Paul Meister
Amneal PharmaceuticalsAbout Paul Meister
Independent Chairman of the Board at Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX); age 72. Partner at Novalis LifeSciences and co‑founder/CEO of Liberty Lane Partners; previously President of MacAndrews & Forbes (2014–2018), interim Executive Vice Chairman at Revlon (2018), CEO of inVentiv Health (2010–2014), Chairman of Thermo Fisher Scientific (2006–2007), and executive officer at Fisher Scientific (1991–2006). Education: BA, University of Michigan; MBA, Northwestern University (Kellogg) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novalis LifeSciences | Partner | Not disclosed | Life science-focused venture firm |
| Liberty Lane Partners, LLC | Co‑founder & CEO | Not disclosed | Private investment company (healthcare, tech, distribution) |
| MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated | President | 2014–2018 | Oversaw diverse portfolio businesses |
| Revlon, Inc. | Executive Vice Chairman (interim) | 2018 | Beauty products company |
| inVentiv Health (now Syneos Health) | Chairman & CEO | 2010–2014 | Commercial/consulting/clinical services provider |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. | Chairman | Nov 2006–Apr 2007 | Scientific instruments/equipment supplier |
| Fisher Scientific International, Inc. | Executive Officer | 1991–2006 | Predecessor to Thermo Fisher Scientific |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committee/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aptiv PLC | Director | Since 2019 | Not disclosed |
| Quanterix Corporation | Director | Since 2013 | Not disclosed |
| Oaktree Acquisition Corp. I | Director | 2019–2021 | Prior SPAC role |
| Oaktree Acquisition Corp. II | Director | 2020–2022 | Prior SPAC role |
| Scientific Games Corporation | Director | 2012–2020 | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Role: Independent Chairman; presides over executive sessions; sets agendas and liaises between independent directors and Co‑CEOs .
- Independence: Board affirmed Meister is independent under Nasdaq rules; committees comprised entirely of independent directors despite “controlled company” status .
- Committee assignments (FY2024): Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; joined the Conflicts Committee in Q1 2025 (Conflicts Committee chaired by J. Kevin Buchi) .
- Attendance: Board met 7 times in FY2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board/committee meetings; all 11 directors attended the 2024 annual meeting; independent directors meet at least twice annually in executive session .
Fixed Compensation
Director compensation program (FY2024 structure):
| Component | Amount/Terms |
|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $75,000 |
| Annual RSU Grant (target value) | $250,000; $350,000 for Chairman |
| Vesting | 1-year cliff vesting |
| Committee Fees (Chair/Member) | Audit: $25,000/$15,000; Compensation: $20,000/$10,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance: $15,000/$7,500; Conflicts: $25,000/$15,000 |
| Per-Meeting Stipend | For >6 meetings per year: additional 1/6th of annual cash stipend per extra meeting |
Meister’s FY2024 actual director pay:
| Name | Cash Fees ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Total ($) | Outstanding RSUs | Options Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Meister | 100,000 | 350,002 | 450,002 | 56,361 | 115,156 |
Performance Compensation
| Element | Metrics | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Director Equity (RSUs) | None (time-based) | Annual RSUs vest after 1 year (cliff); Chairman receives additional $100,000 RSUs |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | Aptiv PLC; Quanterix Corporation |
| Prior public boards | Oaktree Acquisition Corp I & II; Scientific Games Corporation |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | No Meister-related related party transactions disclosed in AMRX proxy narrative; Conflicts Committee oversees related parties and includes Meister beginning Q1 2025 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CEO/general management, corporate development/M&A, R&D/scientific, venture investment, and international experience .
- Independent board leadership experience as Chairman .
Equity Ownership
Beneficial ownership (as of March 11, 2024):
| Holder | Shares of Common Stock | Options | RSUs | Total | % of Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Meister | 620,658 | 115,156 | 107,034 | 842,848 | <1% |
Policy alignment:
- Director stock ownership guideline: 3x annual cash retainer; all non‑employee directors have achieved or are working toward compliance within five years .
- Anti‑hedging/pledging: Directors (not Amneal Group members) are prohibited from pledging company stock and from hedging; broader anti‑hedging applies to directors and executives .
Director Election Support (Signal)
| Metric | 2024 Vote (May 2, 2024) | 2025 Vote (May 6, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| For | 238,720,752 | 239,786,615 |
| Against | 16,941,409 | 20,307,492 |
| Abstain | 42,130 | 227,394 |
| Broker Non‑Votes | 24,065,209 | 29,134,445 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent Chairman with broad operating and capital markets experience; Board affirmed independence; committees fully independent despite controlled company status .
- Chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance (board refresh, ESG oversight), joined Conflicts Committee in 2025 (oversight of related party transactions) .
- Attendance meets policy; presides over independent director executive sessions .
- Ownership alignment via RSUs and stock ownership guidelines; anti‑hedging/pledging restricts misalignment practices .
- Watch items / red flags:
- Controlled company: Amneal Group retains consent rights over key governance actions (risk of entrenchment) .
- Relative support: Meister’s “against” votes materially higher than peers in 2024/2025 director elections, indicating pockets of shareholder concern (monitor for engagement and governance responsiveness) .
- Concentrated stockholder control may constrain board discretion even under independent chair structure .
Committee meeting cadence: FY2024 committees met Audit (4), Compensation (6), Nominating & Corporate Governance (4), Conflicts (10), reflecting active oversight of conflicts and compensation .