Edward Hurwitz
About Edward Hurwitz
Edward Hurwitz (61) has served as an independent director of Dyne Therapeutics since November 2018. He is Managing Director of Precision BioVentures (founded in 2013), previously Managing Director at MPM Capital (2017–2023), Director at Alta Partners (2002–2014), and CFO of Affymetrix (1997–2002). He holds a J.D. and M.B.A. from UC Berkeley and a B.A. in molecular biology from Cornell .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precision BioVentures LLC | Managing Director (Founder) | 2013–Present | Life sciences investing; governance oversight of portfolio companies |
| MPM Capital | Managing Director | 2017–2023 | Venture leadership; board representation experience |
| Alta Partners | Director | 2002–2014 | Venture investing; biotech portfolio governance |
| Affymetrix, Inc. | Senior Vice President & CFO | 1997–2002 | Public company finance leadership |
| Robertson Stephens & Smith Barney Shearson | Biotechnology Research Analyst | Prior to 1997 | Sell-side analysis expertise |
| Cooley Godward LLP | Lawyer | Prior to analyst role | Legal training applicable to governance |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| MacroGenics, Inc. | Director | Current | Public biotech board; committee roles not disclosed here |
| Applied Genetic Technologies Corp. | Director | 2012–2022 | Oversight during clinical development |
| Various private companies | Director | Current | Private board governance (names not specified) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation Committee; Dirk Kersten serves as Chair. The Compensation Committee held seven meetings in 2024 .
- Independence: The Board reaffirmed in Feb 2025 that all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq and Exchange Act rules; Hurwitz is independent .
- Attendance: The Board met 10 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; directors attended the 2024 annual meeting virtually .
- Election signal: Stockholders re-elected Hurwitz as a Class II director on May 30, 2025, supporting board continuity .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amounts/Structure | 2025 Program (effective Jan 1, 2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Fees earned (cash) – Hurwitz | $45,000 | Board member annual fee $45,000; Compensation Committee member fee $7,500; Chair add’l $7,500 (Hurwitz is member, not chair) |
| Meeting fees | Not separately disclosed | Not applicable (program features annual retainers) |
| Committee fees schedule | Audit: $7,500 member/$7,500 chair; Compensation: $5,000 member/$5,000 chair; NCG: $4,000 member/$4,000 chair; R&D: $5,000 member/$5,000 chair | Audit: $10,000 member/$10,000 chair; Compensation: $7,500 member/$7,500 chair; NCG: $5,000 member/$5,000 chair; R&D: $7,500 member/$7,500 chair |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Detail | Grant Date | Shares/Value | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Non-Employee Director Option Grant (eligibility ≥6 months) | 2024 annual meeting date | Option to purchase 25,133 shares; Hurwitz option award fair value $501,848 for 2024 | Vests in full on the earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; 10-year term; exercise price = FMV on grant date |
| Initial Non-Employee Director Option Grant (upon first election) | Ongoing program | Option to purchase 50,267 shares | Vests in equal monthly installments over 3 years; 10-year term; exercise price = FMV on grant date |
| 2025 Equity Program (annual grant sizing) | Effective 2025 | Annual grant option with $400,000 fair value cap (≤35,000 shares); initial grant option $800,000 fair value cap (≤70,000 shares) | Vesting, term, exercise price consistent with 2024 program |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Connection | Nature | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| MacroGenics Board seat | External public biotech directorship | Typical sector overlap; no DYN-related party transactions disclosed with MacroGenics |
| Venture affiliations (Precision BioVentures; prior MPM/Alta) | Investor roles | No related party transactions disclosed involving Hurwitz’s firms; Audit committee reviews/approves any such transactions under written policy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance: Former CFO of Affymetrix; deep public company finance experience .
- Legal: J.D. and prior legal practice supports governance and compliance stewardship .
- Investing/biotech: Long-standing venture leadership and multiple biotech board roles; relevant to compensation oversight and capital allocation .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Detail | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common shares) | 89,225; <1% of outstanding | As of April 1, 2025; companywide denominator 113,633,782 shares |
| Outstanding option awards held (shares subject to options) | 64,092 | As of Dec 31, 2024 (non-employee directors’ option holdings) |
| Hedging/Pledging | Hedging prohibited (short sales, derivatives, collars, exchange funds) under Insider Trading Policy | Applies to directors and designated agents; enhances alignment |
Insider Trades
| Date | Security | Quantity | Price/Terms | Vesting/Expiration | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/24/2023 | Stock Option (right to buy) | 24,900 | Exercise price $13.49 | Vests in full on earlier of 05/24/2024 or 2024 annual meeting; expires 05/23/2033 | |
| 06/03/2025 | Form 4 filed | — | Statement of changes in beneficial ownership | — | |
| 05/24/2024 | Form 4 filed | — | Statement of changes in beneficial ownership | — |
Governance Assessment
- Committee assignments, chair roles, and expertise: Hurwitz serves on the Compensation Committee (member, not chair). His finance/legal/biotech background is additive to pay-for-performance oversight and human capital strategy .
- Independence, attendance, engagement: Independent under Nasdaq and Exchange Act; the Board and its committees met frequently in 2024 (Board: 10; Compensation: 7), and each director met the ≥75% attendance threshold, indicating acceptable engagement .
- Director compensation mix and ownership alignment: 2024 cash fees totaled $45,000; equity via options with $501,848 grant-date fair value and programmatic annual grants (25,133 shares), vesting tied to annual cycles. Anti-hedging rules reinforce alignment; holdings remain <1% of shares outstanding, consistent with typical biotech director ownership levels .
- Potential conflicts/related-party exposure: No related person transactions disclosed involving Hurwitz or his firms. The company operates a robust related-person transaction policy administered by the Audit Committee; Compensation Committee Interlocks disclosure indicates no reciprocal interlocks or insider participation, reducing conflict risk .
- Shareholder signals: 2025 stockholders re-elected Hurwitz and approved say‑on‑pay; they recommended annual say‑on‑pay frequency, aligning with governance best practice .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Hurwitz. Notable positives include independence, no related-party ties, formal anti‑hedging policy, clawback oversight by the Compensation Committee, and consistent attendance .