Jeffrey Ives
About Jeffrey L. Ives
Jeffrey L. Ives, Ph.D., age 74, has served as an independent director of Acumen Pharmaceuticals (ABOS) since May 2014. He is a neurosciences-focused executive and scientist: former CEO of Satori Pharmaceuticals (2008–2013), prior Senior Vice President at Pfizer leading global drug metabolism and neurodegenerative, psychiatry and pain research; he holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from Yale and a B.A. from Colgate University. The Board has affirmatively determined Dr. Ives is independent under Nasdaq standards.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Satori Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | 2008–2013 | Led Alzheimer’s disease-focused company |
| Pfizer Inc. | Senior Vice President | Prior to 2008 (years not specified) | Led global drug metabolism and neurodegeneration/psychiatry/pain research areas |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Public/Private |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cara Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since 2014 | Public biopharmaceutical company |
| Astrocyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director | Current | Not specified in proxy |
| Pinteon Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Prior | Not specified in proxy |
| Orthogonal Neuroscience LLC | Director | Prior | Not specified in proxy |
| NeuroPharma Advisors, LLC | Principal | Current | Private advisory |
| Access Biotechnology, Inc. | Advisor | Current | Not specified in proxy |
Board Governance
| Committee | Member | Chair | 2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | No | — | 4 |
| Compensation | Yes | Yes | 4 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | No | — | 3 |
- Board leadership: Independent Chair (Sean Stalfort) separates Chair/CEO roles to reinforce oversight independence.
- Independence: The Board determined Dr. Ives (and a majority of directors) are independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance: The Board met six times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings for which they served.
- Risk oversight: Compensation Committee monitors compensation-related risk; Audit oversees financial reporting, internal control, and cybersecurity; Nominating oversees governance guidelines.
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 Policy/Update |
|---|---|---|
| Director annual cash retainer | $40,000 (increased from $35,000 effective June 1, 2024) | $40,000 (policy unchanged from 2024 increase) |
| Compensation Committee chair retainer | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Fees earned (cash) – Dr. Ives | $47,917 | — |
Notes:
- Committee member retainers (if applicable): Audit member $7,500; Compensation member $5,000; Nominating member $4,000; not applicable to Dr. Ives beyond chair role in Compensation for 2024.
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | 2024 | 2025 Policy/Update |
|---|---|---|
| Annual stock option award (continuing directors) | 25,000 options; vests at next annual meeting or one year | 19,500 options per director |
| Annual RSU award (continuing directors) | Not used in 2024 director program | 12,800 RSUs per director |
| Option grant fair value (Dr. Ives) | $49,855 | — |
Performance metric design:
- Director equity awards vest on service-based schedules (time-based); no performance metrics disclosed for director equity (e.g., no TSR/EBITDA targets tied to director compensation).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Large shareholder linkage within Compensation Committee | Compensation Committee members are Drapkin, Ives (Chair), and Stalfort; Stalfort is President of PBM Capital. Entities affiliated with Paul B. Manning (address c/o PBM Capital Group) own 5.3% of ABOS—potential perceived influence from an investor-affiliated director on pay decisions. |
- Related party transactions: None requiring disclosure since January 1, 2023 (other than executive/director compensation).
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep neurodegenerative disease expertise (Alzheimer’s), former CEO of Satori and senior R&D leadership at Pfizer.
- Scientific and operational credentials: Ph.D./M.S. Yale; B.A. Colgate; leadership in drug metabolism and CNS research areas.
- Governance experience: Long-tenured public company director (Cara Therapeutics since 2014).
Equity Ownership
| Metric | 2024-12-31 | 2025-04-08 (Record Date) |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | — | 87,802 (options exercisable within 60 days) |
| Beneficial ownership (% of outstanding) | — | <1% |
| Options outstanding (aggregate) | 112,802 | — |
Notes:
- The proxy footnote states Dr. Ives’ beneficial ownership consists entirely of options exercisable within 60 days of April 8, 2025 (no direct common shares disclosed).
- Aggregate options held as of year-end for non-employee directors: Dr. Ives had 112,802.
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership: As Compensation Committee Chair, Dr. Ives oversees CEO/executive pay strategy, advisor selection (Aon), and risk review—role is central to pay-for-performance alignment.
- Independence and attendance: Independent and met minimum attendance standards; Board structure includes independent Chair, supporting objective oversight.
- Pay structure: 2024 director pay was balanced between cash ($47,917) and option equity ($49,855). 2025 policy adds RSUs, increasing ownership alignment and reducing option-only risk.
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership is exclusively near-term exercisable options per the record date footnote; 2025 RSUs should improve long-term equity hold expectations versus options alone.
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-person transactions disclosed; however, investor-affiliated director on Compensation Committee (Stalfort/PBM Capital) alongside a >5% holder linked to PBM could create perceived influence—mitigated by overall independence determinations and formal related-party review policies.
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding related-party transactions, pledging, or low attendance; monitor Compensation Committee composition and investor affiliations for perceived conflicts in pay decisions.
Consultant independence and process: The Compensation Committee engaged Aon to develop peer groups and compensation recommendations for executives and directors; the Committee considers advisor independence factors and retains full authority over fees/terms.