William W. Snyder
About William W. Snyder
William W. Snyder (age 56) serves as Chief Executive Officer, Chairman, and Director of SPHA (Aifeex Nexus Acquisition Corporation) and has held these roles since June 2024 . He has prior leadership roles in corporate finance and transaction advisory (EY TAS Managing Director 2015–2020; Alvarez & Marshall Managing Director 2013–2014; Duff & Phelps China country leader 2008–2013) and holds degrees from USC (Electrical and Biomedical Engineering), George Washington University (Science, Technology & International Affairs), and Georgetown University (Economics); he is an NACD member and a director nominee of ChampionsGate Acquisition Corporation . SPHA is a blank-check company with no operating business pre-combination; TSR, revenue growth, and EBITDA growth metrics are not applicable or disclosed for Snyder’s tenure at this stage .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daedalus Analytics International | Managing Partner | Feb 2020–present | Business intelligence and strategy advisory; leadership of advisory engagements |
| Ernst & Young (EY) – Transaction Advisory Services | Managing Director | Feb 2015–Feb 2020 | Led cross-functional advisory teams; relationship leader for defense, technology, and government clients |
| Alvarez & Marshall | Managing Director, Valuation Advisory | Aug 2013–Oct 2014 | Set up and grew DC-based financial valuation practice |
| Duff & Phelps (Shanghai) | Managing Director; China country leader | 2008–2013 | Led China practice across Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong; cross-border M&A/JV/tech licensing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChampionsGate Acquisition Corporation | Director nominee | As of 2025 | SPAC seeking Nasdaq listing |
| National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) | Member | Not disclosed | Professional governance affiliation |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Terms | Period | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Compensation | Offer letter dated June 14, 2024: $7,500 per month until the earlier of (i) termination, (ii) completion of initial business combination, (iii) wind-up, or (iv) departure/removal per charter | Starting Jun 14, 2024 | $7,500/month |
| Accrued Compensation | Accrued as of December 31, 2024 | FY 2024 | $18,750 |
Notes:
- Other than the disclosed monthly stipend and permitted expense reimbursements, the company states no additional cash compensation before an initial business combination .
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No annual bonus, RSUs/PSUs, or option awards disclosed pre-business combination | — | — | — | — | — |
Notes:
- The company indicates directors/officers may be paid fees by the combined company after a business combination; amounts would be determined later by the post-combination board/compensation committee and disclosed at that time .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail | As of/Date |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 100,000 shares | Feb 10, 2025 |
| Ownership (% of outstanding) | 0.91% (assumes 11,025,500 shares outstanding: 8,869,250 Class A; 2,156,250 Class B) | Feb 10, 2025 |
| Security type | Founder shares (Class B) | Founder shares are defined as Class B; Snyder’s 100,000 are founder shares |
| Acquisition terms | Acquired 100,000 founder shares on June 14, 2024 for $1,449 (~$0.014/share) | Jun 14, 2024 |
| Registration rights | Insiders/sponsor/private placement holders entitled to demand and piggyback registration rights post-business combination; company bears filing expenses | FY 2024 |
| Sponsor/blockholder context | Aitefund Sponsor LLC: 2,180,500 shares (19.78–19.8%); sponsor can influence outcomes and has agreed to vote in favor of a business combination | Feb 10, 2025 / FY 2024 |
Notes:
- The filings do not disclose pledging or hedging by Snyder; the insider trading policy covers executives/directors and lists Snyder as a covered person .
Employment Terms
| Topic | Terms |
|---|---|
| Offer Letter | Monthly cash compensation of $7,500; continues until the earlier of termination, completion of a business combination, wind-up, or departure/removal under charter |
| Severance / Change-of-Control | No severance or change-of-control multiples disclosed in filings to date |
| Reimbursements | Out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed; audit committee reviews such payments quarterly |
| Indemnification | Executed indemnification agreements; acknowledgment that indemnification cannot claim against the IPO trust account and may require court determination under public policy; NY governing law and SDNY/NY State venue |
| Registration Rights | Demand and piggyback rights as part of insider/sponsor securities; company to bear filing expenses |
| Non-Compete/Non-Solicit | Not disclosed in available filings |
Board Governance
- Roles: Snyder serves as both Chairman and CEO of SPHA/Aifeex Nexus Acquisition Corporation .
- Board tenure: Snyder has served in current roles since June 2024 .
- Independence: Three independent directors (Evan M. Graj, Stephen Markscheid, Wee Peng Siong) as defined by Nasdaq; independent directors hold regularly scheduled sessions .
- Committees:
- Audit Committee: Members – Graj (Chair), Markscheid, Wee; all independent; Graj and Markscheid qualify as “audit committee financial experts.” Responsibilities include auditor oversight, compliance, and related matters .
- Compensation Committee: Members – Markscheid (Chair), Graj, Wee; all independent; responsible for CEO evaluation/comp, executive comp, equity plans, disclosures, and director remuneration recommendations .
Director Compensation (Context for Board Service)
| Director | Founder Shares Transferred | Cash Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Evan M. Graj | 20,000 | $231.88 |
| Stephen Markscheid | 20,000 | $231.88 |
| Wee Peng Song/Siong | 20,000 | $231.88 |
Notes:
- Sponsor transferred an aggregate 60,000 founder shares (20,000 each) to independent directors for nominal cash consideration; the 10-K references $696 aggregate for these three transfers .
Related Party Transactions and Controls
- Founder share issuances: Snyder and CFO acquired an aggregate of 160,000 founder shares on June 14, 2024 for $2,319 total (Snyder 100,000 for $1,449; Peng 60,000 for $870) .
- Private placement units: Sponsor purchased 244,250 units at $10.00 each ($2,442,500) concurrent with IPO .
- Working capital/extension loans: Insiders may provide working capital/extension loans convertible into units at $10.00 per unit up to $3,000,000 for working capital notes; none outstanding as of 12/31/2024 .
- Related party review: Audit committee chartered to review/approve related party transactions; interested members abstain; policy prohibits participation by interested party in decisions .
Policies and Controls (Compensation/Trading)
- Clawback Policy: Adopted; permits recovery of erroneously awarded compensation to executive officers in connection with an accounting restatement; administered by compensation committee .
- Insider Trading Policy: Adopted; Snyder listed as a covered person (CEO, Chairman, Director) .
Performance & Track Record
- Operating and market performance metrics are not applicable for a pre-combination SPAC; no operating metrics (TSR, revenue growth, EBITDA growth) tied to executive pay are disclosed for Snyder’s current role .
Board Service History, Committee Roles, and Dual-Role Implications
- Board service: Director since June 2024; currently Chairman of the Board and CEO .
- Committees: Audit and Compensation Committees are composed solely of independent directors; Snyder is not listed as a member of either committee .
- Dual-role implications: Concentration of authority in the Chair/CEO role underscores the importance of independent committee oversight; SPHA’s board relies on fully independent Audit and Compensation Committees, with an audit committee financial expert, to mitigate independence concerns .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: Pre-combination compensation is a fixed monthly stipend ($7,500) with no disclosed bonus/equity awards or performance metrics, limiting immediate pay-for-performance alignment but containing cash burn while SPHA searches for a target .
- Ownership and potential selling pressure: Snyder owns 100,000 founder (Class B) shares (0.91%); insiders and sponsor have registration rights post-combination, which may facilitate liquidity after de-SPAC and could influence selling dynamics depending on lock-up and market conditions disclosed in future filings .
- Governance checks: Independent Audit and Compensation Committees, with financial expertise and a clawback policy tied to restatements, provide baseline governance safeguards, important given Snyder’s combined Chair/CEO role .
- Sponsor influence and retention risk: Sponsor holds ~19.8%, can influence approvals, and insiders may provide convertible working capital/extension financing; Snyder’s compensation terminates at business combination, so long-term incentives will be set by the post-combination board, introducing uncertainty on retention and alignment until the de-SPAC terms are known .
Key outstanding disclosures to watch in future proxy/8-K filings: any lock-up terms and vesting schedules for founder/rollover equity, post-combination executive employment agreements (severance, change-of-control triggers, equity mix), and any pledging/hedging prohibitions to assess selling pressure and alignment.