John Hohneker
About John Hohneker, M.D.
Independent director at ArriVent BioPharma (AVBP), appointed in May 2024; age 65. Former CEO of Anokion SA (2018–2021), Head of R&D at Forma Therapeutics (2015–2018), and 14 years at Novartis culminating as SVP & Global Head of Development, Immunology & Dermatology. Education: B.S. in Chemistry (Gettysburg College), M.D. (University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey at Rutgers), internal medicine residency and medical oncology fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill. Current public directorships include Carisma Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CARM) and Curis (Nasdaq: CRIS), plus private boards Trishula Therapeutics and Artios LTD.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anokion SA | President & CEO | Jan 2018 – Feb 2021 | Led strategic and operational turnaround of Swiss biotech; CEO experience relevant to board oversight |
| Forma Therapeutics | Head of R&D | Aug 2015 – Jan 2018 | Led research and development; operational R&D leadership |
| Novartis AG | SVP & Global Head of Development, Immunology & Dermatology | 2001 – 2015 | Global clinical development leadership; deep immunology/dermatology expertise |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Public/Private | Ticker | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carisma Therapeutics | Director | Public | CARM | Immunotherapies |
| Curis, Inc. | Director | Public | CRIS | Oncology therapeutics |
| Trishula Therapeutics | Director | Private | — | Cancer immunotherapy |
| Artios LTD | Director | Private | — | DNA repair mechanisms |
Board Governance
- Committees: Chair, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee; Member, Compensation Committee. Not on Audit.
- Independence: Board determined Dr. Hohneker is independent under Nasdaq rules.
- Attendance: In 2024, no director attended fewer than 75% of board and applicable committee meetings; board met 6 times; audit 5; compensation 4; nominating 3.
- Lead Independent Director: Kristine Peterson (appointed April 2025), with chartered duties including presiding independent sessions and acting as liaison with management.
| Committee | Role | 2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair | 3 |
| Compensation | Member | 4 |
| Audit | — | 5 (committee composition excludes Hohneker) |
Fixed Compensation
| Period | Cash Fees ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FY 2024 | 28,063 | Prorated for mid-year appointment in May 2024 |
| Non-Employee Director Cash Retainers | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Board Member | 45,000 |
| Lead Independent Director | 30,000 |
| Audit Committee Chair | 20,000 |
| Audit Committee Member | 10,000 |
| Compensation Committee Chair | 15,000 |
| Compensation Committee Member | 7,500 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | 10,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Member | 5,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Period | Equity Type | Grant Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting | Option Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2024 (Hohneker) | Stock Options | 476,943 | Per plan agreements; director awards vest per policy | |
| Initial Director Award (policy) | Stock Options | 352,000 | Vests annually over 3 years, subject to service | 10 years |
| Annual Director Award (policy) | Stock Options | 235,000 | Vests at next annual meeting | 10 years |
- Performance metrics: None disclosed for director compensation (director equity grants are not tied to operating metrics).
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Area | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Shared directorships/interlocks with AVBP investors/customers/suppliers | None disclosed involving Dr. Hohneker in the proxy; board assessed independence and related-party exposure via audit committee oversight. |
| Related-party transactions | Proxy lists financing and registration agreements involving certain major holders and other directors; no transactions identified involving Dr. Hohneker. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical/industry: Senior clinical development leadership in immunology and oncology; prior CEO experience in biotech.
- Education: B.S. chemistry (Gettysburg), M.D. (Rutgers/UMDNJ), residency/fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill (internal medicine, medical oncology).
- Board qualifications: Executive leadership, R&D oversight, clinical development—supports compensation and governance committee effectiveness.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Total Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | Ownership % of SO | Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Hohneker, M.D. | 9,850 | <1% | Options exercisable or vesting within 60 days as of Apr 21, 2025 |
- Hedging/pledging: Company insider trading policy prohibits hedging and pledging; pre-clearance required for trades.
- Ownership guidelines: Director stock ownership guidelines not disclosed in proxy.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with deep R&D and biotech CEO experience; chairs Nominating & Governance and serves on Compensation—positions central to board effectiveness.
- Attendance met thresholds; active committees with defined charters; presence of Lead Independent Director enhances oversight.
- Director compensation policy balanced with cash retainer and option grants; alignment via long-term equity exposure.
- Potential risks/RED FLAGS:
- Multiple external public and private boards may constrain bandwidth; monitor ongoing attendance and committee engagement. (Disclosure shows acceptable attendance in 2024.)
- Newer tenure at AVBP (appointed May 2024) implies limited historical track record on AVBP board; monitor contributions over time.
- Conflicts/related parties:
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Hohneker; audit committee oversees such matters.
- Signals affecting investor confidence:
- Clear committee responsibilities and independent status support governance quality; option-heavy director equity grants create long-term alignment without cash windfalls.
- Overall board oversight of risk and independent sessions facilitated by Lead Independent Director improve governance posture.