---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0000924168-23-000086"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "EFOI"
cik: "0000924168"
company_name: "ENERGY FOCUS, INC/DE"
filed_at: "2023-08-28T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-11T03:16:52.998108+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.7
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Energy Focus terminates CEO Lesley Matt; appoints Jay Huang as CEO and Kin Fu Chen as Chairman

## Summary
- Board terminated CEO Lesley Matt effective August 24, 2023.
- Chiao Chieh Jay Huang appointed as new CEO; he resigns as Chairman.
- Kin Fu Chen appointed Chairman of the Board.
- Huang is President of Sander Electronics with over 20 years in LED lighting and holds 50+ patents.
- No family relationships or undisclosed related-party transactions with new officers.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0000924168-23-000086
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: EFOI
- cik: 0000924168
- company_name: ENERGY FOCUS, INC/DE
- filed_at: 2023-08-28T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.7
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.7
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924168/000092416823000086/0000924168-23-000086-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924168/000092416823000086/efoi-20230824.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000924168-23-000086
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000924168-23-000086.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0000924168-23-000086.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Lesley Matt was terminated as Chief Executive Officer at ENERGY FOCUS, INC/DE.
  - Action: terminated
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: On August 24, 2023, the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Energy Focus, Inc. (the “Company” or “Energy Focus”) approved the termination of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”), Lesley Matt, effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924168/000092416823000086/0000924168-23-000086-index.htm
- Executive change
  Kin Fu Chen was appointed as Chairman of the Board at ENERGY FOCUS, INC/DE.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chairman of the Board
  source text: the Board has appointed Kin Fu Chen as the Chairman of the Board.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924168/000092416823000086/0000924168-23-000086-index.htm
- Executive change
  Chiao Chieh Jay Huang was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at ENERGY FOCUS, INC/DE.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: The Board appointed Chiao Chieh Jay Huang to serve as the Company’s new CEO.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/924168/000092416823000086/0000924168-23-000086-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.