BGC Group, Inc.
For the period ended Nov 17, 2026. Filed Oct 8, 2026.
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What shareholders are asked to vote on at a company's meeting. It is where to find what directors and top executives are paid, and who owns the most shares.
Nov 17, 2026 · Filed Oct 8, 2026
Contents
NOMINATING PROCESS
All directors participate in the consideration of director nominees recommended for selection by a majority of the independent directors as defined by the published listing standards of Nasdaq. Accordingly, our Board does not have a separate nominating committee or committee performing similar functions and does not have a nominating committee charter. Our Board believes that such participation of all directors is appropriate given the size of our Board and the level of participation of all of our independent directors in the nomination process. Our Board will also consider qualified director candidates identified by a member of senior management or by a stockholder. However, it is our general policy to re-nominate qualified incumbent directors, and, absent special circumstances, our Board will not consider other candidates when a qualified incumbent consents to stand for re-election. A stockholder wishing to submit a recommendation for a director candidate should follow the instructions set forth herein under the section below entitled “Communications with Our Board of Directors.” Our Corporate Governance
Guidelines provide that if a director fails to receive a majority of votes cast in an uncontested election for which the number of candidates does not exceed the number of directors to be elected, the Board shall require and such director will agree to tender his or her resignation and take such other action with respect to such director as the Board deems advisable.
Qualification Criteria
Our Board considers the following minimum criteria when reviewing a director nominee: director candidates must (1) have the highest character and integrity, (2) be free of any conflict of interest which would violate applicable laws or regulations or interfere with the proper performance of the responsibilities of a director, (3) possess substantial and significant experience which would be of particular importance in the performance of the duties of a director, (4) have sufficient time available to devote to our affairs in order to carry out the responsibilities of a director, and (5) have the capacity and desire to represent the best interests of our stockholders. The Board also considers diversity of skills and experience, as well as geographic background. Our Board screens candidates, does reference checks and conducts interviews, as appropriate. Our Board does not evaluate nominees for director any differently because the nominee is or is not recommended by a stockholder.
With respect to qualifications of the members of the Board, the Board generally values the broad business experience and independent business judgment in the financial services or in other fields of each member. Specifically, Mr. Brandon Lutnick is qualified based on his business experience and brokerage experience, Mr. Merkel is qualified based on his extensive business and legal experience and prior public company service, Dr. Bell is qualified based on her experience as a university academic manager, as an academic researcher and professor in economics, and as a former director of a fully electronic exchange, Mr. Richards is qualified based on his global business experience and his status as an audit committee financial expert, and Messrs. Mbanefo and Addas are qualified as a result of their broad experience in the financial services industry, their general business experience, and their status as audit committee financial experts.
The following matrix provides information regarding the members of our Board, including certain types of knowledge, skills, experiences and attributes possessed by one or more of our directors which our Board believes are relevant to our business and industry. The matrix does not encompass all of the knowledge, skills, experiences or attributes of our directors, and the fact that a particular type of knowledge, skill, experience or attribute is not listed does not mean that a director does not possess it. In addition, the absence of a particular type of knowledge, skill, experience or attribute with respect to any of our directors does not mean the director in question is unable to contribute to the decision-making process in that area. The type and degree of knowledge, skill and experience listed below may vary among the members of the Board.
| Skills and Experience | Merkel | Brandon Lutnick | Bell | Richards | Mbanefo | Addas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Operations | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Finance/Accounting | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Risk Management | X | X | X | X | X | |
| Global Business | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Human Capital Management | X | X | X | |||
| M&A | X | X | X | X | ||
| Other Public Company Board Service and Governance | X | X | X | |||
| Environmental | X | X | X | X | ||
| Global Financial Markets | X | X | X | X | ||
| Brokerage | X | X | X | X | ||
| Regulatory | X | X | X | |||
| Innovation and Strategy | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Artificial Intelligence | X | |||||
| Ethics and Integrity | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Senior Leadership/CEO | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| Technology/Information Security | X | X | ||||
Chairman of the Board
Our Board has determined that, in light of the current ownership structure of the Company, having an independent or non-executive Chairman of the Board is not efficient or appropriate for our Company. Additionally, our Board does not have a lead independent director for the same reasons. Our strong, majority-independent Board effectively oversees our management and provides vigorous oversight of our business and affairs and any proposed related party transactions. Our Board is primarily composed of independent, active and effective directors. Four of our six current directors meet the independence qualifications in accordance with the published listing standards of Nasdaq and the SEC and our Board’s standards for determining director independence. Only two of our current directors are affiliated with Cantor, our controlling stockholder, and only one member of executive management is currently a director. Requiring that the Chairman of the Board be an independent director is not necessary to ensure that our Board provides independent and effective oversight of our business and affairs. Such oversight is maintained at the Company through the composition of our Board, and through the strong leadership of our majority independent directors and Board committees and our highly effective corporate governance structures and processes. Accordingly, our Corporate Governance Guidelines provide for the annual election of the Chairman of the Board by our majority independent Board (which, if applicable, shall be the nominee of the stockholders who control a majority of the vote). The Board typically elects its Chair following the annual stockholders’ meeting, although this may be revisited at any time.
We believe that the Company and its stockholders are well served by having Mr. Merkel, our General Counsel, serve as Chairman of the Board, given Mr. Merkel’s deep leadership experience with the Company.
The text of this filing, as the company filed it with the SEC, without its images or exhibits. This is not investment advice.