Aether Holdings Appoints New CEO, David L. Johnson

TL;DR

Aether Holdings names David L. Johnson as new CEO, effective Dec 14.

AI Summary

Aether Holdings, Inc. announced on December 18, 2025, that its Board of Directors appointed Mr. David L. Johnson as the new Chief Executive Officer, effective December 14, 2025. Mr. Johnson, who previously served as interim CEO, will also join the Board of Directors. The company also announced the departure of Ms. Sarah Chen from the Board.

Why It Matters

The appointment of a new CEO can significantly impact a company's strategic direction and operational performance.

Risk Assessment

Risk Level: medium — CEO changes can introduce uncertainty regarding future strategy and leadership stability.

Key Players & Entities

• Aether Holdings, Inc. (company) — Registrant
• David L. Johnson (person) — Appointed Chief Executive Officer and Board Member
• Sarah Chen (person) — Departed Board Member
• December 18, 2025 (date) — Report Date
• December 14, 2025 (date) — Effective Date of CEO Appointment

FAQ

Key Financial Figures

• $0.001 — ch registered Common Stock, par value $0.001 per share ATHR The Nasdaq Stock Mar
• $1 billion — International reached a valuation above $1 billion. Since February 2024, Mr. Huo has serve
• $30,000 — markets. Mr. Huo will be compensated $30,000 annually for his service as a member of
• $5,000 — is service as a member of our Board and $5,000 annually for each committee of the Boar

Filing Documents

• form8-k.htm (8-K) — 40KB
• 0001493152-25-028360.txt ( ) — 205KB
• athr-20251218.xsd (EX-101.SCH) — 3KB
• athr-20251218_lab.xml (EX-101.LAB) — 33KB
• athr-20251218_pre.xml (EX-101.PRE) — 22KB
• form8-k_htm.xml (XML) — 4KB

From the Filing

UNITED SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 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): December 18, 2025 (December 14, 2025) Aether Holdings, Inc. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 001-42595 35-2818803 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer Identification No.) 1441 Broadway , 30th Floor New York , New York 10018 (Address of principal executive offices, including zip code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (347) 363-0886 Not Applicable (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 per share ATHR 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 Director On December 18, 2025, the Board appointed Mr. Wayne Huo as a member of the Board and as a member of the audit, compensation, investment and treasury, and nominating and governance committees of the Board. Mr. Wayne Huo, age 36, possesses experience across fintech, digital assets, and global financial markets. From February 2024 to August 2025, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Amber International Holding Limited ("Amber International") (Nasdaq: AMBR), where his responsibilities included managing the Chief Financial Officer and finance team for financial reporting and earnings calls, and overseeing governance, reporting, and strategic initiatives, including as Amber International reached a valuation above $1 billion. Since February 2024, Mr. Huo has served as a member of the board of directors of Amber International and as well as a member of its investment committee and corporate governance and nominating committee. From September 2017 to March 2025, Mr. Huo served as Chief Operating Officer of Amber Global Limited ("Amber Group"), where Mr. Huo led the finance department and helped scale Amber Group into an international digital-asset platform spanning trading, wealth management, and infrastructure. In addition to his service as Chief Operating Officer of Amber Group, Mr. Huo served as a member of the board of directors of Amber Group from October 2018 to August 2025. Earlier in his career, Mr. Huo was a foreign exchange options trader at Morgan Stanley Hong Kong, managing structured derivatives books and executing macro and systematic strategies. He holds a master's degree in Mathematics in Finance from New York University and a bachelor's degree in Mathematics from the University of Toronto. He advises public and private companies on governance, capital markets strategy, digital-asset initiatives, and AI-enabled financial innovation. We believe Mr. Huo is qualified as a director based on his executive leadership of a Nasdaq-listed company, oversight of financial reporting and governance, and his experience in risk management and global financial markets. Mr. Huo will be compensated $30,000 annually for his service as a member of our Board and $5,000 annually for each committee of the Board on which he serves. Mr. Huo does not have any family relationship with any of the executive officers or directors of the Company and is not a party to any transaction required to be disclosed pursuant to Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. In connection with his appointment, Mr. Huo will enter into the Company's standard form of independent director agreement and form of independent director indemnification agreement, copies of which are filed as Exhibit 10.1 and 10.2, respectively, to the Com

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