Robert Hoffman
Esperion TherapeuticsAbout Robert E. Hoffman
Independent Class II director at Esperion Therapeutics, appointed April 1, 2025; age 59; B.B.A. from St. Bonaventure University . Designated Audit Committee Financial Expert and set to serve as Audit Committee Chair effective May 29, 2025; Board determined him to be independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules . Over 25 years of executive financial experience across biotechnology, medical devices, technology and services .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTRA) | President, CEO, interim CFO, Chair | Nov 2021 – Oct 2024 | Led clinical-stage oncology company; board leadership |
| Heron Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HRTX) | SVP & CFO | Apr 2017 – Oct 2020 | Commercial-stage biotech finance leadership |
| AnaptysBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANAB) | CFO | Jul 2015 – Sep 2016 | Specialty pharma CFO |
| Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | SVP Finance & CFO; VP Finance & CFO; various roles | 1997 – Jul 2015 (CFO roles: Dec 2005–Mar 2011; Aug 2011–Jun 2012; Jun 2012–Jul 2015) | Key roles up to acquisition by Pfizer in 2022 |
| ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Limited (NASDAQ: ASLN) | Director | Oct 2018 – Nov 2024 | Board service |
| Saniona AB | Director | Sep 2021 – May 2022 | Board service |
| Kura Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: KURA) | Director | Mar 2015 – Aug 2021 | Board service |
| CombiMatrix Corporation | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| MabVax Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Aravive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARAV) | Director | Not disclosed | Board service |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: HURA) | Director | Current | Clinical-stage immuno-oncology |
| Fibrobiologics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FBLG) | Interim CFO; Director | Current | Clinical-stage company focused on chronic diseases |
| Association of Bioscience Financial Officers | Steering Committee Member | Current | Sector finance leadership |
| Financial Executives International (San Diego Chapter) | Former Director & President | Prior | Professional leadership |
| Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) | Advisor | 2010 – 2020 | Advised on emerging issues/new guidance |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; designated Audit Committee Chair effective May 29, 2025; Compensation, Nominating/Governance, Compliance committees membership unchanged as of proxy .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except CEO are independent; Mr. Hoffman was explicitly determined independent upon appointment .
- Attendance & engagement: In 2024, Board held 11 meetings; audit (4), compensation (5), nom/gov (2), compliance (4). All incumbents ≥75% attendance; independent directors hold regular executive sessions .
- Board leadership: Non-executive Chair (J. Martin Carroll); Lead Independent Director role used historically but not current given independent Chair .
- Risk oversight: Audit oversees financial and broader risk (including cyber); Compensation reviews compensation risk .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer | $50,000 | Paid to all non-employee directors; pro-rated if partial year |
| Audit Committee Chair retainer | $20,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Audit Committee member retainer (non-chair) | $10,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Compensation Committee Chair retainer | $15,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Compensation Committee member retainer (non-chair) | $7,500 | Additional cash retainer |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair retainer | $10,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance member retainer (non-chair) | $5,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Compliance Committee Chair retainer | $15,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Compliance Committee member retainer (non-chair) | $7,500 | Additional cash retainer |
| Non-Executive Board Chair retainer | $35,000 | Additional cash retainer |
| Lead Independent Director retainer | $25,000 | Applicable only if LID designated |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Quantity | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial option upon first election | 40,000 options | 3-year equal annual installments | New directors; subject to service |
| Annual equity (effective May 23, 2024) – Choice A | 32,500 options + 23,000 RSUs | Vest at earlier of 1-year or next Annual Meeting | Pro-rated by service days; RSUs accelerate on death, disability, or change-in-control |
| Annual equity (effective May 23, 2024) – Choice B | 65,000 options | Vest at earlier of 1-year or next Annual Meeting | Alternative to Choice A |
| Director comp cap (plan limit) | $750,000 value/year | N/A | Combined cash + equity cap under 2022 Plan |
- Performance metrics: No explicit performance-conditioned director metrics disclosed; all director equity vesting is time-based, with acceleration provisions noted .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict with ESPR |
|---|---|---|
| TuHURA Biosciences, Inc. | Director | No ESPR-related transactions disclosed; different therapeutic focus |
| Fibrobiologics, Inc. | Interim CFO; Director | No ESPR-related transactions disclosed; time commitment considerations as concurrent audit chair at ESPR |
- Related party/Item 404: Company states no transactions between Mr. Hoffman and Esperion requiring Item 404(a) disclosure at appointment .
- Related party approvals: Audit Committee reviews/approves related party transactions under written policy .
Expertise & Qualifications
- 25+ years of senior finance leadership; multiple public company CFO roles and board tenures across biopharma .
- Designated Audit Committee Financial Expert; deep accounting policy experience via FASB advisory (2010–2020) .
- Sector governance and finance networks (ABFO steering committee; FEI leadership) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Robert E. Hoffman | — | — |
- Hedging/pledging: Insider trading policy prohibits short sales, derivatives, margin purchases/borrowing; pledging requires Audit Committee advance approval .
- Plan mechanics: Director awards subject to minimum one-year vesting (with limited exceptions) and standard change-of-control treatment under 2022 Plan .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independence; designated Audit Committee Financial Expert; incoming Audit Chair adds finance rigor; no related-party transactions disclosed; strong insider trading restrictions and established clawback policy under compensation governance .
- Compensation & alignment: Mix of cash retainers plus annual equity (time-based) supports alignment; director equity/value capped at $750k under plan, limiting pay inflation risk .
- Engagement signals: Board/committee cadence and ≥75% attendance norms demonstrate active oversight; independent director executive sessions held regularly .
- RED FLAGS: Concurrent interim CFO/board role at another public company (Fibrobiologics) while serving as ESPR Audit Chair may present time-commitment risk; monitor attendance, responsiveness, and any emerging interlocks or transactions .
- Net view: Hoffman’s deep CFO/board background and audit expertise should enhance financial oversight; continued monitoring advisable for potential conflicts/time constraints and future ownership alignment as tenure progresses .