Lilian Zhou
STAAR SURGICALAbout Lilian Zhou
Lilian Y. Zhou (age 42) has served as an independent director of STAAR Surgical Company since December 2023. She is a CFA charterholder, holds dual B.A. in Economics and Mathematics-Statistics from Columbia University, and an MBA from Wharton (Palmer Scholar) with NACD Directorship certification, bringing more than 20 years of capital allocation, corporate finance, and governance expertise with a global investor perspective, including Asia-Pacific insights . In 2025, the Board confirmed her independence under Nasdaq rules and designated her as an SEC “audit committee financial expert,” underscoring her governance credentials .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yulan Capital Management | Founder, Chief Investment Officer, Managing Partner | 2013–June 2023 | Built Tiger Management–backed franchise with New York/Shanghai offices; led global public equities investing |
| Citadel; Kelusa Capital | Investing and research roles | Pre-2013 | Buy-side research/investing experience |
| Bear Stearns & Co. | Investing/research | Pre-2013 | Sell-side/buy-side experience |
| Credit Suisse | Investment Banking Analyst | Career start | Foundation in corporate finance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other public company boards | — | — | No other public company directorships disclosed |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (2025): Audit Committee Chair; Compensation Committee Member; Nominating & Governance Committee Member; independent status affirmed .
- Audit Committee expertise: Board determined Zhou qualifies as SEC “audit committee financial expert” .
- Board attendance: Board held 11 meetings in 2024; all directors attended >75% of Board and committee meetings; committees met AC=4, CC=6, NGC=4 in 2024 .
- Board structure: CEO and Board Chair roles separated in Feb 2025 (Chair: Dr. Yeu); independent directors hold executive sessions; annual Board evaluations conducted .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY 2024) | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $66,951 |
| Option awards (grant-date fair value) | $90,006 |
| Stock awards (grant-date fair value) | $90,007 |
| Total | $246,964 |
Director program structure:
- Annual cash retainers: Board member $50,000; Committee Chair $15,000; Committee member $10,000; Board Chair/LID $40,000 .
- Annual equity grant: $180,000 grant-date value in options and/or restricted stock; vests fully at earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; pro-rated for new directors .
2024 award detail for Zhou:
- Granted 2,244 shares of restricted stock and options to purchase 4,010 shares (June 20, 2024); outstanding at year-end: 2,244 restricted stock and 6,696 options .
Performance Compensation
| Performance-tied element | Terms |
|---|---|
| None disclosed for non-employee directors | Equity grants are time-based (options/restricted stock) with vesting by tenure; no performance metrics tied to director compensation disclosed . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | None disclosed (Other Public Boards: “—”) |
| Compensation Committee interlocks | Proxy reports no interlocks among CC members for FY 2024 (Zhou joined CC in 2025); no specific interlocks disclosed for Zhou . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Capital allocation and corporate finance with 20+ years experience; Asia-Pacific business insights; governance discipline from investor perspective .
- CFA charterholder; NACD Directorship certification; Columbia B.A. (Economics, Math-Statistics); Wharton MBA (Palmer Scholar) .
- Board skills fit: audit financial expert, investment acumen, corporate governance .
Equity Ownership
| As of April 22, 2024 | Shares |
|---|---|
| Common stock owned | 850 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 2,686 |
| RSUs vesting within 60 days | 1,477 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 5,013; less than 1% of class |
Additional equity position detail:
- Outstanding at FY 2024: 2,244 restricted stock; 6,696 options .
- Stock ownership guidelines: Non-employee directors must hold ≥3x base annual cash retainer within four years; Board reports all directors and officers are in compliance .
- Hedging/pledging: Hedging prohibited; pledging requires pre-clearance under Insider Trading Policy; no pledging disclosures for Zhou in proxy .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director; Audit Committee Chair and SEC-designated financial expert; robust attendance; balanced cash/equity comp aligned with shareholder-friendly guidelines (3x retainer ownership; clawback policy; anti-hedging) .
- Alignment: 2024 director pay mix ~27% cash/$66,951 and ~73% equity/$180,013; annual equity vests time-based; ownership guidelines compliance supports skin-in-the-game .
- Potential watch items: Board-approved related-party consulting arrangement for director Wei Jiang (now non-independent) underscores need for strong Audit and N&G oversight; Jiang stepped down from committees; Zhou’s committee roles position her to oversee conflicts and governance rigor .
- Shareholder sentiment: 2024 say-on-pay support at 83% (below prior year), with program changes implemented; reinforces Board’s responsiveness to investor feedback on pay-for-performance (executive program) .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Zhou (no related-party transactions, no hedging/pledging reported, attendance above threshold). Continue monitoring potential Board-level conflicts (e.g., paid advisory roles of directors), though procedures/policies (RPT policy; committee independence) are in place .