---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001437749-26-031894"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: "IPDN"
cik: "0001546296"
company_name: "Professional Diversity Network, Inc."
filed_at: "2026-10-02T20:30:40+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-10-12T14:39:12.532111+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.5
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Professional Diversity Network names CFO Yiran Gu as CEO, succeeding Xun Wu

## Summary
- Board appointed Yiran Gu, 37, as CEO effective Oct 2, 2026; she will keep the CFO title until a successor is named. Gu has been CFO since August 2025.
- Xun Wu's CEO term expired and the board did not renew it effective July 22, 2026; the filing states no disagreement with the company over operations, policies or practices.
- Employment agreement runs 12 months from Oct 2, 2026 with aggregate base compensation of $300,000/year covering both CEO and CFO roles, payable in cash, common stock, or a mix.
- Change-of-control terms: lump-sum equal to 12 months' base salary, pro-rated target bonus, and immediate vesting of 100% of unvested equity awards.
- Gu was a director and chief strategy officer at Koala Malta Limited from July 2021 to August 2025; the new agreement replaces her August 8, 2025 employment deal.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001437749-26-031894
- form_type: 8-K
- ticker: IPDN
- cik: 0001546296
- company_name: Professional Diversity Network, Inc.
- filed_at: 2026-10-02T20:30:40+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.5
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.5
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546296/000143774926031894/0001437749-26-031894-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1546296/000143774926031894/ipdn20261002_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-26-031894
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-26-031894.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001437749-26-031894.txt

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