Ramona Sequeira
Edwards LifesciencesAbout Ramona Sequeira
Ramona Sequeira (age 59) has served on Edwards Lifesciences’ board since 2020. She is President, Global Portfolio Division at Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, and serves on Edwards’ Audit Committee; the board classifies her as an independent director under NYSE rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited | President, Global Portfolio Division | 2022–present | Oversees ~11,000 employees across Vaccines (manufacturing, R&D, commercial), Global Commercial and Medical, and all markets across Europe/Canada, Growth & Emerging Markets, and China; Chairs Commercialization & Launch Committee (since 2020) |
| Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited | President, U.S. Business Unit and Global Portfolio Commercialization | 2020–2022 | Member of Business Review Committee; Co‑Chair of Pipeline Review Committee (since 2015) |
| Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited | President | 2015–2020 | Led U.S. operations and commercialization |
| Eli Lilly & Company | VP – Lilly USA | 2013–2015 | Senior commercial leadership |
| Eli Lilly & Company | General Manager, UK/Northern Europe | 2010–2012 | Country leadership |
| Eli Lilly & Company | VP, Sales – Lilly Canada | 2005–2009 | Sales leadership |
| Eli Lilly & Company | Associate Director, Neuroscience Marketing | 2003–2005 | Therapeutic area marketing |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) | Chair of the Board | 2021–2023 | Also served as Vice Chair (2021–2022) and Treasurer (2019–2021); member 2015–2023 |
| Harvey Mudd College | Trustee | 2020–2023 | Board of Trustees member |
Board Governance
- Committee Assignments: Audit Committee member; the Audit Committee met 10 times in 2024 and all members are deemed independent, financially literate, and audit committee financial experts under NYSE/SEC rules .
- Independence: The board determined Sequeira is independent under NYSE rules; the board’s majority is independent, with independent executive sessions at each regularly scheduled board and committee meeting .
- Attendance: The board held 11 meetings in 2024; each director attended at least 90% of board and applicable committee meetings during their tenure in 2024 .
- Leadership/Structure: Independent Chairman (Nicholas Valeriani); separate CEO/Chair roles; two standing committees (Audit; Compensation & Governance) .
- Risk Oversight: Audit Committee oversees enterprise risks (financial reporting, manufacturing quality, product development, continuity, IT/cybersecurity, legal, treasury); Compensation & Governance oversees succession, human capital, compensation risk, political activity, and corporate impact .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Cash Retainer | 85,000 | Standard nonemployee director retainer |
| Audit Committee Member Fee | 5,000 | Member fee |
| Meeting Fees | — | Paid only if meetings exceed thresholds; not disclosed for Sequeira |
| Total Cash Fees (2024) | 90,000 | Per director compensation table |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award (2024) | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU | 05/08/2024 | 3,055 | 259,950 | 100% upon earlier of 1-year anniversary or next regular annual meeting; accelerated on death/disability or change of control |
- No option awards were granted to Sequeira in 2024; equity awards for directors are time-based RSUs, not tied to operating or TSR metrics (performance metrics apply to executive PBRSUs, not director awards) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Other public company boards | None (0) |
| Edwards-related relationships | None disclosed; board considered specific relationships for certain other directors and affirmed independence where applicable |
| Audit Committee related-party oversight | Audit Committee reviews/approves related person transactions; only disclosed item in 2024 was employment of an executive’s family member (not related to Sequeira) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 25+ years in pharmaceuticals with global P&L oversight; leadership across multiple geographies and healthcare systems; commercialization and launch execution; finance/M&A; innovation/technology; AI/data; risk management; sustainability/human capital .
- Her pharmaceutical innovation and patient access background supports Edwards’ patient-focused innovation strategy .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Outstanding shares beneficially owned (as of 01/31/2025) | 11,021 |
| RSUs/options exercisable within 60 days | Not disclosed for Sequeira in table; “—” |
| Unvested stock awards (as of 12/31/2024) | 3,055 RSUs |
| Ownership as % of shares outstanding | Less than 1% (company table indicates “*” <1%) |
| Stock ownership guideline | Directors expected to own Edwards stock equal to $550,000; must hold 50% of net shares until board service ends |
| Pledging/hedging | Prohibited for directors |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and independence: Sequeira strengthens Audit Committee oversight with deep global operating experience; independence affirmed; broad use of executive sessions supports unbiased oversight .
- Alignment and incentives: 2024 compensation mix combines modest fixed cash ($90k) with time‑vested RSUs ($259,950), reinforcing long-term alignment; strict ownership guidelines and holding requirements plus no pledging/hedging policies mitigate misalignment risks .
- Conflicts/related‑party: No Sequeira-related transactions or conflicts disclosed; Audit Committee controls and reviews any related person transactions (only one non-Sequeira item disclosed) .
- Engagement/attendance: Board met 11 times; each director attended ≥90% of meetings; Audit Committee met 10 times, indicating active oversight cadence .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Sequeira (no pledging/hedging, no related-party transactions, no option repricing/tax gross-ups in the program) .
Note: Insider Form 4 trading data was not included in retrieved company documents. Edwards’ insider trading policy applies to directors and is filed with the 2024 Form 10‑K; Audit Committee oversees compliance .