UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): February 17, 2022
Creatd, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Nevada | 001-39500 | 87-0645394 | ||
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification No.) |
2050 Center Avenue, Suite 640
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
(Address of principal executive offices)
(201) 258-3770
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
N/A
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
Common Stock, par value $0.001 | CRTD | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC | ||
Common Stock Purchase Warrants | CRTDW | The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
Appointment of New Directors
On February 17, 2022, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Creatd, Inc. (the “Company”) appointed Joanna Bloor, Brad Justus, and Lorraine Hendrickson to serve as members of the Board (the “Director Appointments”). Ms. Bloor has been nominated to, and will serve as, chair of the Compensation Committee, and to be a member of the Audit Committee and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Mr. Justus has been nominated, and will serve as, chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, and to be a member of the Compensation Committee and Audit Committee. Ms. Hendrickson has been nominated to , and will serve as, chair of the Audit Committee and to be a member of the Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee. Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and Ms. Hendrickson will hold office until the next annual meeting of stockholders, or until a successor is duly elected and qualified or the earlier resignation or removal.
Joanna Bloor
Ms. Bloor, age 52, Founder and CEO of The Amplify Lab, combines over 7 years of experience in Technology senior management following a 15-year career as a Senior Executive in Operations and Marketing. Previously, she had been involved in three companies in the Technology and Media industry, holding positions including VP of Sales Operations, AVP of Sales Operations and Director of Sales Operations, and board member. From 2010 through 2015, she held the position of VP of Sales Operations at Pandora, a technology and entertainment company. From 2000 to 2010, Ms. Bloor was the AVP of Sales Operations for CBS Interactive, Inc., a Digital Media and News organization. From 2000 to 2001, she was the Director of Sales Operations for OpenTable.com, an online restaurant reservation company. Joanna is also currently the Founder and CEO of The Amplify Lab., a career coaching company rooted in technology, data, and human experiences.
Joanna will be invaluable assisting Creatd shape and implement company culture transformation, overall operations, and human capital management. She has also had specific and deep experience in scaling revenue and implementing teams for numerous public and private companies, including leading technology companies and consumer brands that generate multi-million to hundreds of millions in annual revenue.
Brad Justus
Mr. Justus, age 61, Director of International Publishing at Riot Games, combines over 13 years of executive management experience in the game development and publishing industries with more than 10 years in multiple C-Suite officer roles. Previously, he had been involved in 3 companies in the technology and gaming industry, holding positions including Vice President of Marketing and Brand Experience, Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Executive Officer, and Senior Vice President. From 2015 to 2016, he served as Chief Experience Officer at Radiant Entertainment, a gaming company that was acquired by Riot Games in 2016. From 2012 to 2014, Mr. Justus was VP of Marketing and Brand Experience at ROBLOX Corporation, a digital community, and gaming company. From 2009 to 2012, he was Chief Marketing Officer at ClearStreet, Inc., a fintech startup company. From 2006 through 2007, Mr. Justus was the Senior Vice President for Art.com, an online art marketplace. From 2004 to 2005, he was President and CEO for Informative, Inc., an online technology survey company. Previously, he was Senior Vice President at LEGO, an industry-leading toy company from 1999 to 2004. Since 2016 Mr. Justus held titles including Director, Brand Marketing and Director, International Publishing at Riot Games, a video game company where he also led the creator-driven global launch of the blockbuster game VALORANT in 2020. Mr. Justus holds a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Political Science from Amherst College.
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Mr. Justus will be a strong addition to Creatd’s board of directors because of his experience leading branding, marketing, and product development teams at numerous direct to consumer companies. Many of these companies are tech- and community-focused, just like Creatd. He will also advise on overall online strategy and revenue growth.
Lorraine Hendrickson
Lorraine Hendrickson, age 56, combines over 20 years of experience in the investment banking industry, having held numerous senior management and executive positions including Chief Administration Officer, Vice President of Business Development, Corporate Relations, and Investment Strategy as well as various Director positions. From 2004 to 2006, Ms. Hendrickson served as Vice President Investment Strategy & Corporate Relations at Merrill Lynch Investment Management. From 2006 to 2011, Ms. Hendrickson was Director at BNY Mellon. An investment management firm. From 2011 to 2012, she moved to Hong Kong with BNY Mellon to become their Chief Administration Officer, Global Distribution. From 20014 to 2015, Ms. Hendrickson moved to become a Director, within the Investment Management Advisory division of Deloitte UK, the leading London-based international consulting firm. She was subsequently recruited by a client and, from 2015-2018, served as the Program Director of London CIV (Collective Investment Vehicle), the City of London’s first alternative asset management company owned and operated by the local government. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Rider University.
As a board director, we believe Ms. Hendrickson will add considerable value, including through her comprehensive and diverse investment management experience, deep knowledge of governance and regulatory frameworks, and broad experience with business development, operations, and executive leadership.
Independence
The Board has determined that each of Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and Ms. Hendrickson are “independent” as defined under the listing rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market. There was no understanding or arrangement between Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and Ms. Hendrickson and any other person pursuant to which Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and/or Ms. Hendrickson was elected as a director. There are no related party transactions involving the Company that are required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K related to Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and Ms. Hendrickson.
The Company issued a press release on February 16, 2022, announcing the appointment of Ms. Bloor, Mr. Justus, and Ms. Hendrickson to the Board. A copy of that press release is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Director Resignations
On February 17, 2022, the Board received notice that effective immediately after the effectiveness of the Director Appointments, Mark Standish resigned as Chair of the Board, Chair of the Audit Committee and as a member of the Compensation Committee and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; Leonard Schiller resigned as member of the Board, Chair of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; and LaBrena Martin resigned as a member of the Board, Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee and Compensation Committee. Such resignations are not the result of any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) | Exhibits. |
The exhibit listed in the following Exhibit Index is filed as part of this report.
Exhibit No. | ||
17.1 | Letter of Resignation of Mark Standish | |
17.2 | Letter of Resignation of Leonard Schiller | |
17.3 | Letter of Resignation of LaBrena Martin | |
99.1 | Press Release, dated February 17, 2022. | |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CREATD, INC. | ||
Dated: February 18, 2022 | By: | /s/ Jeremy Frommer |
Jeremy Frommer | ||
Co-Chief Executive Officer |
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Exhibit 17.1
Regarding Board transition 2022
CREATD INC. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
February 17, 2022
Laurie Weisberg
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Creatd Inc
Dear Laurie,
This is to inform you that effective February 17, 2022, we, the below signed independent directors of the Board of Directors of Creatd Inc, are resigning our positions on the Board.
Due to repeated personality clashes with your Co-CEO, we believe that it is in the best interests of the company that we resign, and the company transition to a new group of independent directors.
We thank those officers and employees who diligently have worked with us.
We wish the new directors the best.
Very truly yours,
Mark Standish
Exhibit 17.2
Regarding Board transition 2022
CREATD INC. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
February 17, 2022
Laurie Weisberg
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Creatd Inc
Dear Laurie,
This is to inform you that effective February 17, 2022, we, the below signed independent directors of the Board of Directors of Creatd Inc, are resigning our positions on the Board.
Due to repeated personality clashes with your Co-CEO, we believe that it is in the best interests of the company that we resign, and the company transition to a new group of independent directors.
We thank those officers and employees who diligently have worked with us.
We wish the new directors the best.
Very truly yours,
Leonard Schiller
Exhibit 17.3
Regarding Board transition 2022
CREATD INC. INDEPENDENT DIRECTORS
February 17, 2022
Laurie Weisberg
Co-Chief Executive Officer
Creatd Inc
Dear Laurie,
This is to inform you that effective February 17, 2022, we, the below signed independent directors of the Board of Directors of Creatd Inc, are resigning our positions on the Board.
Due to repeated personality clashes with your Co-CEO, we believe that it is in the best interests of the company that we resign, and the company transition to a new group of independent directors.
We thank those officers and employees who diligently have worked with us.
We wish the new directors the best.
Very truly yours,
LaBrena Martin
Exhibit 99.1
Creatd Streamlines C-Suite and Attracts High-Caliber Expertise to its Board of Directors
● | Jeremy Frommer named Executive Chairman and Founder | |
● | Laurie Weisberg becomes Creatd’s sole CEO | |
● | Three new members were appointed to the Company’s board, bringing deep market knowledge in the areas of strategy, product, operational development, finance, and governance. |
NEW YORK, Feb. 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Creatd, Inc. (Nasdaq CM: CRTD) (“Creatd” or the “Company”), a creator-first holding company, today announced a series of key changes to its leadership team and Board of Directors, designed to position the company for the future.
Effective as of February 17, 2022, the new board of independent directors has appointed Jeremy Frommer, the Company’s Founder, and its CEO since inception, as Executive Chairman and Founder. In addition, Laurie Weisberg, who previously shared the co-CEO title with Mr. Frommer, has been appointed the Company’s sole CEO. Both Mr. Frommer and Ms. Weisberg remain on the board.
Jeremy Frommer commented, “As we complete our transition into a fully commercialized technology company with four high-growth business segments, we are proud to introduce our new board, whose collective expertise covers the key areas needed at this stage of the Company’s lifecycle, including digital strategy, e-commerce, product, people development, operations, finance, and corporate governance.”
In addition to Mr. Frommer and Ms. Weisberg, the Company’s Board of Directors now consists of Joanna Bloor, Brad Justus, and Lorraine Hendrickson as its independent members.
Joanna Bloor
Ms. Bloor has a 25+-year track record of scaling companies of all sizes and stages, having worked with leading global companies such as Ticketmaster, Cars.com, OpenTable, and Pandora. Ms. Bloor’s work focuses on maximizing the potential of individuals and teams, and implementing revenue growth strategies while fostering a strong corporate culture. Joanna is also the Founder and CEO of The Amplify Lab, a career coaching company rooted in technology, data, and human experiences.
Brad Justus
Mr. Justus is Director of International Publishing at Riot Games; in 2020, he led the creator-driven global launch of the blockbuster game VALORANT. Mr. Justus has held the role of Vice President of Marketing and Brand Experience at ROBLOX, where he was tasked with building the ROBLOX brand and defining product and community strategy. Brad was also a Vice President at the LEGO Company, where he built and led the global direct-to-consumer business. Mr. Justus has additionally held numerous executive roles at technology companies including Art.com and CEO of Informative, a customer engagement technology firm.
Lorraine Hendrickson
Ms. Hendrickson worked in the US, London, and Hong Kong for Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon) and Merrill Lynch Investment Management, ultimately becoming BNY Mellon’s Chief Administration Officer and leading their global distribution efforts. She brings comprehensive and diverse experience combining a broad range of strategic, operational, and regulatory expertise with an impressive and extensive understanding of financial markets, investment strategies and practices, and governance frameworks. Most recently, Ms. Hendrickson held the position of Program Director for London CIV (LCIV), the first alternative investment vehicle owned and operated by the City of London, managing £25bn of public pension funds.
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Commented Laurie Weisberg, newly appointed sole CEO of Creatd, “Our newly formed board is distinctly suited to help refine our current strategies for growing Creatd’s presence and success within the creator economy. In addition to contributing their real-life operational insight, these talented additions each possess an extensive network and long-held personal relationships, that can be leveraged for our great collective benefit.”
Following the appointment of the new directors, and prior to the appointment of Mr. Frommer and Ms. Weisberg to their new positions, the Board’s previous independent directors resigned, effective February 17, 2022.
About Creatd
Creatd, Inc. (Nasdaq CM: CRTD) is a creator-first technology holding company and the parent company of the Vocal platform. Our mission is to empower creators, entrepreneurs, and brands through technology and partnership. We accomplish this through Creatd’s four business pillars: Creatd Labs, Creatd Partners, Creatd Ventures, and Creatd Studios.
For news and updates, subscribe to Creatd’s newsletter: https://creatd.com/newsletter
Investor Relations Contact: ir@creatd.com
Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements that are not historical facts and that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, indicated through the use of words or phrases such as “will likely result,” “are expected to,” “will continue,” “is anticipated,” “estimated,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes” and “projects”) may be forward-looking and may involve estimates and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. We caution that the factors described herein could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements we make and that investors should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements. Further, any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which such statement is made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events or circumstances. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for us to predict all of such factors. Further, we cannot assess the impact of each such factor on our results of operations or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. This press release is qualified in its entirety by the cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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