Benjamin Hohl
About Benjamin Hohl
Benjamin Hohl (age 36 as of March 3, 2025) is Enliven Therapeutics’ Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Head of Corporate Development (since February 23, 2023), having served as Former Enliven’s CFO since August 2021; he holds a B.A. in Business Economics and Accounting from UCLA . Prior to Enliven, he spent nearly a decade in Goldman Sachs’ Healthcare Investment Banking Group advising on biopharma financings and strategic transactions (July 2012–July 2021) . As CFO, he is the principal financial and accounting officer signing the company’s Sarbanes‑Oxley certifications, including Section 302 and 906 certifications for the Q3 2025 Form 10‑Q, indicating responsibility for fair presentation and controls . Enliven remains an emerging growth company (EGC) through December 31, 2025 and will exit smaller reporting company status beginning Q1 2026; expanded executive compensation disclosure and Section 404(b) auditor attestation will apply thereafter, raising disclosure rigor that can impact compensation transparency and governance assessments .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enliven Therapeutics (Former Enliven) | Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2021–Feb 23, 2023 | Built finance and capital markets readiness pre‑/post‑merger . |
| Enliven Therapeutics, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer and Head of Corporate Development | Feb 23, 2023–Present | Leads finance and corporate development; principal financial and accounting officer . |
| Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC | Healthcare Investment Banking (VP/Associate/Analyst) | Jul 2012–Jul 2021 | Executed biopharma financings and strategic transactions; strengthens capital markets capability . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | None disclosed in company filings . |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | Dec 31, 2022 (Former Enliven) | Feb 1, 2023 (Confirmatory Employment Letter) | Feb 23, 2023 (Proxy description) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary (USD) | $350,000 | $440,000 (as of Feb 1, 2023) | $410,000 (approved in connection with merger) |
| Target Bonus (% of Salary) | 40% | 40% | 40% |
| Employment Status | At‑will | At‑will | At‑will |
Notes:
- Confirmatory Employment Letter (amended and restated) sets base salary at $440,000 effective Feb 1, 2023; the 2023 proxy states $410,000 approved at merger close—use the contract figure for legal terms and proxy figure for governance context .
Performance Compensation
- Annual bonus plan structure (2024): company used three metric categories for NEOs—Clinical Development, Pipeline, and Corporate/Strategic Goals; compensation committee approved a 120% of target payout for named executive officers based on 2024 goal achievement . The proxy does not disclose Hohl’s actual payout (he was not an NEO in 2024); his target opportunity remains 40% of base salary per employment terms .
| Metric (2024 Plan) | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting/Timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Development Goals | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Met/exceeded (committee assessment) | 120% of target for NEOs | Paid in 2025 per plan |
| Pipeline Goals | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Met/exceeded (committee assessment) | 120% of target for NEOs | Paid in 2025 |
| Corporate & Strategic Goals | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | Met/exceeded (committee assessment) | 120% of target for NEOs | Paid in 2025 |
Equity incentives:
- Eligible for stock options/RSUs at board discretion; awards generally vest over four years; all awards expire within 10 years from grant date .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
- Beneficial ownership: As of March 1, 2023, Hohl beneficially owned 109,216 shares (<1%), including options exercisable within 60 days; he was not listed among beneficial owners in the March 31, 2025 table (consistent with ownership below 1% and not a director) .
| Ownership Detail | As of Mar 1, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned | 109,216 (<1%) |
| Notes | 60‑day look‑through includes options; below 1% threshold |
Outstanding options (historical disclosure):
- Granted Aug 2, 2021; repriced to $2.48 on Aug 9, 2022; typical four‑year vesting; expiration 8/2/2031 .
| Grant | Exercisable | Unexercisable | Exercise Price | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Option (Aug 2, 2021; repriced Aug 9, 2022) | 87,373 | 174,747 | $2.48 | 8/2/2031 |
Alignment safeguards and potential selling dynamics:
- Hedging and pledging of company stock are prohibited for all covered persons (including officers), reducing misalignment/hedge risk .
- Hohl signed the June 2025 public offering underwriting/lock‑up documents and was listed among executives required to sign lock‑ups, constraining near‑term sales following the offering (duration not disclosed in filing) .
- ESPP available (85% of lower of start/end price per 6‑month period), but individual participation not disclosed .
Employment Terms
- Confirmatory Employment Letter (amended and restated): sets salary and target bonus; at‑will; equity eligibility; standard expense reimbursement and benefits .
- Change in Control and Severance Agreement (amended and restated Feb 29, 2024):
- Double‑trigger CIC window: if terminated without cause or resigns for good reason within 3 months prior to or 12 months after a change in control, receives lump sum equal to 12 months of base salary + 100% of target bonus; up to 12 months COBRA premiums; and 100% acceleration of unvested equity (performance awards vest at target unless award terms specify otherwise) .
- Non‑CIC termination: if terminated without cause or resigns for good reason outside the CIC window, receives 9 months of salary continuation and up to 9 months COBRA premiums .
- Section 280G: “best net” cut‑back to maximize after‑tax value; no tax gross‑up .
- Company clawback policy adopted Aug 2023, compliant with SEC/Nasdaq—covers excess incentive compensation after restatements (applies to current/former “officers”) .
Investment Implications
- Pay design skews to equity/options with standard 4‑year vesting; CIC terms are double‑trigger with full acceleration at target for performance awards, which can motivate retention through strategic milestones but may amplify dilution on change in control .
- 2022 option repricing to $2.48 is a governance red flag (reduces downside risk for executives) and warrants monitoring for future repricings or modifications .
- Hedging/pledging bans and an EGC‑era lack of say‑on‑pay votes reduce immediate shareholder levers; enhanced executive compensation disclosure will begin after EGC status ends (post‑2025), increasing transparency and potential investor influence .
- June 2025 lock‑up participation suggests limited near‑term insider selling capacity post‑offering, modestly reducing supply overhang risk in the immediate aftermath (lock‑up duration not disclosed) .
- Capital markets acumen (Goldman Sachs background) and active certifications indicate strong finance/control oversight—a positive for future financings and M&A execution .