Ali Behbahani
CRISPR TherapeuticsAbout Ali Behbahani
Ali Behbahani, M.D., M.B.A., age 48, has served on CRISPR Therapeutics’ board since April 2015. He is Partner and Co-Head of Healthcare at New Enterprise Associates (NEA), which he joined in 2007. He holds an M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, an M.B.A. from Wharton, and a B.S. in biomedical engineering/electrical engineering/chemistry from Duke University .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Medicines Company | Consultant, Business Development | Prior to 2007 (pre-NEA) | Transaction and BD exposure |
| Morgan Stanley | Venture Associate | Prior to 2007 (pre-NEA) | Early-stage investing |
| Lehman Brothers | Healthcare Investment Banking Analyst | Prior to 2007 (pre-NEA) | Capital markets, advisory |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: ADAP) | Director | Since Sep 2014 | Cell therapy board experience |
| Nkarta, Inc. (Nasdaq: NKTX) | Director; Chairman | Director since Aug 2015; Chairman since Aug 2019 | Allogeneic NK cell therapy; cross-board tie with Simeon George (also a director) |
| Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: BDTX) | Director | Since Dec 2018 | Precision oncology |
| Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: GLUE) | Director | Since Apr 2020 | Targeted protein modulation |
| Korro Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: KRRO) | Director | Since Aug 2019 | RNA editing |
| Arcellx, Inc. (Nasdaq: ACLX) | Director | Since Feb 2015 | Cell therapy |
| CVRx, Inc. (Nasdaq: CVRX) | Former Director | Jul 2013–Sep 2024 | Prior medtech board role |
| Minerva Surgical Inc. (Nasdaq: UTRS) | Former Director | May 2011–Jan 2024 | Prior women’s health role |
| Oyster Point Pharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: OYST) | Former Director | Jul 2017–Jan 2023 | Prior ophthalmology role |
| Genocea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNCA) | Former Director | Feb 2018–May 2022 | Prior immunotherapy role |
Board Governance
- Independence: CRSP’s board determined Behbahani is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Committee assignments:
- Compensation Committee: current member; nominated for re-election to the committee for a one-year term .
- Nominating Committee: current member and continuing .
- Attendance: Board met five times in 2024; all then-directors attended at least 75% of combined board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 AGM .
- Board leadership: CEO serves as Chair; Douglas A. Treco is Lead Independent Director with executive session leadership responsibilities .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $60,426 | Aggregates base retainer and committee fees |
| Policy Reference | — | Base non-employee director annual cash fee $50,000; Compensation Committee member +$7,500; Nominating Committee member +$5,000 (chairs higher); Lead Independent +$15,000; Audit Committee member +$10,000; Audit chair +$20,000; Board chair $65,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Element | 2024 Value (USD) | Quantity/Status | Vesting | Performance Metrics | Exercise Price Policy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options (annual director grant) | $409,680 | As of 12/31/2024, options to purchase 133,667 shares held (aggregate outstanding) | Annual options vest in 12 equal monthly installments and vest fully by the earlier of one year or next AGM; initial new-director option grants vest monthly over three years | None disclosed for directors | At least equal to fair market value on grant date |
Notes:
- As-of-date holdings reflect cumulative director options outstanding; 2024 aggregate grant-date fair value shown per proxy table .
- Director equity is delivered via options; CRSP policy does not disclose director performance metrics tied to equity vesting .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Network interlocks: Both Behbahani and fellow CRSP director Simeon J. George sit on Nkarta’s board, indicating a professional network linkage relevant to information flow in cell therapy ecosystems .
- No disclosed related-party transactions involving Behbahani; CRSP’s related person transactions section lists a 2024 registered direct offering with purchases by ARK, Capital Research, and SR One affiliates (affiliated with Simeon George), but no NEA-related transactions .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Biomedical, clinical, and investment pedigree: M.D. and Wharton M.B.A; deep venture experience (NEA Partner & Co-Head of Healthcare) .
- Broad board experience across gene editing, cell therapy, oncology, and RNA therapeutics, including chair responsibilities at Nkarta .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership | 138,270 shares | <1% of outstanding shares |
| Directly owned | 256 shares | Personal |
| Trust holdings | 14 shares | The Ali Behbahani Revocable Trust (trustee) |
| Options exercisable/RSUs vesting within 60 days | 138,000 shares | Within 60 days of March 15, 2025 |
| Shares pledged | None disclosed | Company policy prohibits pledging/hedging for directors |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee leverage: Behbahani is independent and active on Compensation and Nominating, positioning him to influence pay design and board composition—key levers of governance quality .
- Engagement: Attendance thresholds met across 2024; board and committees met regularly; directors attended the 2024 AGM—positive signal for engagement .
- Pay structure and alignment: Director compensation is heavily equity-oriented via stock options with at-market strikes and time-based vesting, creating stock-price alignment while avoiding performance metric gaming; hedging/pledging is prohibited (alignment safeguard) .
- Network ties: Multiple concurrent public directorships provide sector insight; Nkarta interlock with another CRSP director (George) indicates robust information networks, though no NEA/Behbahani-related party transactions were disclosed at CRSP in 2024–2025—limiting direct conflict risk .
- Board compensation governance: Swiss binding votes set caps for board cash ($670,000) and equity ($12,389,198) for the 2025–2026 term, reinforcing shareholder oversight of director pay .