---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001628280-25-025599"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: null
cik: "0001758057"
company_name: "Luminar Technologies, Inc./DE"
filed_at: "2025-05-15T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-21T05:21:39.352058+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "negative"
materiality_score: 0.8
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# Luminar founder Austin Russell resigns as CEO after ethics inquiry; Paul Ricci appointed

## Summary
- Austin Russell resigned as President, CEO, and Board Chair after an Audit Committee ethics inquiry; remains on the Board.
- Board appointed Paul Ricci as CEO effective May 21, 2025; he was Nuance Chairman/CEO for nearly 20 years.
- Company states the ethics matter does not impact any financial results.
- CFO Thomas Fennimore will serve as interim principal executive officer until Ricci's start date.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001628280-25-025599
- form_type: 8-K
- cik: 0001758057
- company_name: Luminar Technologies, Inc./DE
- filed_at: 2025-05-15T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: negative
- materiality_score: 0.8
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.8
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758057/000162828025025599/0001628280-25-025599-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758057/000162828025025599/lazr-20250514.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-025599
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-025599.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001628280-25-025599.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Thomas J. Fennimore was appointed as Interim Principal Executive Officer at Luminar Technologies, Inc./DE.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Interim Principal Executive Officer
  source text: Board appointed Thomas J. Fennimore, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, to serve as interim principal executive officer until Mr. Ricci’s Start Date.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758057/000162828025025599/0001628280-25-025599-index.htm
- Executive change
  Paul Ricci was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at Luminar Technologies, Inc./DE.
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Board appointed Paul Ricci as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective on or about May 21, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758057/000162828025025599/0001628280-25-025599-index.htm
- Executive change
  Austin Russell resigned as President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Board at Luminar Technologies, Inc./DE.
  - Action: resigned
  - Role: President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairperson of the Board
  source text: Austin Russell resigned as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and as Chairperson of the Board, effective immediately.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1758057/000162828025025599/0001628280-25-025599-index.htm

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