Brad Hauser
About Brad Hauser
Brad Hauser is Chief Executive Officer and President of Autonomix Medical, Inc. (AMIX), appointed effective June 17, 2024; he is 48 years old and holds a B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University . He is a 20+ year medical technology leader with executive and R&D roles across aesthetics and energy-based devices, credited with helping take Soliton, ZELTIQ Aesthetics, and Reliant Technologies through acquisitions, and has served as an officer of four public companies . The company’s executive bonus framework under Hauser emphasizes corporate execution milestones (strategic partnerships, pivotal trial progress, financings, catheter design lock, proof-of-concept phases), with baseline goals at 100% and stretch goals adding up to 20% potential . In fiscal 2025, Hauser’s compensation included salary of $356,250 and a performance bonus of $202,350; his employment agreement sets a base salary of $450,000 with a 60% target bonus, rising to $468,000 base for FY2026 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beauty Health | Chief Operating Officer | Jan 2023 – Jun 2024 | Led operations, marketing, technology, R&D, QA/RA; advanced HydraFacial systems innovation |
| Soliton, Inc. | President & CEO | Nov 2020 – Dec 2021; transition through Jul 2022 with Allergan Aesthetics (AbbVie) | Company purchased by AbbVie; provided post-acquisition transition support |
| Allergan Pharmaceuticals (post-ZELTIQ acquisition) | VP R&D and GM, CoolSculpting | Since Apr 2017 | Led CoolSculpting post-acquisition integration and operations |
| ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. | SVP R&D; VP R&D; VP Product & Clinical Strategy | Jan 2017 – Apr 2017 (SVP); Jul 2015 – Jan 2017 (VP R&D); Dec 2013 onward (VP Product & Clinical Strategy) | Advanced energy-based device pipeline; part of team leading to acquisition by Allergan |
| Cutera | EVP Commercial Operations | Prior to 2013 (dates not specified) | Commercial leadership in aesthetics |
| Medicis | Director, Research & Development | Prior to 2013 (dates not specified) | R&D leadership in aesthetics |
| Solta Medical | Managing Director, Product & Clinical Marketing | Prior to 2013 (dates not specified) | Product and clinical marketing leadership |
External Roles
No current external public-company directorships or committee roles for Hauser were disclosed in the referenced filings; background and employment agreement outline prior roles and board preapproval requirements for external service but do not identify current external board seats .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | FY2025 | FY2026 (stated) |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $356,250 (actual paid) | $468,000 (set by committee) |
| Target Bonus (% of Base) | 60% (per agreement) | 60% (committee framework) |
| Non-Equity Incentive Paid ($) | $202,350 | Not disclosed |
| Option Awards Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | $1,103,961 | Not disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual/Payout | Vesting/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate execution goals (strategic partnerships, pivotal trial progress, financings, proof-of-concept progression) | 100% baseline; additional 20% stretch potential | Target bonus 60% of base salary | Committee awarded 95% of potential bonus; Hauser’s non-equity incentive paid: $202,350 | Annual bonus; committee retains discretion on methodology |
| Long-term incentives (stock options) | Committee-set annual value; typical 4-year ratable vest | Post-IPO initial annual grant target: $1,000,000 / Black-Scholes per share | FY2026 equity grants not yet determined as of the filing dates | Options typically vest 25% annually over 4 years; exercise price set at closing price or short-term average |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of June 30, 2025) | 11,250 shares beneficially owned; less than 1% of class (includes options exercisable within 60 days) |
| Stock options outstanding (3/31/2025) | 45,000 unexercisable at $27.00; expiration 06/17/2034 |
| First vesting tranche | 11,250 options vested on 06/17/2025 (first anniversary), consistent with 4 annual installments |
| Option cancellation | On 08/11/2025, Hauser entered into a stock option cancellation agreement to cancel 45,000 options; received additional three months of base salary severance (on top of 12 months in his agreement) |
| Plan evergreen feature | 2023 Stock Plan automatically increases available shares by 5% annually unless the Board reduces or waives the increase; increases of 47,116 (4/1/2024) and 124,852 (4/1/2025) were effected |
Employment Terms
| Provision | Terms |
|---|---|
| Term | Initial three-year term from 06/17/2024; may be extended year-to-year |
| Base Salary | $450,000 initial; subject to annual review; set to $468,000 for FY2026 |
| Target Bonus | 60% of base salary |
| Equity Inducement | Ten-year option to purchase 45,000 shares at closing price on 06/17/2024; vests 25% annually over 4 years; outside the 2023 Plan under Nasdaq Rule 5635(c)(4) |
| Change-of-Control (CoC) vesting | All unvested options immediately vest upon a CoC or termination without cause/for good reason |
| Severance (standard) | 12 months base salary + 100% of target bonus if terminated without cause or for good reason |
| Severance (CoC window) | Increased by 50% if termination without cause/for good reason occurs within 3 months prior to or 12 months after a CoC |
| Excise tax gross-up | Company provides gross-up to neutralize Section 4999 excise tax impact so Hauser receives pre-tax-equivalent benefits |
| Additional severance linked to option cancellation | Granted an additional three months of base salary in connection with 08/11/2025 option cancellation agreements |
| Initial disclosure variance | An 8-K initially disclosed inducement options of 900,000 shares vesting over 4 years; subsequent S-1/DEF 14A reflect the inducement option as 45,000 shares |
Track Record, Value Creation, and Execution
- Hauser’s background spans R&D leadership and C-suite roles across multiple successful energy-based aesthetic platforms; he was part of teams that took Soliton, ZELTIQ Aesthetics, and Reliant Technologies through acquisitions, and has served as an officer of four public companies .
- Under the current AMIX bonus framework, management milestones tied to partnerships, pivotal trial progress, and financings drove 95% payout of potential bonuses for the fiscal year, evidencing a focus on financing and clinical execution .
Compensation Structure Observations
- Equity mix is primarily stock options with four-year ratable vest, exercise price at contemporaneous trading levels or short-term average; FY2026 equity grants were pending Compensation Committee discretion at the time of filings .
- The employment agreement includes single-trigger CoC vesting and an excise tax gross-up, increasing potential CoC economics relative to shareholder-friendly practices; severance elevates by 50% in the CoC window .
- In July–August 2025, management and directors executed broad option cancellations; Hauser canceled 45,000 options and received added cash severance, while the company recognized accelerated stock-comp expense related to cancellations, altering near-term dilution and incentive overhang dynamics .
Governance and Certifications
- Hauser executed SOX 302 certifications for AMIX’s 10-Q (Q2 FY2026) and 10-K/A (FY2025), affirming the design and effectiveness of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting .
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance linkage exists via corporate execution milestones and baseline/stretch bonus mechanics; Hauser’s FY2025 bonus payout aligned with 95% goal attainment and his agreement’s 60% bonus target framework .
- CoC provisions (immediate vesting; 50% severance uplift; 4999 gross-up) increase potential change-of-control costs and could dilute strict alignment with long-term shareholder outcomes in a sale scenario .
- The August 2025 option cancellation (45,000 options for Hauser) and added severance reshape incentive convexity and may reduce short-term insider exercise/selling pressure while increasing guaranteed cash components; the plan’s evergreen feature adds ongoing equity supply unless curtailed by the Board .
- Beneficial ownership for Hauser remains below 1% of shares outstanding, with prior options having been canceled; ownership alignment relies on future equity grant decisions by the Compensation Committee .