Becker Hewes
Chief Medical Officer at BPMC
Executive
About Becker Hewes
Becker Hewes, M.D., age 59, is Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Blueprint Medicines (BPMC) and has served in this role since January 2021 after joining as SVP, Clinical Development in May 2020 . He holds an M.D. from Georgetown University School of Medicine and a B.S. from Vanderbilt University . Under his executive tenure, Blueprint delivered 2023 total revenue of $249.4 million and AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT net product revenue of $204.2 million, up 84% year over year, driven by U.S. and EU launches in indolent systemic mastocytosis (SM) . Executive equity incentives are tied to a three-year relative TSR PSU program versus the S&P Biotech Index, aligning leadership with shareholder returns .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blueprint Medicines | CMO; previously SVP, Clinical Development | CMO since Jan 2021; SVP May 2020–Jan 2021 | Leads clinical development across oncology/hematology; joined to scale clinical execution |
| Repertoire Immune Medicines | Chief Medical Officer | Feb 2017–May 2020 | Built multidisciplinary clinical/biomarker team; advanced immuno-oncology programs into the clinic |
| Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research | Executive Director, Translational Clinical Oncology | Jun 2013–Feb 2017 | Led early-stage oncology programs to clinical POC, including Kisqali (ribociclib) |
| AstraZeneca; Genzyme (Sanofi); Wyeth | Clinical development leadership roles | Prior to 2013 | Led registration programs for Bosulif (bosutinib) and Torisel (temsirolimus) |
| Emory Vaccine Center / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta | Immuno-oncology researcher / Pediatric oncologist | Pre-industry | Combined research with clinical care in pediatric oncology |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | No public-company or non-profit board roles disclosed for Dr. Hewes in BPMC proxies |
Fixed Compensation
| Element | Becker Hewes (disclosure) | Program notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base salary | Not individually disclosed (not a Named Executive Officer) | Executive base salaries are set by the Compensation Committee using market data, role scope, and performance |
| Target bonus % | Not individually disclosed | Annual Executive Bonus Plan links pay to pre-set corporate and (for non-CEO execs) individual goals; individual portion capped at 150% of target; corporate max updated to 200% beginning with 2025 performance year |
| Actual bonus paid | Not individually disclosed | 2023 corporate performance was assessed at 115% of target; NEO examples show structure (CEO 100% corporate; other NEOs 75% corporate/25% individual) |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive type | Metric(s) | Weighting/curve | Target/actual | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual cash (corporate) | Commercial, clinical, R&D, financial, culture/retention goals set annually | Corporate portion up to 200% max beginning 2025; assessed holistically | Company 2023 corporate score: 115% of target | Paid following year per plan |
| Annual cash (individual) | Pre-set individual goals (non-CEO execs) | Capped at 150% of target; typical split for NEOs is 75% corporate / 25% individual (CEO 100% corporate) | Not disclosed for Hewes | Paid following year per plan |
| Stock options | Time-based service | Mix of options/RSUs at fixed ratio for VP+; options vest monthly over 4 years; 10-year term; strike = grant-date close | Not disclosed for Hewes | Time-based; vesting ceases at termination (3-month post-termination exercise) |
| RSUs | Time-based service | RSUs vest 25% on first anniversary, then 25% annually (4-year schedule) | Not disclosed for Hewes | Service-based vesting; acceleration under certain CIC/termination terms |
| PSUs (introduced 2023; expanded 2025) | Three-year relative TSR vs S&P Biotech Index | Payout curve: 0% at <25th percentile; 50% at 25th; 100% at 50th; 150% at 75th; 200% at 100th; capped at 100% if absolute TSR negative | Targets not disclosed by individual; PSU program expanded in 2025 to all senior leaders ≥ VP | Earned after 3-year performance cycle; vest on third anniversary, service required; sale-event and double-trigger CIC provisions apply |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Ownership and transactions
- 2025-03-05: Sold 10,095 shares at ~$88.23; filing footnote states sales were to cover tax withholding upon RSU vesting; shares owned after: 30,419 (Direct) .
- 2025-07-17: Upon closing of Sanofi acquisition, multiple stock option positions (e.g., 13,490 @ $66.24; 26,125 @ $100.13; 9,115 @ $61.31; 19,271 @ $43.15; 25,000 @ $95.12; 22,000 @ $96.57) were disposed/canceled pursuant to the Merger Agreement; post-transaction derivative holdings reported as 0 (Direct) .
- Policies impacting alignment
- Stock ownership guidelines: CEO 3x base salary; other NEOs 1x base salary; guidelines exclude vested/unexercised in-the-money options and unvested/unearned PSUs; NEOs were in compliance as of Dec 31, 2024 .
- Hedging and pledging prohibited for all directors and employees, including executive officers .
- Company emphasizes equity-heavy pay mix for VP+ with options/RSUs, and PSUs for executives to align with shareholder value creation .
Employment Terms
| Term | Summary (applies to executive officers other than CEO unless noted) |
|---|---|
| Employment | At-will employment agreements establish title, initial compensation, benefits eligibility |
| Severance (non‑CIC) | If terminated without cause or resign for good reason: 12 months of base salary paid over 12 months; 12 months medical/dental benefits (or COBRA period if shorter) |
| Severance (CIC double‑trigger, within 12 months post‑sale event) | Lump sum 1.5x base salary + 1.5x target annual bonus; 18 months medical/dental benefits; full/instant vesting of time-based equity; release requirement; applies if successor assumes awards; separate treatment if successor does not assume |
| Equity acceleration (if successor does not assume awards in sale event) | Lump-sum equity acceleration per award terms; see proxy “Potential Payments” table methodology |
| Non‑compete / Non‑solicit | Non-compete and non-solicit apply during employment and for 12 months post-employment, subject to law |
| Clawback | Updated 2023 clawback covers incentive compensation for current/former executive officers upon financial restatement (three-year lookback) |
| Tax gross‑ups | No tax gross-ups for CIC payments; only for certain relocation expenses per policy |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance and alignment: Expansion of PSUs (rTSR vs S&P Biotech Index) to senior leaders increases linkage to shareholder returns and can reduce downside payouts when absolute TSR is negative, strengthening alignment signals for the CMO role .
- Retention risk: Standard biotech severance and double-trigger CIC protections (1.5x salary/bonus, time-based equity acceleration) plus 12-month non-compete mitigate near-term turnover risk in a competitive talent market .
- Insider activity and selling pressure: The March 2025 sale was tax-withholding related to RSU vesting (non-discretionary), a neutral signal; July 2025 option dispositions were mechanical outcomes of the Sanofi merger close, eliminating overhang from potential future option exercises .
- Corporate performance under tenure: 2023 revenue execution and regulatory approvals for AYVAKIT/AYVAKYT in indolent SM support value-creation credentials of the clinical leadership bench, including the CMO function .