Michael Auerbach serves as Lead Independent Director, Chair of the Transaction Committee and member of the Compensation Committee.

Michael Auerbach is an entrepreneur, investor, business consultant, media producer, and private diplomat.  Mr. Auerbach is the Founder of Subversive, which is dedicated to investing in radical companies whose core missions subvert the status quo and require sophisticated government and regulatory strategies for success.

Mr. Auerbach is a Partner at Dentons Global Advisors (DGA), based in New York. As a senior leader in the Intelligence division, he brings extensive experience as a business consultant and commercial diplomat, specializing in strategic intelligence and risk management advisory across various sectors, including financial services. Previously, Mr. Auerbach held the position of Senior Vice President at Albright Stonebridge Group, which merged with Dentons Global Advisors in 2021.

Before joining DGA, Mr. Auerbach held senior positions at the Center for American Progress and The Century Foundation, where he focused on U.S. Foreign Policy, National Security, and Conflict Resolution. His insightful work has been published in numerous national and international publications. Additionally, he has contributed his expertise as a Visiting Professor at the New School for Social Research, as well as teaching engagements at the University of Cape Town and Cyprus College. Currently, Mr. Auerbach serves on the boards of several organizations, including the Theodore C. Sorensen Center for International Peace and Justice, The KiDS Board of NYU’s Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, Next for Autism (producer of Night of Too Many Stars), Finding a Cure for Epilepsy (FACES), and Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth Foundation.

Mr. Auerbach embarked on his career during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s, where he successfully ran Panopticon Inc., a VC incubator specializing in internet and mobile technology. Furthermore, he served as the Executive Producer of Pseudo Programs, pioneering the first Internet Television network. In his capacity as Chairman of Subversive Capital, Mr. Auerbach holds board director positions in numerous public and private companies, particularly focusing on disruptive companies navigating regulatory challenges. Currently, he sits on the boards of Canaccord Genuity and atai Life Sciences, and formerly sat on the boards of The Parent Company and Tilray Brands.