Mauro Ferrari
ARROWHEAD PHARMACEUTICALSAbout Mauro Ferrari
Mauro Ferrari, PhD, is an independent director of Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals (ARWR) focused on nanomedicine and biomedical engineering; age 65, serving on the board since 2010, with deep academic and translational credentials across UC Berkeley, Ohio State, UT Health, MD Anderson, Rice, and Weill Cornell/Houston Methodist leadership roles . He currently serves as Affiliate Professor of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington and as President/CEO/Board Member of BrYet US, Inc., and Chairman of BrYet Europe, reflecting both scientific and venture-building expertise . His core credentials include over 500 publications, 30+ patents, and recognized leadership in cancer therapeutics and drug delivery technologies .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston Methodist Hospital Research Institute | President & CEO | 2010–2019 | Led research institute; executive oversight of translational programs |
| Houston Methodist Hospital | Executive Vice President | 2010–2019 | Hospital leadership across clinical and academic interfaces |
| Weill Cornell Medical College (affiliate) | Senior Associate Dean | 2010–2019 | Academic oversight; alignment with clinical research |
| National Cancer Institute | Special Expert on Nanotechnology; Eminent Scholar | 2003–2005 | National-level nanotechnology program contributions |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Washington | Affiliate Professor of Pharmaceutics | Current | Academic appointment |
| BrYet US, Inc. (Houston, TX) | President, CEO, Board Member | Current | Biotech leadership |
| BrYet Europe (Italy) | Chairman of the Board | Current | Wholly-owned subsidiary of BrYet US |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Science Committee Co-Chair; Audit Committee Member; Nomination Committee Member .
- Prior Compensation Committee service: member in fiscal 2023; not a member in fiscal 2024–2025 following refresh (2025 members: Perry-Chair, Lu, Waddill) .
- Independence: Board majority independent; all directors except CEO deemed independent under Nasdaq rules; Ferrari is independent .
- Attendance: 100% attendance at Board and applicable committees in fiscal 2024; directors also attended the 2024 Annual Meeting (virtual) .
- Board activity: Board held five meetings in fiscal 2024; Audit and Compensation Committees each met four times; Nomination met three times .
| Year | Board Meetings Held | Ferrari Attendance | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2023 | 5 | ≥75% (policy threshold met) | |
| FY 2024 | 5 | 100% |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | $80,000 | $80,000 | Standard for non-employee directors |
| Committee Chair Fees (Audit/Comp) | $0 (member; not chair) | $0 (member; not chair) | Chair fee is $5,000; not applicable to Ferrari |
| Science Committee Chair Fee | Not specified in program | Not specified in program | No specific Science chair fee disclosed |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | FY 2023 | FY 2024 | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| RSU Grant (Grant-Date Fair Value) | $265,721 | $380,833 | Director RSUs vest one year from grant date |
| Option Grant (Grant-Date Fair Value) | $113,881 | $0 (no FY24 options granted) | FY23 options vested in one year |
Performance metrics are not applied to director RSUs/options; awards are time-based to align service with shareholder interests .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Potential Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BrYet US/BrYet Europe | Private biotech | President/CEO/Chair | Another Arrowhead director (Douglass Given) lists BrYet Health Ltd among affiliations, indicating broader network ties; no Arrowhead related-party transaction disclosed for Ferrari . |
| Public company boards | Public | — | None disclosed for Ferrari . |
Arrowhead policy requires disclosure/approval of any director roles at customers/suppliers/competitors, and review of related-party transactions by the Audit Committee; no Ferrari-specific related-party transactions are disclosed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Internationally recognized expert in cancer therapeutics, nanomedicine, and biomedical nanotechnology; 500+ publications and 30+ patents .
- Extensive leadership across academic medical centers and translational institutes; founder experience in startups, matching Arrowhead’s R&D-intensive profile .
- Contributions mapped in Board skills matrix: biopharma R&D, healthcare, drug development, executive leadership, governance .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | As-of Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beneficially Owned Shares | 65,825 | Jan 10, 2024 | <1% of outstanding shares |
| Outstanding RSUs (Director) | 19,583 | FY 2024 YE | Director RSUs outstanding aggregate; Ferrari’s count noted |
| Outstanding Options (Director) | 4,593 | FY 2024 YE | Legacy director options outstanding |
| Hedging/Pledging Policy | Hedging prohibited; pledging allowed up to 75% of owned & vested shares with Board approval | Policy disclosure | No pledging by Ferrari disclosed in proxy . |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Ferrari’s scientific depth and translational leadership strengthen Arrowhead’s Science Committee oversight, co-chairing alongside cardiometabolic expertise—aligned with Arrowhead’s RNAi platform expansion (liver, lung, muscle, CNS) .
- Independence and attendance: Clear independence and perfect attendance in FY2024 support high engagement; consistent committee service across Audit/Nomination/Science underscores balanced oversight .
- Compensation & alignment: Director pay structure is conventional (cash plus time-based RSUs), with Ferrari’s FY2024 mix at $80k cash and $380.8k RSUs; absence of performance conditions is typical for directors, minimizing pay-for-performance controversy risk .
- Shareholder signals: Historical say-on-pay support is strong (94% in 2024; 89.8% in 2023), indicating investor confidence in board oversight of compensation; 2023 election support for Ferrari was solid (62,760,154 for; 6,726,045 against; 597,566 abstain) .
- Conflicts/related parties: No Ferrari-specific related-party transactions disclosed; Arrowhead’s policy framework (Audit Committee review, independence standards) mitigates conflict risk, including restrictions on hedging and controlled pledging .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Ferrari regarding related-party transactions, hedging, or pledging; continued dual roles at BrYet entities warrant routine monitoring under Arrowhead’s related-party and independence policies, but no transactions with Arrowhead are reported .
Additional signals: Lead Independent Director structure (Waddill) and regular executive sessions enhance independent oversight, offsetting combined CEO/Chair transition noted post-December 2024 .