Alison Engel
Spire GlobalAbout Alison Engel
Alison (“Ali”) Engel, age 54, has served as Spire Global’s Chief Financial Officer since April 1, 2025. She previously held CFO roles at LeaseAccelerator (2023–2024), Gannett Co., Inc. (2015–2020), and DallasNews Corporation (formerly A.H. Belo Corporation, 2008–2014). Engel holds a Master of Professional Accountancy and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Texas at Austin . Spire’s recent executive compensation framework prioritized pay-for-performance, cancelling 2024 NEO annual bonuses despite a 50.2% weighted payout to focus on profitability, signaling discipline in incentive alignment . Company performance context (USD): recent quarterly revenue and EBITDA are shown below (values from S&P Global).
| Metric | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($USD) | $21,659,000* | $23,876,000* | $19,182,000* |
| EBITDA ($USD) | -$21,466,000* | -$18,715,000* | -$19,893,000* |
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| LeaseAccelerator, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | 2023–2024 | SaaS CFO role; financial controls and scaling in lease accounting software |
| Gannett Co., Inc. | Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer | 2015–2020 | Public company CFO; capital markets and transformation in diversified media |
| DallasNews Corp. (A.H. Belo) | Chief Financial Officer | 2008–2014 | Public company CFO; restructuring and operational finance for media holdings |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Austin | Education (MPA, BBA) | N/A | Technical foundation in accounting and public accountancy |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $390,000 per year |
| Target Annual Bonus | 80% of base salary; prorated year one; 100% based on company performance metrics set annually |
| Benefits | Eligible for standard Company-sponsored benefits |
| Location | Based in Vienna, VA headquarters |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive Type | Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Bonus | Company performance (specific metrics set annually) | 100% | 80% of base salary | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Annual plan; pro-rated first year |
| RSUs (Initial Grant) | Time-based (service) | N/A | 150,000 RSUs | N/A | N/A | 25% on first Quarterly Vesting Date (Feb/May/Aug/Nov 20) in the same quarter as the 1-year anniversary; thereafter 1/16th quarterly over 3 years; grant delayed to the effective date after filing the 10‑K/A |
Notes:
- Quarterly Vesting Dates are February 20, May 20, August 20, November 20 each year .
- The RSU grant originally targeted April 1, 2025 but was administratively delayed until the 10-K/A effective date; terms unchanged .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Initial equity award: 150,000 RSUs with quarterly vesting schedule (as above) .
- Beneficial ownership: Engel is a named executive as of April 7, 2025, but her individual share ownership was not separately tabulated in the 2025 proxy’s beneficial ownership section; no related-party transactions and no family relationships disclosed .
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging, pledging, and holding shares in margin accounts for officers, directors, and employees .
- Clawback: NYSE-compliant clawback policy (effective August 2, 2023) applies to incentive-based compensation for Section 16 officers; Company analyzed restatements and found no recoveries required for the relevant periods .
Employment Terms
| Term | Non-Change-in-Control (Non-CIC) | Change-in-Control (CIC) |
|---|---|---|
| Severance (Cash) | 100% of annualized base salary in lump sum | 150% of annualized base salary in lump sum |
| Bonus Component | 100% of target annual cash bonus in lump sum | 150% of target annual cash bonus in lump sum |
| Benefits Continuation | Cash equivalent to 12 months of group health insurance coverage (same level) | Cash equivalent to 18 months of group health insurance coverage (same level) |
| Outplacement | Up to $15,000 reimbursed/direct-paid | Up to $15,000 reimbursed/direct-paid |
| Equity Acceleration | Not specified for Non-CIC in Engel’s agreement | Full acceleration of all outstanding equity awards upon Qualifying Termination during CIC period; options exercisable until original expiration |
| “Anticipatory” CIC Protection | If CIC occurs within 90 days post-termination: additional cash equal to 50% of base salary plus the differences between CIC and Non‑CIC bonus and benefits continuation amounts | |
| 280G Treatment | Best‑net (“cutback vs full”) to maximize after-tax benefits; no tax gross-up | |
| At-Will & Agreements | At-will employment; governed by VA law; Executive Employment Agreement and Proprietary Information & Inventions Agreement | |
| Start & Appointment | Appointed CFO effective April 1, 2025 (transition timing later tied to 10-K/A filing for grant administration) |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance architecture: Annual bonus tied 100% to company metrics; RSUs vest over four years with quarterly schedules, aligning retention and long-term value creation. Company-wide discipline was evident with cancellation of 2024 NEO bonuses despite a 50.2% weighted payout, signaling an emphasis on profitability over formulaic payouts .
- Retention and selling pressure: Engel’s 150,000 RSU grant vests quarterly and accelerates only on double-trigger CIC (Qualifying Termination within CIC period), reducing near-term forced selling pressure and aligning incentives with continued service .
- Governance and risk controls: Strict prohibition on hedging/pledging reduces misalignment risks; clawback policy in place and evaluated post-restatement with no recoveries required; however, the company disclosed internal control weaknesses and a non-reliance 8‑K in April 2025, which delayed RSU grant administration and indicates ongoing control remediation needs .
- Change-of-control economics: Competitive CIC protections (150% salary, bonus, and benefits + equity acceleration) could create costs in strategic transactions but provide executive continuity incentives; 280G best‑net treatment avoids shareholder-unfriendly gross-ups .
No director roles or committee memberships are disclosed for Engel; she is a non‑director executive officer . No related party transactions or family relationships were reported for Engel .
Citations: Executive bio and appointment ; press release context ; insider trading policy (hedging/pledging) ; clawback policy and restatement analysis ; 2024 NEO incentive metrics and cancellation ; RSU grant terms and vesting schedule ; RSU grant date delay and effectiveness ; severance and CIC terms, acceleration, anticipatory CIC top-up ; 280G best‑net ; internal control weakness and non-reliance 8‑K .
Values retrieved from S&P Global.*