---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001299709-23-000305"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "AX"
cik: "0001299709"
company_name: "Axos Financial, Inc."
filed_at: "2023-11-29T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-06-07T20:13:35.449455+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.25
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.25
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Axos Financial elects Sara Wardell-Smith as independent director effective Dec 1, 2023

## Summary
- Sara Wardell-Smith elected to boards of Axos Financial (NYSE: AX) and Axos Bank, effective December 1, 2023.
- She is a former head of Visa's North America commercial business and former EVP at Wells Fargo.
- Will receive 4,500 restricted stock units vesting over one year under standard director compensation plan.
- Serves as Class II director with term expiring at 2024 Annual Meeting; expected to join board committees.
- Board determined she is independent under SEC and NYSE standards.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001299709-23-000305
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: AX
- cik: 0001299709
- company_name: Axos Financial, Inc.
- filed_at: 2023-11-29T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.25
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.25
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1299709/000129970923000305/0001299709-23-000305-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1299709/000129970923000305/ax-20231127.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001299709-23-000305
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001299709-23-000305.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001299709-23-000305.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Sara Wardell-Smith was elected as Director at Axos Financial, Inc..
  - Action: elected
  - Role: Director
  source text: On November 27, 2023, the Board of Directors of Axos Financial, Inc. (the “Company”) and Axos Bank (the “Bank”) increased the number of directors and elected Sara Wardell‐Smith as a new director of each of the Board of Directors of the Company and the Bank, effective as of December 1, 2023.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1299709/000129970923000305/0001299709-23-000305-index.htm

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