Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch
About Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch
Ivana Magovčević-Liebisch, Ph.D., J.D., age 57, is an independent director of Acrivon Therapeutics, Inc. (ACRV) appointed effective February 8, 2024; she serves on the Audit Committee . She is President and Chief Executive Officer of Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. (since July 2020) and currently serves on the board of Quanterix Corporation . Her credentials include a Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard University, a J.D. in high technology law from Suffolk University Law School, and a B.A. in biology and chemistry from Wheaton College (summa cum laude) . The Board has determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipsen | Executive Vice President & Chief Business Officer | March 2018 – April 2020 | Grew pipeline through strategic transactions |
| ABSCI Corporation (ABSI) | Chairperson of the Board | Not disclosed | Chair role referenced |
| Aeglea BioTherapeutics (now Spyre Therapeutics, SYRE) | Director | Not disclosed | Board service referenced |
| Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation (acquired by Syncona Ltd, now Beacon Therapeutics Holdings Ltd) | Director | Not disclosed | Board service referenced |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. | President & Chief Executive Officer | Since July 2020 | CEO leadership in microglia-focused therapeutics |
| Quanterix Corporation | Director | Current | Board service referenced |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Audit Committee chaired by Michael Tomsicek; members include Tomsicek, Magovčević-Liebisch, and DiRocco .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except the CEO (Blume-Jensen) and EVP Masson are independent; Magovčević-Liebisch is independent .
- Attendance: During 2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Meetings in 2024: Board 5; Audit 4; Compensation 4; Nominating & Corporate Governance 0 formal (committee acted via calls/consents) .
- Risk oversight: Audit Committee oversees major financial risk exposures, legal/regulatory compliance, and Company policies governing the use of artificial intelligence .
| 2024 Governance Metrics | Count/Status |
|---|---|
| Board meetings held | 5 |
| Audit Committee meetings held | 4 |
| Compensation Committee meetings held | 4 |
| Nominating & Governance formal meetings held | 0 (actions via calls/consents) |
| Director attendance threshold met | ≥75% for all directors |
| Independence status | Independent |
| Committee role | Audit Committee member |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 40,417 | Pro-rated based on service from Feb 8, 2024 |
Director compensation policy (cash retainers):
| Cash Component | Annual Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Board annual retainer | 40,000 |
| Lead independent director | 20,000 |
| Audit chair | 15,000 |
| Audit non-chair member | 7,500 |
| Compensation chair | 15,000 |
| Compensation non-chair member | 7,500 |
| Nominating & Governance chair | 10,000 |
| Nominating & Governance non-chair member | 5,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Exercise Price | Change-of-Control Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial non-employee director stock option | Feb 8, 2024 (appointment effective) | 32,500 | 82,059 | Monthly over 3 years | FMV at grant date (nonstatutory options) | Full vesting upon change-in-control under 2022 Plan |
Policy notes:
- Annual option awards begin after one year of service; grant date fair value $210,000, capped at 20,275 shares; monthly vesting over one year, and in any case fully vests immediately before the next annual meeting .
- All non-employee director options carry a 10-year term, subject to earlier termination on service end .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Vigil Neuroscience, Inc. | CEO | No ACRV related-party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Magovčević-Liebisch |
| Quanterix Corporation | Director | No ACRV related-party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Magovčević-Liebisch |
- Related party transactions: None disclosed involving Dr. Magovčević-Liebisch; the proxy details a 2024 private placement with 5% holders RA Capital, Perceptive, Sands Capital Pulse II, and Citadel affiliates but does not attribute any transaction to her .
- Compensation committee interlocks: None required to be disclosed for 2024; compensation committee members were independent .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Executive leadership: CEO of Vigil Neuroscience; prior EVP/Chief Business Officer at Ipsen, leading strategic transactions to grow pipeline .
- Scientific/legal credentials: Ph.D. in genetics (Harvard) and J.D. in high technology law (Suffolk); BA in biology/chemistry (Wheaton, summa cum laude) .
- Public board experience: Past chair at ABSCI; director roles at Aeglea BioTherapeutics and Applied Genetic Technologies; current director at Quanterix .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Beneficially owned shares (#) | 14,444 (options exercisable within 60 days of April 21, 2025) |
| Beneficial ownership (%) | <1% (“*” indicated) |
| Options outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024 (#) | 32,500 |
| Shares outstanding (record date Apr 21, 2025) | 31,354,984 |
Section 16(a) compliance:
- Company reported all Section 16(a) filings were timely for 2024 except certain officers/directors (none listed include Dr. Magovčević-Liebisch) who filed late due to administrative oversight .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent director with Audit Committee role; audit membership supports strong financial oversight; committee also monitors legal/regulatory compliance and AI policy governance, enhancing risk oversight .
- Engagement: Met attendance threshold; Board/committee meeting cadence suggests active governance (Board 5, Audit 4 in 2024) .
- Incentive alignment: Director pay mix primarily cash retainer plus time-based options; initial option grant vests over 3 years and is non-performance-based; options priced at FMV at grant date .
- Change-in-control terms: Director options fully vest upon change-in-control, which can be shareholder-friendly for retention but warrants awareness due to potential perception of guaranteed acceleration .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Magovčević-Liebisch; compensation committee reported no interlocks in 2024 .
- Watch items (time commitment): Concurrent CEO role at Vigil and directorship at Quanterix increase external commitments; the Board’s nominating criteria require sufficient time commitment, which should continue to be monitored for overboarding risk .
- Policies: Insider Trading Policy and Corporate Governance Guidelines in place; Audit Committee reviews related-party transactions under formal policy—positive governance signals .