Astera Labs, Inc. 8-K

What Happened
Astera Labs, Inc. announced on January 20, 2026 (8-K filed) that Germaine Cota, age 45, has been appointed Chief Accounting Officer and Vice President of Finance and will serve as the company’s principal accounting officer for SEC filings, effective January 20, 2026. Ms. Cota joins from BILL Holdings, Inc. (SVP, Finance & Accounting, principal accounting officer, Jan 2022–Jan 2026) and earlier held senior finance roles at 8x8, Mercari, LinkedIn and spent nearly 10 years at Ernst & Young. She holds a B.S. in Accounting from Santa Clara University and is a California CPA.

Key Details

• Base salary: $375,000 per year, effective upon appointment.
• Annual bonus target: discretionary performance bonus equal to 50% of base salary.
• One-time hiring/relocation bonus: $130,000, subject to recoupment if Ms. Cota resigns or is terminated for Cause within one year.
• Equity awards: RSUs representing the opportunity to receive $3,500,000 in common stock (Long-Term RSU Award) and $500,000 in common stock (Supplemental RSU Award). Long-Term RSUs vest 25% on the first anniversary of the vesting start date, then ratably quarterly over the next three years; Supplemental RSUs vest on the first anniversary.
• No arrangements with other persons regarding her selection and no reportable related-party transactions under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Why It Matters
This is a material executive change for Astera Labs’ financial reporting leadership — Ms. Cota will be the company’s principal accounting officer for SEC filings, a role that oversees accounting and financial statement integrity. Compensation includes salary, performance bonus potential, and sizable RSU awards that align her pay with company equity performance; the hiring bonus has recoupment terms that protect the company if she departs quickly. Investors should note the appointment for governance and reporting continuity; any future proxy or disclosure will show the related equity grants and potential dilution if and when RSUs vest and convert to shares.