Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D.
About Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D.
Kenneth C. Anderson, M.D., age 73, is a co‑founder of C4 Therapeutics and has served on the Board since December 2015; he is a Class I director with a term expiring at the 2027 annual meeting. He is the Kraft Family Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School (since 2002) and Director of the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center (since 2000) and the Lebow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics (since 2007) at Dana‑Farber; he is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and was President of the International Myeloma Society (2011–2015). He earned his M.D. from Johns Hopkins and trained in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology, and tumor immunology at Dana‑Farber .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harvard Medical School | Kraft Family Professor of Medicine | 2002–present | Academic leadership in oncology; translational expertise |
| Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute | Director, Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center | 2000–present | Myeloma program leadership; clinical research oversight |
| Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute | Director, Lebow Institute for Myeloma Therapeutics | 2007–present | Therapeutics strategy; R&D translation |
| International Myeloma Society | President | 2011–2015 | Global scientific leadership; stakeholder engagement |
External Roles
| Organization | Type | Role | Start Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window Therapeutics | Private biotech | Director | Jan 2021 |
| Dynamic Cell Therapies, Inc. | Private biotech (CAR‑T) | Director | Sep 2020 |
| Starton Therapeutics, Inc. | Private biotech (blood cancers) | Director | Sep 2020 |
| Other public company boards | — | Number of other public company boards | 0 |
Board Governance
- Classification and tenure: Class I director; term expires at the 2027 annual meeting; director since 2015 .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent; Anderson listed “Independent: Y” in skills matrix .
- Committees: Member, Science & Technology Committee (STC); STC chaired by Donna Grogan, M.D.; STC met 4 times in 2024 .
- Attendance: In 2024, each director attended in person or participated in 75%+ of Board and committee meetings on which they served; all directors in office attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board activity: Board met 7 times in 2024 .
- Board leadership: Chairman is Ronald H.W. Cooper (not the CEO); roles of Chair and CEO are separated .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer (2024 policy) | $40,000 | Non‑employee director retainer, paid quarterly; election to receive unrestricted shares permitted |
| STC non‑chair member fee (2024 policy) | $5,000 | Committee membership retainer; STC chair $10,000 (2024) |
| Fees earned in 2024 | $45,000 | Anderson elected shares in lieu of cash: 8,806 shares for $45,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity | Grant/Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option awards (2024) | $131,625 grant date fair value | Annual director option grants vest fully upon the earlier of the first anniversary or next annual meeting; exercise price = fair market value on grant date | Annual grants for 2024 policy were 32,500 shares for continuing directors (cap at $650,000 grant date FV) |
| Outstanding options (12/31/2024) | 125,246 options | Per award terms | Aggregate outstanding as of FY‑end |
No performance metrics (e.g., TSR, revenue, ESG) are tied to director compensation; director equity is time‑based options per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Area | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Public interlocks | None; 0 other public company boards |
| Private boards in oncology | Window Therapeutics; Dynamic Cell Therapies; Starton Therapeutics |
| Potential competitive interlocks | Not disclosed; no related‑party transactions reported since Jan 1, 2023 |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Oncology and R&D, reflected in Board skills matrix and academic leadership roles .
- Governance: Independent; commitment to company values; long tenure; skills matrix shows industry and R&D experience .
- Education/credentials: M.D. (Johns Hopkins); training at Dana‑Farber; National Academy of Medicine member; prior IMS President .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of 4/22/2025) | 456,579 shares; less than 1% of outstanding |
| Shares outstanding (record date) | 71,007,083 |
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 125,246 |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging, short sales, use of company stock as collateral in margin accounts, and pledging; Rule 10b5‑1 controls applied |
Governance Assessment
- Alignment: High equity exposure via options and election to take cash fees in stock (8,806 shares in lieu of $45,000), indicating alignment with shareholders .
- Independence and role fit: Independent director with deep oncology/R&D expertise concentrated on STC oversight; not on Audit or Compensation committees, which helps mitigate potential conflicts from external scientific roles .
- Attendance and engagement: Met 75%+ attendance threshold; Board met 7 times and STC met 4 times in 2024; attended annual meeting, supporting engagement .
- Conflicts/related‑party: Company reports no related‑party transactions since Jan 1, 2023; Audit Committee reviews and must approve any related‑person transactions per policy—mitigates conflict risk .
- Risk indicators and mitigants:
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed for Anderson regarding legal proceedings, related‑party dealings, hedging/pledging, or pledged shares .
- Option repricing: A March 2024 employee option repricing excluded the CEO and Board; later plan amended to bar future repricing without shareholder approval—positive governance signal .
- Classified board: Board remains staggered; NCGC reviews anti‑takeover provisions annually; stability rationale disclosed .
- Say‑on‑pay context: 2024 say‑on‑pay received ~74% support; Board/OLCC responded with plan amendment to prohibit future repricing absent shareholder approval, indicating responsiveness to investor feedback .
Notes on Committee Assignments
| Committee | Role | 2024/Current Composition Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Science & Technology | Member | STC chaired by Donna Grogan, M.D.; members include Anderson, Bessen, Fawell; met 4 times in 2024 |
| Audit | Not a member | Members: Hughes, Koppikar (chair), Downey; Hoerter to join post‑2025 meeting |
| Compensation (OLCC) | Not a member | Members: Downey (chair; stepping down), Grogan, Koppikar; Hoerter to chair post‑2025 meeting |
| Nominating & Governance | Not a member | Members: Bessen, Cooper (chair), Downey; Hughes to join post‑2025 meeting |