James Momtazee
BridgeBio PharmaAbout James C. Momtazee
James C. Momtazee (age 53) has served as a director of BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. since March 2016 (Class I; term through the 2026 annual meeting). He is the Managing Partner of Patient Square Capital and previously spent 21 years at KKR, culminating as a Member. He holds an A.B. and M.B.A. from Stanford University. The Board cites his expertise in corporate governance, healthcare investing, and financing as core credentials .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| BridgeBio Pharma, Inc. | Senior Advisor – Transactions | Feb 2020 – Jan 2021 | Advised corporate transactions; Board notes finance and governance expertise |
| Montes Archimedes Acquisition Corp. | Chairman & CEO | Oct 2020 – Oct 2021 | Led a healthcare-focused SPAC |
| KKR | Member | ~1998 – Jul 2019 | 21 years; healthcare deal leadership; governance/financing expertise |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roivant Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROIV) | Director | Public | Current public board; healthcare platforms |
| Apollo Therapeutics | Director | Private | Current |
| Enavate Sciences | Director | Private | Current |
| GondolaBio, LLC | Director | Private | Current; BridgeBio spin-out affiliate |
| Hanger, Inc. | Director | Private | Current |
| Kriya Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Private | Current |
| Elevage Medical Technologies | Director | Private | Current |
| Syneos Health | Director | Private | Current |
| Medical Device Manufacturers Association | Director | Non‑profit | Current |
| Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (Nasdaq: JAZZ) | Director | Public | 2004 – 2014 (prior) |
| HCA Healthcare Inc. (NYSE: HCA) | Director | Public | 2006 – 2014 (prior) |
| Entellus Medical, Inc. | Director | Public (historical) | 2017 – 2018 (prior) |
| PRA Health Sciences (Nasdaq: PRAH) | Director | Public (historical) | 2013 – 2021 (prior) |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined all non‑employee directors except Drs. Kumar, Homcy, and McCormick are independent; Momtazee is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Committee assignments: Not currently a member of Audit, Compensation, or Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees (membership lists exclude Momtazee) .
- Attendance: In 2024, the Board met 9 times; all directors then serving attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings. Nine directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership context: Charles Homcy is Lead Director; Fred Hassan is Lead Independent Director .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $50,000 | No additional committee/meeting fees under Amended Director Compensation Policy (effective Jan 1, 2022 – Dec 31, 2025) |
| Director fees paid (Momtazee) | $50,000 | 2024 actual fees earned |
| Committee fees | $0 | None under policy |
| Reimbursements | Reasonable out‑of‑pocket | For attendance at meetings |
Performance Compensation
| Instrument | 2024 Grant Value | Vesting | Change‑of‑Control Treatment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual non‑statutory stock option grant (policy) | $550,000 | Vests in 3 equal annual installments over 3 years; 10‑year term | Full acceleration upon “sale event” as defined in 2021 Plan | Exercise price = closing price on grant date |
| Option awards (Momtazee 2024 actual) | $549,998 | Per policy (3‑year annual vest) | Per 2021 Plan | Total director comp $599,998 (cash + options) |
| Outstanding options (Momtazee, 12/31/2024) | 441,558 shares | Mix of prior grants; see vesting schedules by grant | N/A | Aggregate outstanding options noted for director cohort |
No director RSUs/PSUs disclosed for Outside Directors under the Amended Policy; compensation is cash retainer plus stock options. No performance metric link to director pay is disclosed; vesting is service‑based .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- 5% holder affiliations: KKR Genetic Disorder L.P. beneficially owns 10.15% of BBIO; director Ali Satvat (KKR Partner) sits on BBIO’s Compensation and Nominating Committees, with interlock disclosure noted. Momtazee previously worked at KKR but is no longer employed there; Board considered associations with >5% holders in independence determinations .
- Network ties: Current directorship at Roivant Sciences (ROIV); Andrew W. Lo (BBIO director) previously served on ROIV’s board (2016–2022), indicating historical network overlap (not a current interlock) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: A.B., Stanford University; M.B.A., Stanford Graduate School of Business .
- Professional expertise: Healthcare investing, corporate governance, financing; prior KKR leadership and SPAC CEO experience .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficially Owned Shares | % Outstanding | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| James C. Momtazee | 434,727 | <1% | 88,491 shares (8,491 directly; 80,000 via The James Momtazee Revocable Trust) and 346,236 options vested/exercisable within 60 days of April 1, 2025 |
| Shares outstanding (reference) | 189,856,023 | — | Basis for percentage calculation (April 1, 2025) |
Policy alignment:
- Anti‑hedging/pledging: Directors and officers are prohibited from short sales, hedging and pledging BBIO securities; supports alignment and risk control .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed in the proxy for directors; beneficial ownership table provided .
Governance Assessment
- Committee influence: Not serving on Audit/Comp/Nominating limits direct committee‑level impact; governance contributions are via full Board. Independence affirmed despite historical KKR affiliation .
- Pay structure: Director compensation is heavily equity‑linked via options with three‑year service vest; annual total near the $600,000 cap for continuing Outside Directors, indicating robust equity alignment. Single‑trigger acceleration on “sale event” for director grants is shareholder‑unfriendly in some governance frameworks, but commonplace; it reduces retention risk in a transaction .
- Ownership “skin‑in‑the‑game”: Beneficial ownership <1% but includes a meaningful number of vested options; anti‑hedging/pledging policy mitigates misalignment risk .
- Attendance and engagement: Board‑wide attendance met ≥75% threshold; annual meeting attendance noted. No individual attendance shortfalls disclosed for Momtazee .
RED FLAGS / Watch items
- Single‑trigger equity acceleration for director option grants upon a “sale event” (accelerates vesting without termination) .
- Major shareholder ties: Historical KKR employment and current KKR 10.15% stake; another KKR executive (Satvat) sits on key committees. Independence reviewed and affirmed, but investors may monitor deliberations involving KKR‑related matters for potential perceived influence .
No related‑party transactions disclosed for Momtazee above $120,000 since Jan 1, 2024; the proxy lists consulting arrangements with other directors (McCormick; QLS/Lo) but none for Momtazee .