Amy Elazzouzi
Senior Vice President, Finance; Interim Principal Financial Officer and Interim Principal Accounting Officer at Aura Biosciences
Executive
About Amy Elazzouzi
Senior Vice President, Finance at Aura Biosciences since January 2025; previously Vice President, Finance (Jan 2020–Jan 2025) and Corporate Controller (Sept 2015–Jan 2020). She served as Interim Principal Financial Officer and Interim Principal Accounting Officer from October 25, 2024 until May 13, 2025, and continues as Principal Accounting Officer thereafter; age 52; MBA (Northeastern University) and BA (Regis College) . She signed the FY 2024 SOX CEO/CFO certifications as Interim PFO/PAO, indicating accountability for disclosure controls and financial reporting during the period . Company context: Aura reported no product revenue and continued net losses as of 2025, which frames bonus metric selection and equity value realization timelines .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aura Biosciences | Senior Vice President, Finance; Principal Accounting Officer (current) | Jan 2025–present | Oversees finance; continued PAO after CFO hire (May 13, 2025) |
| Aura Biosciences | Interim Principal Financial Officer & Interim Principal Accounting Officer | Oct 25, 2024–May 13, 2025 (PFO); PAO continues | Led finance during CFO transition; signed FY24 SOX certifications |
| Aura Biosciences | Vice President, Finance | Jan 2020–Jan 2025 | Finance leadership through pre-commercial R&D scale-up |
| Aura Biosciences | Corporate Controller | Sept 2015–Jan 2020 | Built accounting controls post-IPO readiness |
| KEW Group, Inc. | Director of Finance and Operations | Pre-2015 | Prior finance operations experience |
| AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Controller | Pre-2015 | Prior public biotech controllership |
Fixed Compensation
| Effective date | Role | Base salary ($) | Target bonus (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2015 (start Sept 28, 2015) | Corporate Controller | 180,000 | Up to 20% of salary |
| Oct 25, 2024 (Transition Date) | Interim PFO & Interim PAO | 360,000 | 30% of salary |
Performance Compensation
- Company annual bonus framework: NEO bonuses are based on achievement of corporate performance goals; for 2024, corporate goals were achieved at 90% (NEO payout aligned with 90%) . Ms. Elazzouzi’s 2024 target bonus opportunity was set at 30% of base salary upon becoming Interim PFO; her individual payout for 2024 was not disclosed .
| Metric | Weighting | Target | Actual/Outcome | Payout factor | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate performance goals (2024) | Company-level (not disclosed) | 100% | 90% of corporate goals achieved | 90% of target for applicable NEOs | Paid after year-end, subject to service |
| Ms. Elazzouzi target bonus opportunity (effective Oct 25, 2024) | N/A | 30% of base salary | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Annual, discretionary |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Beneficial ownership: Ms. Elazzouzi was not a named executive officer in 2024 and is not individually listed in the 2025 Principal Stockholders table; her specific beneficial ownership and percent of outstanding are not disclosed in the proxy .
- Hedging/pledging: Aura’s Insider Trading Policy prohibits short sales, purchasing/selling derivatives or hedging transactions, using company securities as margin collateral, and pledging company securities; all trades require pre-clearance and are subject to blackout windows, reducing forced-selling/pledging risk .
- Clawback: Compensation Recovery Policy requires recoupment of incentive-based compensation upon a required financial restatement, consistent with SEC/Nasdaq rules .
- 2015 new-hire equity: Options to purchase 35,000 shares at FMV on grant; 4-year vesting (standard service-based) .
| Grant date | Award type | Shares/Units | Strike/Terms | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2015 | Stock options | 35,000 | FMV at grant (not disclosed) | 4-year service-based vesting |
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Employment start | Sept 28, 2015 (offer accepted Aug 24, 2015) |
| Employment status | At-will employment |
| Current role | SVP, Finance; Principal Accounting Officer (ceased as PFO May 13, 2025) |
| Non-compete / Non-solicit | Applies during employment and for one year following employment; also has invention assignment and non-disclosure obligations |
| Indemnification | Standard officer indemnification agreement (form filed with S-1) |
| Severance (outside Change in Control Period) | 9 months base salary continuation; up to 9 months COBRA premium payments (CEO receives 12 months) |
| Severance (within Change in Control Period) | Lump sum: 9 months base salary; 0.75x target bonus plus pro rata target bonus; up to 9 months COBRA; time-based equity fully vests upon Qualifying Termination |
| Equity acceleration (legacy awards) | For equity awards held as of Nov 10, 2024, full vesting upon Change of Control (single-trigger for those legacy awards) |
Performance & Track Record
- Regulatory reporting and controls: As Interim PFO/PAO, she signed FY 2024 SOX 302 and 906 certifications, attesting to disclosure controls, ICFR responsibilities, and fair presentation of financials .
- Leadership transition: Upon CFO appointment on May 13, 2025, she ceased as PFO and continued as Principal Accounting Officer, ensuring continuity in financial reporting .
- Operating context: Aura remains pre-revenue and incurred a net loss of $80.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, underscoring reliance on equity financing and the long-duration nature of value realization for equity awards .
Compensation Structure Observations
- Cash vs. equity mix: 2024 compensation framework for NEOs emphasized equity (options and RSUs) for alignment and retention; Ms. Elazzouzi’s interim terms emphasize moderate cash with at-risk bonus (30%) and standard equity under the 2021 Plan, though her 2024–2025 individual grants are not disclosed .
- Governance safeguards: Prohibitions on hedging/pledging, required preclearance, and a compliant clawback framework limit misalignment and reduce insider selling pressure from margin/pledge dynamics .
Investment Implications
- Alignment and retention: Long tenure (since 2015), ongoing PAO role, and indemnification/non-compete provisions support continuity; CIC protection is moderate (9 months salary and 0.75x target bonus), signaling a mid-tier severance tier versus CEO, which can temper windfalls while offering retention during strategic events .
- Selling pressure: Company-wide bans on pledging, margin, and hedging materially reduce involuntary or synthetic selling risks; lack of disclosed individual ownership for Ms. Elazzouzi, however, limits visibility into “skin in the game” sizing .
- Pay-for-performance: Bonus determination is tied to corporate milestones (90% achievement in 2024 for NEOs), but Ms. Elazzouzi’s actual payout is undisclosed; given pre-revenue status and ongoing losses, equity remains the primary long-term alignment lever while cash remains moderate (base $360k, 30% target) .
- Execution risk lens: Her SOX certifications as Interim PFO/PAO in FY 2024 and continued PAO role reduce reporting/control risk during a period of capital markets activity and CFO transition, a constructive governance signal for investors focused on reliability of disclosures .