Scott Braunstein
Atai BeckleyAbout Scott Braunstein
Scott Braunstein, M.D., age 61, is an independent supervisory director of atai Life Sciences N.V. (ATAI) whose current term began in 2024 and expires in 2027; he serves as a member of the Audit Committee and chair of the Science & Technology Committee, and is designated an “audit committee financial expert.” He holds an M.D. from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University, and is CEO and Chairman of Marinus Pharmaceuticals; he also serves on the boards of Caribou Biosciences and Trevena .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marinus Pharmaceuticals (MRNS) | President & CEO; Chair of the Board (Chair since Nov 2022; Director since Sep 2018; Executive Chair Feb–Aug 2019) | 2018–present | Executive leadership and board chair responsibilities . |
| Pacira Pharmaceuticals (PCRX) | SVP, Strategy; Chief Operating Officer | 2015–2018 | Operations and strategy leadership . |
| Everpoint Asset Management | Healthcare Portfolio Manager | 2014–2015 | Investment management . |
| J.P. Morgan Asset Management | Healthcare Analyst/MD; PM of JPM Global Healthcare Fund | ~12 years | Managed investments in pharma/biotech/devices . |
| Aisling Capital | Operating Partner | 2015–present | Private equity/venture operating role . |
| Summit Medical Group; Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Columbia University Medical Center | Practicing Physician; Assistant Clinical Professor | Early career | Clinical practice and academic roles . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since/Status |
|---|---|---|
| Marinus Pharmaceuticals (MRNS) | CEO; Chairman; Director | Ongoing . |
| Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) | Director | Ongoing . |
| Trevena (TRVN) | Director | Ongoing . |
| Aisling Capital | Operating Partner | Since 2015 . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member and Science & Technology Committee chair; committee charters are available on the company website .
- Independence: All supervisory directors other than Christian Angermayer are independent under Nasdaq rules; Braunstein meets the independence requirements and is affirmed for Rule 10A-3 audit committee eligibility .
- Audit committee financial expert: The board determined Sabrina Martucci Johnson and Scott Braunstein are “audit committee financial experts” under Item 407(d)(5)(ii) .
- Attendance: The supervisory board held six meetings in FY2024; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of board and their committee meetings. The audit committee met seven times in 2024 (including sessions with the external auditor without management) .
- Risk oversight: The board oversees strategic risk; the audit committee covers ICT/cybersecurity and related-person transaction policy; nominating committee manages independence/conflicts; compensation committee oversees compensation-related risk .
- Shareholder vote signal: Braunstein’s appointment was approved at the May 17, 2024 AGM (For: 41,460,753; Against: 4,307,857; Abstain: 57,020) .
- Conduct/insider policy: The Insider Trading Compliance Policy prohibits hedging and similar instruments; waivers to Code of Conduct were not granted in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
- 2024 director fee schedule: Annual director fee increased from $40,000 to $45,000 effective May 17, 2024; committee and chair fees specified below; fees paid quarterly in arrears .
| Component | Amount (USD) | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director fee | $45,000 (was $40,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Chair of Board | $30,000 | Ongoing . |
| Lead Independent Director | $42,500 (was $25,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Audit Chair | $20,000 (was $15,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Audit Member (non-chair) | $10,000 (was $7,500) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Compensation Chair | $15,000 (was $10,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Compensation Member (non-chair) | $7,500 (was $5,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Nominating Chair | $10,000 (was $8,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Nominating Member (non-chair) | $5,000 (was $4,000) | May 17, 2024 . |
| Science & Technology Chair | $12,000 | Sep 18, 2024 . |
| Science & Technology Member (non-chair) | $6,000 | Sep 18, 2024 . |
- Braunstein 2024 cash fees: $35,940 .
| Director | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Braunstein, M.D. | 35,940 |
Performance Compensation
- Standard grants to non-employee directors: Initial option to purchase 206,000 shares upon election/appointment; annual option of 64,000 shares if the director has served ≥6 months as of AGM and continues to serve; options priced at fair market value on grant date, 10-year max term; accelerated vesting on change of control .
- Vesting schedules: Initial grant vests 1/3 on first anniversary, remaining 2/3 in 24 equal monthly installments to 3-year mark; annual grant vests in one installment by next AGM or first anniversary .
| Director | 2024 Option Awards (Fair Value, $) | Options Outstanding at FY-End (Shares) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Braunstein, M.D. | 213,151 | 206,000 | Initial director grant; no unvested stock awards reported as of 12/31/2024 . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Marinus Pharmaceuticals (MRNS) | CEO; Chairman; Director | Executive role in another neuroscience-focused biopharma; time commitment to external CEO/chair role to consider . |
| Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) | Director | External public board; no disclosed related-party transactions with ATAI . |
| Trevena (TRVN) | Director | External public board; no disclosed related-party transactions with ATAI . |
- Related-party oversight: ATAI’s audit committee reviews related-person transactions under Item 404 and maintains a related person transaction policy; nominating committee oversees independence/conflicts .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Experienced healthcare operator and investor (Pacira COO/SVP Strategy; JPM Asset Management healthcare MD/PM; Aisling Capital operating partner), with clinical background as a practicing physician and academic appointments; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Education: M.D. (Albert Einstein College of Medicine); B.A./B.S. undergraduate degree (Cornell University) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Ownership (#) | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Braunstein, M.D. | — | — | No beneficial common shares disclosed as of April 2, 2025; options outstanding at FY-end: 206,000 . |
- Hedging policy: Directors and employees are prohibited from hedging transactions that offset decreases in ATAI equity value (e.g., prepaid variable forwards, swaps, collars, exchange funds) .
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals: Independent director; audit committee financial expert; chair of Science & Technology committee, indicating strong engagement in R&D oversight; audit committee meets ≥4 times per year and met seven times in 2024; shareholder support for his appointment at the 2024 AGM .
- Alignment: Director compensation is modest cash plus equity options, with standard vesting and change-of-control acceleration; Braunstein’s 2024 compensation comprised $35,940 cash and $213,151 option grant fair value; options outstanding 206,000 as of 12/31/2024 .
- Watch items: Low/undisclosed direct share ownership as of April 2, 2025 (no common shares reported) and multiple external leadership/board roles may raise time-commitment considerations; related-party transactions currently governed by policy and audit committee oversight with no Braunstein-specific related-party disclosures in the proxy .
- Compliance framework: Formal insider trading and code of conduct policies, annual board/committee evaluation, and clawback policy for erroneously awarded incentive compensation (officer-focused per Rule 10D-1) support governance quality .