James Barry

About James Barry

James J. Barry is Executive Vice President and President, Life Science Group at Bio-Rad (appointed effective May 1, 2024). He is 47, holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology) and an MBA (Pepperdine), and previously led Bio-Rad’s Global Manufacturing Operations and Quality Controls Division after 18 years at Beckman Coulter (Danaher) in genomics and lab automation commercial roles . During Barry’s tenure leading Life Science, segment net sales were roughly flat year over year (Q3 and 9M 2025 vs. 2024), while segment profit modestly contracted, highlighting execution in a mixed demand backdrop .

Past Roles

External Roles

Fixed Compensation

• Not disclosed as a Named Executive Officer (NEO) in the 2025 Proxy; NEOs for 2024 were CEO, CFO, President & COO, EVP Global Commercial Ops, and EVP & President, Clinical Diagnostics Group .
• Company program design emphasizes competitive base pay, with merit increases and market benchmarking; specific values for Barry are not included in public tables .

Performance Compensation

• Annual cash bonus (IBP): objective Corporate metrics for executives in 2024 were Corporate Sales (60% weight) and Corporate Operating Income (40% weight). Results came in below target after FX and other adjustments, informing below‑target payout calibration company‑wide; individual outcomes for Barry are not disclosed .

• Equity program (2024 design for executives/NEOs): mix of Class A RSUs and non‑qualified stock options; options strike = FMV at grant, 10‑year term; both RSUs and options vest 25% annually over 4 years (continued service). 2023 and 2022 PSUs tied to adjusted EBITDA margin were forfeited (2023 below threshold; 2022’s 3‑year performance period ended in 2024 with 24.8% threshold/25.8% target unmet) .

Equity Ownership & Alignment

• Stock ownership guidelines (adopted June 2022) apply to EVPs and above: required ownership equal to 2x salary (CEO 5x), with five years to comply from later of guideline adoption or becoming EVP. Shares counted include owned, vested deferred comp, vested options, and unvested RSUs. As an EVP appointed in May 2024, Barry is subject to these rules and has a five‑year window to achieve compliance (implies through 2029) .
• Clawback policy (effective Oct 2, 2023) applies to current/former Section 16 officers; requires recoupment of erroneously awarded incentive‑based compensation after a restatement within the three prior fiscal years, subject to NYSE rules .
• Insider Trading Compliance Policy prohibits hedging, short sales, and transactions in publicly traded options (reduces misalignment/hedging risk). The cited excerpt does not explicitly address pledging as collateral .
• Beneficial ownership: The 2025 Proxy details ownership for directors/NEOs; Barry’s individual ownership was not itemized, and no delinquent Section 16 filings were disclosed for him (delinquencies listed for other insiders) .

Employment Terms

• Appointment: Barry was appointed EVP & President, Life Science Group effective May 1, 2024; no specific offer letter or compensation terms were filed in the appointment 8‑K .
• Equity plan change‑in‑control (CIC): The equity plans provide that upon a CIC, awards generally become fully exercisable and forfeiture restrictions lapse immediately prior to the CIC, subject to award agreement terms; the 2017 Plan further provides for acceleration/lapse of restrictions and Administrator discretion on treatment at CIC .
• Executive CIC Severance Plan: Adopted in Feb 2022; participants (including each NEO) are eligible for certain severance and 100% vesting acceleration of equity upon qualifying termination during the two‑year CIC window (company‑level plan description; participation beyond NEOs is not specified in proxy) .

Performance & Track Record (Life Science segment under Barry’s leadership)

• Interpretation: Life Science revenue was stable year over year through Q3/9M 2025; segment profit declined modestly, suggesting mixed margin dynamics amid cost, mix, or investment effects during Barry’s early tenure .

Governance, Say‑on‑Pay, and Compensation Process (context)

• Strong shareholder support: 96% approval on 2023 say‑on‑pay; 98% approval in 2024 to amend the 2017 Incentive Award Plan (adding director eligibility, extending to 2034, etc.). In 2023, 77% supported triennial say‑on‑pay frequency .
• Compensation governance: Committee uses Compensia and market surveys (Radford, WTW) to calibrate equity grants and maintains FMV‑priced options with no repricing without shareholder approval .

Risk Indicators & Red Flags

• PSU forfeitures in 2023 and 2022 indicate challenging adjusted EBITDA margin targets were not met; could signal rigorous performance hurdles and lower realized performance equity for the period .
• Hedging and short‑sale prohibitions are in place; the excerpt does not explicitly address stock pledging, which would be a red flag if permitted (no evidence in cited section) .
• Section 16 compliance: No Barry‑specific delinquencies were disclosed; other individuals had late filings .

Compensation Structure Analysis

• Shift in 2024 equity mix toward RSUs plus options (from prior PSU usage) lowers performance risk but lengthens retention hooks via 4‑year ratable vesting; options maintain performance sensitivity via leverage and FMV strike .
• Cash bonus metrics (Corporate Sales/OI) tightly link pay to top‑line and profitability; 2024 below‑target achievement likely compressed cash payouts across executives .
• Repricing prohibited without shareholder approval; clawback policy compliant with NYSE Section 10D enhances governance rigor .

Expertise & Qualifications

• Mechanical engineering and MBA credentials; deep manufacturing/quality systems leadership plus commercial genomics and automation experience from Beckman Coulter and Bio‑Rad—useful for scaling operations and portfolio execution in life science tools .

Investment Implications

• Alignment: EVPs must reach 2x‑salary ownership within five years and are subject to a strict clawback and hedging ban—supportive for alignment; absence of disclosed pledging language in the excerpt is a monitoring point .
• Retention and selling pressure: Four‑year ratable vesting of RSUs/options implies ongoing vesting‑related liquidity windows; specific grant sizes/dates for Barry are not disclosed, limiting near‑term overhang analysis .
• Execution risk: Life Science revenue stability with slight profit pressure under Barry’s early tenure suggests measured execution amid a challenging margin environment; watch 2026 plan/targets and whether performance equity resumes after PSU forfeitures in 2022–2023 .
• Governance support: High say‑on‑pay and plan approval indicate investor support for comp framework; cash bonus metrics (Sales/OI) and FMV‑priced options maintain performance linkage, though greater use of PSUs would further tighten pay‑performance alignment if reinstated .