Scott Tobin
About Scott R. Tobin
Scott R. Tobin, age 54, is an independent director of Champions Oncology (CSBR) and Senior Partner at Battery Ventures; he has served on CSBR’s board since June 2011 and is recognized for extensive corporate finance and multi‑national operational experience . He holds a BA with honors from Brandeis University in International Relations and Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies . At CSBR, Tobin is the Audit Committee Chair and the board-designated “audit committee financial expert,” reflecting deep financial oversight credentials .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Champions Oncology (CSBR) | Director | Since June 2011 | Audit Committee Chair; designated audit committee financial expert |
| Champions Oncology (CSBR) | Compensation Committee Member | Current | Oversees CEO and senior executive compensation; committee met once in FY2025 |
| Battery Ventures | Senior Partner | Since 1997 (firm role) | Leads investments across U.S., Israel, Europe; multiple Midas List recognitions |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status/Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Ventures portfolio: Champions Oncology | Board member | Current | Public company board within Battery portfolio |
| BigPanda | Board member | Current | Software/IT operations |
| Cross River Bank | Board member | Current | Fintech/banking |
| Kodiak Robotics (NASDAQ: KDK) | Board member | Current | Autonomous trucking; public listing noted on Battery site |
| Code Ocean | Board member | Current | Computational research platform |
| HiBob | Board member | Current | HR software |
| Lightbox | Board member | Current | Data/analytics |
| LinearB | Board member | Current | Dev productivity |
| Mine | Board member | Current | Data privacy |
| Nexite, NorthOne, Novidea, Sofar Sounds, Taster, Tenzai, UBQ Materials, Vayyar Imaging, Xsight Labs | Board/Advisor | Current | Portfolio boards noted on Battery’s profile |
Interlocks/conflicts signal: Tobin’s Battery Ventures affiliation overlaps with CSBR’s shareholder base and board seat; see ownership breakdown below for Battery entities’ holdings, which may introduce influence dynamics despite board-classified independence .
Board Governance
- Independence: CSBR’s board determined Tobin is “independent” under Nasdaq Rule 5605(a)(2) .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair and audit committee financial expert; members: Tobin (Chair), Joel Ackerman, Daniel Mendelson; Audit met 4 times in FY2025 . Compensation Committee member; members: Tobin, Mendelson; met once in FY2025 .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance: Members were Mendelson and Brainin; Brainin’s transition to CEO triggers replacement by another independent director .
- Attendance: In FY2025, the board met 2 times; no incumbent director attended fewer than 75% of combined board/committee meetings .
- Leadership changes: Effective Aug 25, 2025, Brainin becomes CEO; Morris transitions to Chairman; Ackerman transitions to Director; prior Lead Director (Sidransky) transitions to Director .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Metric | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash Fees ($) | $0 | $0 |
| Stock Awards ($) | $0 | $0 |
| Option Awards (Grant-date fair value, $) | $93,297 | $94,732 |
| Total ($) | $93,297 | $94,732 |
CSBR discloses director compensation primarily via option awards; Tobin received no cash retainer in FY2024/FY2025, indicating equity-heavy compensation .
Performance Compensation (Director Equity Awards)
- Annual non-employee director equity program details (RSUs/PSUs, strikes, vesting) are not specified for Tobin in the proxy; only option award grant-date fair values are disclosed .
- No disclosed performance metrics tied to director compensation (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) for board members; pay-versus-performance analysis applies to executive officers, not directors .
| Metric Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Option Awards Type | Non-employee director stock options; grant-date fair values disclosed |
| Vesting Schedule | Not disclosed for director awards |
| Strike Price | Not disclosed for director awards |
| Performance Metrics | Not disclosed for director compensation |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public/private boards noted above; several are in technology, fintech, and industrial tech, with Champions Oncology included in Battery’s portfolio listing, creating an investor/board interlock at CSBR .
- No CSBR‑disclosed related‑party transactions involving Tobin; related fees disclosed pertain to Dr. Sidransky’s consulting fees ($12,000 FY2025; $36,000 FY2024) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert designation by CSBR’s board, signaling proficiency in GAAP, auditing, and internal controls .
- Extensive corporate finance and multi‑national operational experience; multiple Forbes Midas List recognitions .
- Domain breadth across enterprise infrastructure, materials science, application software, business services, media, and financial services .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Component | Shares/Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership | 2,560,297 | 18.4% of class; as of record date (Aug 22, 2025) out of 13,788,421 shares |
| Options (exercisable within 60 days) | 109,201 | Included in beneficial ownership; standard SEC calculation |
| Battery Ventures IX, L.P. | 2,397,699 | Held by BVIX; part of Tobin’s reported beneficial ownership with disclaimed beneficial ownership except indirect pecuniary interest |
| Battery Investment Partners IX, LLC | 23,397 | Held by BIPIX; same disclaimer structure |
| Ownership as % of outstanding | 18.4% | Based on 13,788,421 shares |
Alignment signal: Large ownership via Battery entities plus personal/options stake; however, significant shareholder representation can pose conflict risks in compensation/audit oversight despite independence designation .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Audit Committee Chair and designated financial expert provide robust financial oversight; the committee met four times in FY2025, indicating regular engagement .
- Independent director status under Nasdaq rules, with no attendance shortfalls reported; the board confirms >75% attendance by all incumbents .
- Equity-heavy director pay (no cash retainer) aligns interests with shareholders .
-
Watch items / RED FLAGS:
- Concentrated ownership: Tobin’s reported beneficial ownership (18.4%) is largely through Battery Ventures IX/BIPIX; while independence is affirmed, the scale of influence could create perceived conflicts especially in audit/compensation decisions .
- Governance transition risk: Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee requires reconstitution due to Brainin’s change to non‑independent status; monitor replacement and independence balance .
- Limited disclosure on director equity terms: Strike prices, vesting schedules, and performance linkages for director awards are not disclosed, reducing transparency on director incentive design .
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Related-party/insider compliance:
- No related-party transactions disclosed involving Tobin; Sidransky consulting fees disclosed separately .
- Section 16(a) compliance: Company reports compliance among directors/officers in FY2025, with exception noted for Brainin’s late Form 4; no issue cited for Tobin .
Overall implication: Tobin combines strong audit credentials with equity-aligned compensation, but Battery’s substantial stake via affiliated funds warrants ongoing monitoring for influence risks and committee objectivity, particularly in audits and pay decisions .