Yilin Lu
About Yilin Lu
Yilin Lu is an independent director of YHC (LQR House Inc.), age 43, serving on the Board since December 2024. He is a CFA and FRM with 15+ years in equity investment and trading, and prior roles across Goldman Sachs, CICC, Cantor Fitzgerald, and founding broker-dealer/asset management firms; the proxy lists him as a non-employee director with no executive officer role disclosed for YHC . The company effected a 1-for-35 reverse split on April 21, 2025, and share counts in this report are presented on a post-split basis where applicable . Board activity in FY2024 included six Board meetings; the proxy identifies Lu as independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goldman Sachs | Investment banking (career start) | 2006 | Foundation in global capital markets and deal execution |
| China International Capital Corporation (CICC) / CICC US Securities (HK) Ltd | Responsible officer | 2011 | Regulatory and leadership responsibilities in cross-border securities business |
| Cantor Fitzgerald Capital Markets (Hong Kong) | Managing Director | Pre-2016 | Equity markets leadership; left to set up own investment bank |
| Cheung On Securities Limited | Founder & CEO | 2018–2023 | Built broker-dealer and asset management platform; portfolio management/trading experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senchi Morgan Capital Market; Senchi Morgan Asset Management | Founder & CEO | Since Jun 2023 | Leads broker-dealer and asset management firms; ongoing industry engagement |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Frequency/Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $36,000 | Paid monthly | Applies to directors appointed Dec 2024 (including Y. Lu) |
| Director independence | Independent | — | Determined under Nasdaq rules |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Units (pre/post-split) | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Performance Metrics | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs (Director) | Dec 19, 2024 | 50,000 RSUs = 1,429 shares (post-split) | $79,500 | Eight equal quarterly installments commencing Q1 2025 | None disclosed (time-based) | 179 shares scheduled to vest on Jun 30, 2025 |
| Upcoming vest (example) | Jun 30, 2025 | 179 shares (post-split) | — | As scheduled | — | Specifically noted in beneficial ownership footnote |
No director performance-based metrics (e.g., TSR, revenue, EBITDA) are tied to Lu’s RSU awards in the proxy; awards are time-based .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned (post-split) | Ownership % of Outstanding | Vested vs Unvested | Options (Exercisable/Unexercisable) | Pledged/Hedged |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yilin Lu | 357 | <1% (company notes “Less than 1%”) | Includes 179 shares issuable upon vesting on Jun 30, 2025; remaining RSUs vest quarterly | None disclosed | Company policy prohibits pledging, margin accounts, and hedging for insiders |
- Shares outstanding used for percentages: 1,066,836 as of May 1, 2025 (post-split) .
- Insider trading policy adopted Mar 2024 prohibits holding securities in margin accounts, pledging as loan collateral, and engaging in options/short selling/hedging .
Employment Terms
- The proxy lists Lu as a non-employee director; no YHC employment agreement, severance, change-of-control, or non-compete terms are disclosed for him in the proxy .
- Clawback provisions specific to directors are not disclosed; general Code of Ethics and governance policies are referenced .
Board Governance
- Service: Director since December 2024; standing for election at the 2025 Annual Meeting to serve until the 2026 Annual Meeting .
- Committee roles: None (no current committee assignment for Lu) .
- Independence: Determined independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Board leadership: Chairman is Lijun Chen; committee chairs are James O’Brien (Audit, Compensation) and Jing Lu (Nominating & Corporate Governance); O’Brien will no longer be a director after the Annual Meeting .
- Board meetings: Board met 6 times; Audit Committee met 3 times in 2024 (attendance by member not itemized) .
Director Compensation (Detail)
| Director | Cash Compensation ($) | Equity Compensation ($) | Total ($) | Program Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yilin Lu | — | 79,500 | 79,500 | Annual cash fee $36,000; 50,000 RSUs (1,429 post-split) vesting in 8 equal quarterly installments starting Q1 2025 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Credentials: CFA, FRM; 15+ years in equity investment and trading; portfolio management, investment analysis, financial analysis/reporting, and advisory experience .
- Prior institutions: Goldman Sachs; CICC (responsible officer); Cantor Fitzgerald MD; founder/CEO roles at broker-dealers/AM firms .
Performance & Track Record
- YHC board activity: Board met 6 times; Audit Committee met 3 times during FY2024 (no director-specific performance metrics disclosed) .
- Legal proceedings: Proxy states no director/officer involvement in Item 401(f) legal proceedings during past ten years, to the company’s knowledge .
Related Party Transactions
- No related-party transactions involving Lu are disclosed; the proxy lists various RPTs involving other directors/executives/entities, but none name Lu .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Composition: James O’Brien (Chair) and Jing Lu; both independent under Rule 10C-1/Nasdaq; remit covers executive/director compensation and equity plans .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- The proxy does not disclose historical say-on-pay results or shareholder proposal outcomes; no related items for Lu .
External Directorships & Interlocks
- Current external roles: Founder & CEO of Senchi Morgan Capital Market and Senchi Morgan Asset Management (broker-dealer and AM firms) .
- Potential conflicts or interlocks: None disclosed with YHC; Board affirmed independence status for Lu .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Lu’s ownership is modest (<1% of outstanding), with quarterly RSU vesting that could contribute to incremental selling pressure as tranches settle, though the absolute share count is small relative to float .
- Governance: Independent director with no committee roles; pledging/hedging prohibitions reduce misalignment risks; no disclosed employment or severance/change-of-control economics tied to YHC that could distort incentives .
- Incentives: RSUs are time-based (not performance-linked), limiting pay-for-performance signaling at the director level; compensation structure is standard for small-cap boards (cash retainer plus RSUs) .
- Retention risk: Ongoing quarterly vesting supports retention; absence of additional director-specific incentives or contracts suggests limited retention leverage beyond standard board compensation .