Paul Hastings
About Paul Hastings
Paul Hastings (age 65) is an independent director of enGene Holdings Inc. (ENGN) serving since May 15, 2024, with his Board term expiring at the 2027 AGM. He is Chief Executive Officer and a director of Nkarta, Inc. (NASDAQ: NKTX) and the immediate past Chair and Board Executive Committee member of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization; he holds a B.Sc. in pharmacy from the University of Rhode Island. Hastings brings multi-decade biotech leadership across public and private companies including CEO/Chair roles and commercialization experience.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | President, CEO, Director; Chairman (from Aug 2013) | Jan 2006–Jan 2018 | Led clinical-stage biotech; governance as chair during later tenure |
| QLT, Inc. | President, CEO, Director | Feb 2002–Sep 2006 | Public company CEO; ocular product development oversight |
| Axys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | President, CEO, Director | 2000–2002 | Led through sale to Celera |
| Chiron Biopharmaceuticals (division of Chiron Corp.) | President | Not disclosed | Commercial leadership |
| LXR Biotechnology | President & CEO | Not disclosed | Early-stage biotech leadership |
| Genzyme Corporation | Senior roles incl. President, Genzyme Therapeutics Europe; President, Worldwide Therapeutics | Not disclosed | Global commercialization and operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Exchange/Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nkarta, Inc. | CEO & Director | Feb 2018–present | NASDAQ (NKTX) |
| Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) | Immediate past Chair; Board Executive Committee member | Not disclosed | Trade association governance |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG) Committee member; not a chair.
- Independence: Independent under Nasdaq and NI 52-110; also meets heightened audit committee independence standards.
- Attendance: No director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings in FY2024.
- Term and tenure: Director since May 15, 2024; term expires at 2027 AGM.
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet without management before/after each regularly scheduled Board meeting.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees | $23,918 | Fees for Board/committee service in FY2024 |
| Option awards (grant-date fair value) | $259,993 | Initial director stock option grant accounting value |
| Standard cash fee schedule (policy) | Board: $40,000; Lead/Chair: $75,000; Audit Chair: $20,000; Audit member: $10,000; Comp Chair: $18,000; Comp member: $9,000; NCG Chair: $10,000; NCG member: $5,000 | Policy applies; actual FY amounts reflect mid-year appointment and proration |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant Date | Shares | Vesting/Performance | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial stock option (non-employee director) | June 18, 2024 | 40,000 | Time-based vesting: one-third on each of the first, second and third anniversaries (no performance metrics) | Options expire 10 years from grant; strike at grant FMV (per policy) |
- No director performance metrics disclosed for equity; director options are time-based only.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Nkarta, Inc. (NASDAQ: NKTX) | CEO & Director | No related-party transactions involving Hastings disclosed by ENGN; no shared directorships with ENGN’s investors disclosed. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Industry: Extensive biotech CEO/Chair experience across clinical-stage and commercial companies.
- Technical/commercial: Global commercialization, clinical development oversight, transaction execution.
- Governance: Executive committee leadership at BIO; independent director meeting heightened audit committee independence standards.
- Education: B.Sc. in pharmacy, University of Rhode Island.
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | As-of |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (SEC definition) | 13,333 Common Shares (underlying options exercisable within 60 days) | April 25, 2025 |
| Ownership % of outstanding | <1% | April 25, 2025 |
| Director option position | 40,000 options outstanding; none vested as of Oct 31, 2024 | Oct 31, 2024 |
| Vested vs unvested (indicative) | Exercisable within 60 days: 13,333; Remaining not yet exercisable: 26,667 | Based on initial 40,000 grant and vest schedule |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging, discourages pledging/using securities as collateral | Policy |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Hastings adds seasoned public-company CEO perspective and industry network; he serves on Compensation and NCG committees, reinforcing governance and pay oversight.
- Independence and alignment: Determined independent under Nasdaq/NI 52-110 and heightened audit standards; equity-heavy director pay (cash $23,918 vs option FV $259,993) suggests alignment with shareholder outcomes.
- Attendance/engagement: FY2024 attendance ≥75% threshold for all directors; independent-only sessions held around regular meetings support candid oversight.
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-party transactions involving Hastings disclosed; Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging and discourages pledging, mitigating alignment risks.
- Compensation structure: Standard director cash retainers plus a time-based initial option grant; no performance metrics or discretionary equity modifications disclosed—no repricings noted.
Red Flags
- None disclosed specific to Hastings: no related-party transactions; no attendance shortfall; no equity repricing or unusual director pay practices flagged.