Julia Gregory
BiohavenAbout Julia Gregory
Independent director Julia P. Gregory (age 72) has served on Biohaven Ltd.’s board since September 2022, after serving on the former parent’s board since August 2017. She is an experienced biopharma executive and investment banker: CEO roles at ContraFect and Five Prime Therapeutics, CFO at Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, and 20 years in investment banking (Dillon Read; Punk, Ziegel). She holds an MBA from Wharton and a BA from George Washington University, and is designated as an Audit Committee Financial Expert; the Board affirms her independence under NYSE rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isometry Advisors, Inc. | Chairman & CEO | Since Apr 2016 | Biotech financial/strategy advisory; leadership and governance experience |
| ContraFect Corporation | CEO; Director | Nov 2013–Mar 2016 (Director Apr 2014–Mar 2016) | Operational and board oversight |
| ContraFect Corporation | EVP & CFO | Jul 2012–Nov 2013 | Finance leadership |
| Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. | President & CEO | 2009–Aug 2011 | Strategic execution; company later sold to Amgen |
| Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | EVP Corporate Development & CFO | 2000–2008 | Finance, BD leadership |
| Dillon, Read & Co.; Punk, Ziegel & Company | Investment Banking; Head of IB & Life Sciences Practice | ~20 years | Capital markets and sector expertise |
| Cavion, Inc. | Executive Chair (sold to Jazz Pharma) | Noted in prior filing | Transaction leadership |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: NRIX) | Chair of the Board; Director | Current | Audit Committee member; Nominating & Governance Committee member |
| Freeline Therapeutics Holding plc (NASDAQ: FRLN) | Audit Committee Chair; Director | Until Feb 2024 (taken private) | Audit leadership |
| IMV Inc. (TSX: IMV; NASDAQ: IMV) | Director; Audit Committee member | Until Jan 2023 | Audit oversight |
| Sosei Group Corporation (TSE: 4565) | Director; Audit Committee member | Through Mar 2020 | Audit oversight |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments (FY2024): Audit Committee Chair; members were Gregory (Chair), Childs, Bailey, with four meetings held in 2024. Gregory and Childs are designated Audit Committee Financial Experts .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Gregory was a member in FY2023; FY2024 members were Bailey (Chair), Hugin, Antonijevic, Heffernan (Gregory not listed) .
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Gregory is independent under NYSE rules .
- Attendance and engagement: The Board met four times in 2024 and each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 AGM .
- Executive sessions: Non-management directors met in executive session at each in-person Board meeting; Lead Independent Director Heffernan presided .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Cash Fees (Director + Committee) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $82,000 | Board policy: $50,000 annual director retainer; committee member retainers—Audit $10,000; Compensation $10,000; Nominating & Governance $7,000; chair retainers—Audit $25,000; Compensation $20,000; Nominating & Governance $10,000 (unchanged from prior year). Individual totals may reflect prorating and role mix . |
| 2023 | $82,000 | Same fee schedule; total reflects role mix (Audit chair; committee memberships) . |
Performance Compensation
| Year | Grant Date | Equity Type | Shares | Exercise Price | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Apr 30, 2024 | Stock Options | 16,592 | $38.80 | Director annual option award grant date fair value: $485,933 | Vests in full on earlier of Apr 30, 2025 or 2025 AGM, subject to service . |
| 2023 | May 2, 2023 | Stock Options | 52,906 | $13.20 | Director annual option award grant date fair value: $485,937 | Vests in full on earlier of May 2, 2024 or 2024 AGM, subject to service . |
- Director equity is time-based, delivered as nonstatutory stock options under the 2022 Plan; no performance (TSR/financial) metrics are used for director awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Relationship | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public board | Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (Chair; Audit; Nominating & Governance) |
| Prior public boards | IMV Inc. (Director; Audit), Freeline Therapeutics (Audit Chair), Sosei Group (Director; Audit) |
| Potential interlocks/conflicts | No related-party transactions involving Ms. Gregory disclosed by Biohaven in FY2024/2025 . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial and governance expertise: Audit Committee Financial Expert; extensive CFO and banking background .
- Sector experience: Biopharmaceutical leadership in strategy, finance, and operations across multiple companies .
- Education: MBA (Wharton), BA (George Washington University) .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Beneficial Ownership (Shares) | % of Class | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 10, 2025 | 188,913 | 0.2% | 25,665 direct shares; 163,248 shares underlying options vested/exercisable within 60 days . |
| Mar 4, 2024 | 141,071 | 0.2% | 25,665 direct shares; 115,406 shares underlying options vested/exercisable within 60 days . |
- Outstanding director options at YE 2024: 194,498 total comprising 125,000 (93,750 vested; balance vests Oct 3, 2025), 52,906 (fully vested), and 16,592 (vests by Apr 30, 2025/2025 AGM), per director holdings table .
- Ownership alignment: Directors must hold ≥$1,000,000 in equity value; all directors were in compliance as of Jan 1, 2025 (and as of Mar 4, 2024 for that record date) .
- Hedging/pledging: Biohaven prohibits hedging/short sales; margin accounts and pledges are permitted within policy and applicable law. No pledges by Gregory are disclosed .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with deep financial expertise; serves as Audit Committee Chair and designated financial expert, enhancing oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, and cybersecurity. Attendance and engagement meet standards (≥75%); equity ownership policy compliance supports alignment with shareholders .
- Compensation quality: Director pay mix balanced with modest cash fees and fixed-value annual option grants; no performance gaming or repricing noted in director program; clawback policy in place for executives; strong governance practices with independent consultant support .
- Conflicts/related parties: No related-party transactions involving Gregory; independence reaffirmed annually. External chair role at Nurix may increase time demands, but no specific conflict is disclosed by Biohaven .
- Risk indicators: Company policy permits pledging/margin accounts (a governance sensitivity); monitoring continued independence and board workload is prudent. No hedging allowed; no director attendance or say-on-pay concerns disclosed .