Are there any related-party transactions between Launchpad Cadenza (LPCV) and Sheldon Sussman?

The company states there are no transactions in which Launchpad Cadenza is or was a participant and in which Sheldon Sussman has a material interest that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. The filing also notes no family relationships with other directors or executive officers.

Veteran financier joins Launchpad Cadenza (NASDAQ: LPCV) board, leads audit

Filing Impact

(High)

Filing Sentiment

(Neutral)

Form Type

8-K

Rhea-AI Filing Summary

Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I reported that its board appointed Sheldon Sussman as a director on April 14, 2026, effective immediately. He will serve in the first class of directors, with his term ending at the company’s first annual general meeting.

Sussman was also named chair of the board’s audit committee, replacing Jonathan Bier as chair while Bier remains a committee member. The filing highlights Sussman’s long career in global financial markets, including senior roles at Napier Park Global Capital, Cohen Circle, Elliott Advisors, Towerbrook Capital Partners, and Rabobank International.

The company states there are no family relationships or related-party transactions requiring disclosure. In connection with his appointment, Sussman joined existing letter agreement and registration rights agreement arrangements, agreeing to waive certain redemption rights, to vote in favor of an initial business combination, and receiving registration rights for any ordinary shares he owns, along with a standard director indemnity agreement.

8-K Event Classification

Item 5.02 — Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers

1 item

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers Governance

Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.

Key Figures

Director age: 70 years Asset management platform: more than $25 billion Rabobank tenure: September 1998 to July 2009 +2 more

5 metrics

Director age 70 years Age of new director Sheldon Sussman

Asset management platform more than $25 billion Asset-based and leveraged loan investments built at Rabobank International

Rabobank tenure September 1998 to July 2009 Senior Executive Vice President and Managing Board member

Towerbrook tenure February 2011 to January 2017 Senior investment professional at Towerbrook Capital Partners

Cohen Circle tenure August 2021 to February 2024 Head of EMEA executing SPAC and fintech strategies

Key Terms

audit committee, registration rights agreement, letter agreement, indemnity agreement, +1 more

5 terms

audit committee financial

"appointed Mr. Sussman as a member and chair of the audit committee of the Board"

A company's audit committee is a small group of board members who act like independent inspectors for the firm's finances, overseeing how financial reports are prepared, monitoring internal controls, and managing the relationship with external auditors. Investors care because a strong audit committee reduces the risk of accounting errors, fraud, or misleading statements, making financial statements more trustworthy and helping protect shareholder value.

registration rights agreement financial

"joinder to that certain registration rights agreement dated as of December 17, 2025"

A registration rights agreement is a contract that gives investors the option to have their ownership stakes officially registered with the government, making it easier to sell their shares later. This agreement matters because it provides investors with a clearer path to cash out their investments if they choose, offering more liquidity and confidence in their ability to sell their holdings when desired.

letter agreement financial

"joinder to that certain letter agreement dated as of December 17, 2025"

indemnity agreement financial

"entered into a standard director indemnity agreement with the Company"

initial business combination financial

"vote any ordinary shares of the Company they hold in favor of an initial business combination"

An initial business combination is the deal in which a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merges with or acquires an operating business to bring that business onto public markets. Think of the SPAC as an empty shell that raises money from investors, then uses that cash to buy a private company—this transaction turns the private company into a public one and often changes its ownership, valuation, and access to capital, so investors should watch for shifts in risk, future growth prospects, and shareholder rights.

Understanding 8-K Material Events →

04/15/2026 - 04:05 PM

UNITED STATES

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): April 15, 2026

Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Cayman Islands

001-43023

98-1877330

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

(Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

180 Grand Avenue

Suite 1530
Oakland, CA 94612

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (510) 200-8778

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
Units, each consisting of one Class A ordinary share and one-half of one redeemable warrant	LPCVU	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.0001 per share	LPCV	The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
Redeemable warrants, each whole warrant exercisable for one Class A ordinary share at an exercise price of $11.50 per share	LPCVW	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.

Appointment of New Directors

On April 14, 2026, the board of directors (the “Board”) of Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I (the “Company”) appointed Sheldon Sussman as a member of the Board, effective immediately. The Board also appointed Mr. Sussman as a member and chair of the audit committee of the Board (the “Audit Committee”), replacing Jonathan Bier as chairperson of the Audit Committee. Mr. Bier will continue to serve as a member of the Audit Committee. Mr. Sussman will serve as a member of the first class of directors, which term will expire at the Company’s first annual general meeting.

Sheldon Sussman, age 70, is the Managing Director and Global Head of Asset-Backed Private Credit Origination at Napier Park Global Capital. Before joining Napier Park, from August 2021 through February 2024, Mr. Sussman was Head of EMEA at Cohen Circle executing the firm’s SPAC and Fintech investment strategies. From January 2017 through August 2021, prior to Cohen Circle, he was a senior investment professional at Elliott Advisors and earlier (February 2021 through January 2017), at Towerbrook Capital Partners. In both investment firms, Mr. Sussman originated financial services focused private equity and asset-based private credit investments. Before Towerbrook, from September 1998 through July 2009, Mr. Sussman was Senior Executive Vice President and member of the Managing Board of Rabobank International in charge of Global Financial Markets and Asset Management. In this capacity, he built an asset management platform totaling more than $25 billion in asset-based and leveraged loan investments. Earlier in his career, Mr. Sussman held senior roles in investment banking and financial markets at Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers, and Bankers Trust. Mr. Sussman graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers College (BA in Economics) and has MBA (Finance) and MPH degrees from Yale University. We believe Mr. Sussman brings extensive experience in global financial markets and investment management, which will be a valuable asset to the Company’s Board.

No family relationships exist between Mr. Sussman and any other directors or executive officers of the Company. Mr. Sussman is not a party to any arrangements with any other person pursuant to which he was nominated as a director. There are no transactions to which the Company is or was a participant and in which Mr. Sussman has a material interest subject to disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Sussman signed a joinder to that certain letter agreement dated as of December 17, 2025, by and among the Company, its officers, its directors and Launch Sponsor LLC, pursuant to which, among other things, the signatories agreed to waive certain redemption rights and to vote any ordinary shares of the Company they hold in favor of an initial business combination and also signed a joinder to that certain registration rights agreement dated as of December 17, 2025, by and among the Company and certain security holders, pursuant to which, amount other things, Mr. Sussman will be entitled to certain registration rights with respect to any ordinary shares of the Company that he owns. Mr. Sussman also entered into a standard director indemnity agreement with the Company, a form of which was filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on November 10, 2025.

SIGNATURE

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.

	Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I

Date: April 15, 2026	By:	/s/ Max Shapiro
		Name:	Max Shapiro
		Title:	Chief Executive Officer

Source: View Original Filing on SEC EDGAR

FAQ

What did Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I (LPCV) disclose in this 8-K filing?

Launchpad Cadenza Acquisition Corp I disclosed the appointment of Sheldon Sussman as a new director and chair of its audit committee. The filing describes his background, committee roles, and related governance agreements, including voting, redemption waivers, registration rights, and an indemnity agreement with the company.

Who is Sheldon Sussman, the new director of Launchpad Cadenza (LPCV)?

Sheldon Sussman is a 70-year-old finance executive and Managing Director and Global Head of Asset-Backed Private Credit Origination at Napier Park Global Capital. His career includes senior roles at Cohen Circle, Elliott Advisors, Towerbrook Capital Partners, Rabobank International, and earlier positions at Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers, and Bankers Trust.

What board and committee roles will Sheldon Sussman hold at Launchpad Cadenza (LPCV)?

Sussman was appointed to the board of directors and will serve in the first class of directors until the first annual general meeting. He was also appointed chair of the audit committee, replacing Jonathan Bier as chair, while Bier continues as an audit committee member.

What agreements did Sheldon Sussman enter into with Launchpad Cadenza (LPCV)?

In connection with his appointment, Sussman signed joinders to a letter agreement and a registration rights agreement dated December 17, 2025. He agreed to waive certain redemption rights, vote his ordinary shares for an initial business combination, receive registration rights, and entered into a standard director indemnity agreement.

What is the significance of the registration rights granted to Sheldon Sussman at Launchpad Cadenza (LPCV)?

The registration rights agreement gives Sussman specified rights to have any ordinary shares he owns registered for resale under securities laws. This facilitates potential future liquidity for his holdings while aligning his rights with those of other covered security holders under the existing agreement.

Filing Exhibits & Attachments

4 documents