Christian Rommel
CRISPR TherapeuticsAbout Christian Rommel
Christian Rommel, Ph.D. (age 58), has served as an independent director of CRISPR Therapeutics since May 2024. He is Executive Vice President, Global Head of Research & Development and a member of the Executive Committee of Bayer Pharmaceuticals since February 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in molecular oncology (Max Planck Institute Berlin and University of Zurich) and lectures in biotechnology at ETH Zurich, with 70+ publications including papers in Science and Nature .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd | Senior Vice President, Global Head of Oncology, Pharma Research and Early Development (pRED) | Jan 2018–Feb 2021 | Led global oncology pRED; senior R&D leadership |
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd | Various roles (prior to SVP role) | Jan 2014–Feb 2021 | Global oncology research leadership |
| Amgen Inc. | Vice President, External R&D; Vice President, Research Oncology | Not disclosed | External innovation and oncology research leadership |
| Intellikine Inc. | Chief Scientific Officer (from inception to acquisition by Takeda) | Not disclosed | Scientific leadership through acquisition |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayer Pharmaceuticals | EVP, Global Head of R&D; Member, Executive Committee | Feb 2021–present | Senior operating executive at large pharma |
| ETH Zurich | Lecturer, Biotechnology | Not disclosed | Academic engagement |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board determined Dr. Rommel is independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules; no relationships interfering with independent judgment, and no family relationships with directors/executives .
- Committee memberships: As of the 2025 proxy, Audit Committee (Fardis, Greene, Mahatme, Treco); Compensation Committee (Behbahani, Fleming, George, Greene; Morrison to join upon election); Nominating Committee (Behbahani, High, Treco). Dr. Rommel is not listed as a member or chair of any standing committee .
- Attendance: The Board held five formal meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of combined Board and committee meetings, and all directors attended the 2024 AGM .
- Board structure: CEO serves as Chair since Sept 2023; Lead Independent Director (Douglas Treco) provides independent oversight and shareholder engagement .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees earned | $29,258 | Prorated for partial year service beginning May 2024 |
| Policy: Annual cash retainer (non-employee director) | $50,000 | $65,000 for Board Chair |
| Policy: Audit Committee member/chair | $10,000 / $20,000 | Annual cash fee |
| Policy: Compensation Committee member/chair | $7,500 / $15,000 | Annual cash fee |
| Policy: Nominating Committee member/chair | $5,000 / $10,000 | Annual cash fee |
| Policy: Lead Independent Director | $15,000 | Additional annual cash fee |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Awards (2024) | Grant-Date Fair Value (ASC 718) | Grant Type | Vesting / Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option awards | $862,940 | Director stock options | Initial options for new directors: 26,000 shares vest monthly over 3 years; annual options: 13,000 shares vest monthly and fully by 12 months or next AGM; 10-year term; exercise price = FMV at grant; accelerated vesting upon death/disability or sale event |
- Performance metrics: None disclosed for director equity; director options are time-based vesting (no revenue/EBITDA/TSR metrics) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Tenure | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | The director biographies list other public company directorships in the past five years; none are disclosed for Dr. Rommel . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep biopharma R&D leadership (Bayer EVP R&D; Roche oncology pRED SVP); prior roles at Amgen and Intellikine .
- Academic credentials and industry thought leadership (Ph.D.; ETH Zurich lecturer; >70 publications in leading journals) .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Beneficial Ownership Detail | Amount | % of Shares Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 15, 2025 | Options exercisable and RSUs vesting within 60 days | 8,667 | Less than 1% (“*”) of 86,188,107 shares outstanding |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Options to purchase common shares (held) | 5,778 | Not stated; footnote disclosure only |
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits directors from hedging and pledging company securities, using margin accounts, or derivatives on company stock .
- Ownership guidelines: Not disclosed in the proxy (table of contents indicative; no guideline section present).
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Independent status, strong R&D expertise, and attendance at least 75% support governance quality; however, he is not currently on Audit/Compensation/Nominating committees, limiting direct oversight roles relative to peers .
- Conflicts and related-party exposure: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Rommel. Audit Committee must pre-approve related-person transactions and oversees related-party risk; 2024 registered direct offering involved entities affiliated with another director (Dr. George), not Rommel .
- Pay structure: 2024 option grant value is notably higher than peers, consistent with initial director option policy (26,000-share initial grant) and time-based vesting. Cash fees were prorated for partial-year service .
- Alignment safeguards: Prohibitions on hedging/pledging enhance alignment; director equity is at risk via stock price, though not tied to explicit performance metrics .
RED FLAGS
- External executive role: As EVP R&D at Bayer, ongoing senior operating responsibilities at a large pharma could present potential competitive or transactional sensitivities, though the Board has explicitly deemed him independent and disclosed no transactions involving him .
- Committee non-membership: Absence from standing committees may reduce direct involvement in audit, compensation, and nomination oversight, though overall Board and committee meeting attendance thresholds were met in 2024 .