disclosed for James; SKGR’s governance documents summarized standard committee charters and independence rules but did not assign roles to him pre-merger .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|
| SKGR director cash fees (pre-merger) | None; “None of our officers or directors have received any cash compensation” before business combination | |
| Admin support reimbursement | SKGR reimbursed affiliate of sponsor $10,000/month for admin services; not director-specific |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date(s) | Value/Shares | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Shares (Webull Global Plan) | May 1, 2021; Jan 1, 2023; Jan 1, 2024 | Less than 1% of outstanding shares held by each listed recipient; specific shares for James not itemized | Not detailed in excerpted proxy/prospectus | Identified among Webull directors/executives, including Benjamin James |
Performance metric linkages (revenue/EBITDA/TSR/ESG) for director awards are not disclosed in SKGR/Webull transaction materials provided; only award dates/participants are noted .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
No other public-company directorships for Benjamin Worthy James are disclosed in SKGR’s filings or the Webull transaction proxy/prospectus content cited; committee membership at Webull is noted but no external interlocks with SKGR competitors/suppliers/customers are provided .
Expertise & Qualifications
Not disclosed in SKGR 2024/2025 proxies; risk committee membership implies risk/governance experience within Webull’s framework, but explicit qualifications (legal/finance/technology) are not provided in the cited documents .
Equity Ownership
| Holding | Amount/Status | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Webull Restricted Shares | Less than 1% of outstanding shares per individual listed; specific count for Benjamin James not itemized | |
| SKGR Founder/Public Shares | No SKGR founder/public share holdings attributed to “Benjamin Worthy James” in SKGR’s 2024 beneficial ownership table |
Shares pledged/hedged, options in-the-money value, and guideline compliance are not disclosed in the cited materials for James .
Governance Assessment
- Post-merger role clarity: James’ appointment to the surviving entity’s board and his membership on Webull’s Risk Management Committee indicate direct involvement in risk oversight during and after the de-SPAC process, which can support board effectiveness if accompanied by robust committee mandates and reporting lines .
- Pay-for-performance/ownership alignment: SKGR did not pay director cash compensation pre-merger; Webull’s restricted share awards to directors (including Benjamin James) suggest equity-based alignment, though absence of disclosed performance conditions limits evaluation of pay-for-performance rigor .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: SKGR’s sponsor and insiders held founder shares and private placement warrants, and SKGR disclosed multiple sponsor loans and potential non-redemption arrangements; however, no specific related-party transactions or sponsor ties are attributed to James in the cited materials, which reduces direct conflict risk on his profile but warrants ongoing monitoring in the combined company context .
- Process/independence signals: SKGR’s board independence disclosures pre-merger did not include James; independence status for James on the surviving board is not specified in the cited materials, so investor confidence hinges on future disclosures of independence, committee composition, and attendance for the combined company .