Yubao Li
About Yubao Li
Yubao Li is Chairman of the Board at Yunhong Green CTI Ltd. (YHGJ). He has served as a director since January 13, 2020, was elected Chairman on June 1, 2020, and served as Chief Executive Officer from September 2020 to January 2022. Age: 42 (as of July 24, 2025, per proxy). He is not classified as an independent director by the Board. Core credentials include leadership roles across the Yunhong Group of companies in energy, solar, and materials in China, and a research leadership role at China’s Academy of Management Science.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yunhong Green CTI Ltd. (YHGJ) | Chairman of the Board | June 1, 2020 – Present | Board leadership; not on independent committees |
| Yunhong Green CTI Ltd. (YHGJ) | Director | Jan 13, 2020 – Present | Board oversight |
| Yunhong Green CTI Ltd. (YHGJ) | Chief Executive Officer | Sept 2020 – Jan 2022 | Management leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yunhong International | Chairman (former CEO Jan–Sept 2019) | Chair since Jan 2019 | Oversight of affiliated entity |
| Hubei Academy of Science and Technology Service Station | President | Since July 2018 | Research/industry linkage |
| China’s Academy of Management Science – Photoproteins Research Centre | Director | Since June 2018 | Sets research focus |
| Hubei Teruiga Energy Co., Ltd. | Executive Director & General Manager | Since Nov 2017 | Energy technology leadership |
| Hubei Yuntong Energy Co., Ltd. | Executive Director | Since Apr 2016 | Solar/agriculture operations |
| Hubei Yun Hong Photovoltaic Co., Ltd. | Executive Director & General Manager | Since May 2016 | Solar/agriculture operations |
| Hubei Yunhong Deren Tourism Co., Ltd. | President | Since May 2016 | Tourism development |
| Yunhong Group Holdings Co., Ltd. | President | Since 2013 | Solar construction and PV power generation |
| China Hubei Yunhong Energy Group Co., Ltd. | Founder & Chairman | Since 2013 | Nutrition company leadership |
Board Governance
- Independence status: The Board identifies independent directors as Darlene Chiu Bryant, Gerald (J.D.) Roberts, Jr., and Philip Wong; Mr. Li is not classified as independent.
- Committee assignments: Audit (Chair Philip Wong; members Bryant, Roberts), Compensation (Chair Roberts; members Bryant, Wong), and Nominating & Governance (Roberts, Bryant, Wong) are fully independent; Mr. Li is not a member of these committees.
- Leadership: Mr. Li is Chairman; Philip Wong serves as Lead Independent Director and convenes independent-only sessions.
- Attendance: Board met 5 times in 2024; each director then in office attended at least 75% of meetings. The 10-K also notes no director was absent for more than one meeting in 2024.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board retainer (cash) | $0 | No director fees paid to Mr. Li in 2024 |
| Committee membership fees | $0 | Committees are independent-only; Mr. Li not a member |
| Committee chair fees | $0 | N/A (not an independent committee chair) |
| Meeting fees | $0 | No separate meeting fees disclosed for Mr. Li |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Grant Date | Metrics | Vesting | 2024 Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director equity (RSUs/DSUs/options) | N/A | None disclosed for Mr. Li | N/A | $0 (no stock awards recognized for Mr. Li in 2024) |
No performance-based metrics are tied to Mr. Li’s director compensation; the company’s performance equity metrics disclosed apply to executives (e.g., EBITDA, share price triggers), not directors.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Public/Private | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict Considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yunhong International | Not disclosed as public in filing | Chairman (former CEO) | Affiliated entity; overlap with Yunhong Group ecosystem |
| Multiple Yunhong Group entities (Teruiga Energy, Yuntong Energy, Yun Hong Photovoltaic, Yunhong Deren Tourism, Yunhong Group Holdings) | Private (China) | Executive/President roles | Affiliated supplier/technology ecosystem potentially interacting with YHGJ strategy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domains: Energy technology, solar PV, operations leadership, and research programme direction at China’s Academy of Management Science.
- Audit committee financial expert: Not designated; the Audit Committee Financial Expert is Philip Wong.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | As of Dec 31, 2024 | As of Jul 23, 2025 (record date for 2025 meeting) |
|---|---|---|
| Shares beneficially owned | 12,100,000 | 12,100,000 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | 46.6% (based on 26,019,837 shares) | 43.6% (based on 27,738,626 shares) |
| Notes | Includes shares held via LF International PTE and Yunhong Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., both controlled by Mr. Li | Same footnote |
No pledging/hedging or vested vs. unvested breakdown for Mr. Li is disclosed in the filings reviewed.
Governance Assessment
- Alignment signals
- Very high “skin-in-the-game”: ~46.6% ownership at 12/31/24 and ~43.6% at 7/23/25; no separate director pay in 2024, aligning outcomes with equity value.
- Independent-only committees with designated Lead Independent Director; Audit Committee Financial Expert identified.
- Adoption of an executive clawback policy (Rule 10D-1 compliant), enhancing recourse on incentive comp.
- Risk indicators and potential conflicts
- Concentration of control: Mr. Li’s near-controlling stake may influence governance and related-party decisions.
- Related-party transactions: In 2024, YHGJ issued 5 million shares (valued $6.25M) to acquire assets from Yunhong Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd. and Yunhong China Group, entities affiliated with certain stockholders (affiliates of Mr. Li); strategy explicitly seeks to leverage Yunhong Group advancements. Oversight described by Audit Committee, but transaction heightens conflict risk.
- Financial reporting/control risk: Material weaknesses in ICFR (insufficient accounting resources; manual environment) and going concern emphasis amplify governance scrutiny.
- Listing/compliance risk: Prior Nasdaq minimum bid non-compliance leading to reverse split proposal; continued-listing risk cited.
- Attendance/engagement
- Met attendance thresholds; no director absent from more than one meeting in 2024 per 10-K.
RED FLAGS: Related-party asset purchase with Yunhong affiliates paid in stock; near-controlling ownership concentration; material weaknesses in internal controls; going concern uncertainty; Nasdaq bid-price compliance history.
Notes and Additional Disclosures
- Director Compensation Context: Independent directors received modest cash retainers; Mr. Li received $0 in 2024 as a director, and no director equity was recognized for him.
- Committee Composition (current per 2025 Proxy): Audit (Chair Wong; members Bryant, Roberts), Compensation (Chair Roberts; members Bryant, Wong), Nominating & Governance (Roberts, Bryant, Wong).
- Lead Independent Director: Philip Wong.