Fred Hassan
EyePoint PharmaceuticalsAbout Fred Hassan
Independent director since 2024 (age 79), Hassan is a veteran biopharma executive and investor. He is a Director at Warburg Pincus LLC and previously served as Chairman/CEO of Schering‑Plough and Pharmacia (including Pharmacia & Upjohn). He holds a B.S. in chemical engineering from Imperial College (University of London) and an MBA from Harvard Business School, and at EyePoint serves on the Governance & Nominating Committee .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schering‑Plough | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer | 2003–2009 | Led turnaround and strategic direction |
| Pharmacia Corporation | Chairman & Chief Executive Officer | 2001–2003 | Integration leadership post‑merger (Monsanto + Pharmacia & Upjohn) |
| Pharmacia & Upjohn, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer | 1997–2001 | Corporate leadership |
| Wyeth | Executive Vice President; Board Member | 1995–1997 | Senior management and board service |
| Sandoz (now Novartis) | Head of U.S. pharmaceuticals | Earlier career | U.S. pharma business leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Warburg Pincus LLC | Director | 2010–present |
| Precigen Inc. (NASDAQ: PGEN) | Director | Since Jun 2016 |
| BridgeBio Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: BBIO) | Director | Since Aug 2021 |
| Cocrystal (NASDAQ: COCP) | Director | Since Jul 2023 |
| Prometheus Biosciences Inc. | Director | May 2021–Jun 2023 |
| Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) | Director | Jul 2015–May 2021 |
| Time Warner Inc. | Director | Oct 2009–Jun 2018 |
| Avon Products, Inc. | Director | 1999–2013 |
| Bausch & Lomb | Director | 2010–2013 (until sale to Valeant) |
| Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. | Director | 2013–2014 |
| PhRMA; IFPMA; The Business Council | Chair/member (industry leadership) | Various |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Hassan is independent under SEC/Nasdaq standards .
- Committee assignment: Member, Governance & Nominating Committee; the committee met four times in 2024 and is comprised entirely of independent directors; Chair is Göran Ando .
- Board/committee cadence and engagement: Board met four times in 2024; executive sessions of independent directors held at each regular board meeting .
- Appointment source: Recommended to the Board as an independent director by Chair Dr. Ando (Board refreshment process) .
Fixed Compensation (Director)
| Year | Cash Retainer/Fees ($) | Committee/Chair Fees ($) | Meeting Fees ($) | Total Cash ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16,304 | Included in fees above (no separate disclosure for Hassan) | Not disclosed for Hassan (company policy pays $1,000 after >12 committee mtgs) | 16,304 |
Policy reference (non‑executive directors):
- Annual retainer: $45,000 per director; Board Chair $80,000; Vice Chair $70,000 .
- Committee fees: Audit Chair $20,000 / members $10,000; Compensation Chair $15,000 / members $7,500; Governance Chair $10,000 / members $5,000; Science Chair $15,000 / members $7,500 .
- Meeting fees: $1,000 per meeting after twelve committee meetings .
Performance Compensation (Director)
| Award Type | Grant Date | Quantity | Vesting Terms | Grant Date Fair Value ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual stock option grant | Dec 11, 2024 (approved) | 40,000 options | Annual grants vest on first anniversary of grant | Part of 2024 option awards value $392,413 |
| Outstanding options (year‑end status) | As of Dec 31, 2024 | 60,000 options | Not individually broken out (policy: initial new‑director grant 80,000, vests in 3 equal annual installments) | N/A |
Notes:
- Company policy allows annual director equity grants as stock options or RSUs; 2024 director awards were stock options; vest on first anniversary .
- No performance‑based metrics disclosed for director equity (time‑based vesting only) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector | Role/Committee (if disclosed) | Potential Interlock/Conflict Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precigen (PGEN) | Biotechnology | Director | No related‑party transactions with EYPT disclosed |
| BridgeBio (BBIO) | Biotechnology | Director | No related‑party transactions with EYPT disclosed |
| Cocrystal (COCP) | Biotechnology | Director | No related‑party transactions with EYPT disclosed |
| Warburg Pincus | Private equity | Director | External role; independence affirmed by EYPT Board |
Expertise & Qualifications
- CEO/Chair track record across large pharma (Schering‑Plough; Pharmacia), senior roles at Wyeth and Sandoz; extensive board leadership across biopharma and media .
- Industry policy leadership (Chair of PhRMA, IFPMA) .
- Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering (Imperial College, Univ. of London); MBA (Harvard Business School) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Outstanding options (Dec 31, 2024) | 60,000 options |
| Annual director option grant (2024) | 40,000 options (approved Dec 11, 2024) |
| Exercisable within 60 days (as of Apr 23, 2025) | None (no right to acquire within 60 days via option exercise per beneficial ownership footnote) |
| Hedging/pledging | Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of EYPT securities by directors |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee seat: Hassan’s independence status and service on the Governance & Nominating Committee support board refreshment and oversight of director qualifications and corporate governance practices; the committee met four times in 2024, indicating regular engagement .
- Director pay structure and alignment: Compensation for Hassan in 2024 was predominantly equity via options ($392,413 fair value) with modest cash fees ($16,304), aligning director interests with shareholders; vesting is time‑based with no disclosed performance metrics for directors .
- Ownership and trading safeguards: No exercisable options within 60 days as of April 23, 2025; company prohibits hedging/pledging, reducing alignment risks commonly flagged by investors .
- Related‑party exposure: Proxy discloses related‑party licensing transactions with Ocumension linked to a former director; no transactions involving Hassan were disclosed, mitigating conflict concerns .
- Compensation governance context: The 2023 LTIP caps annual non‑employee director compensation ($850,000 ongoing; $1,100,000 initial year) and prohibits option repricing without shareholder approval, which investors view as governance positives .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Hassan (no related‑party transactions, hedging/pledging prohibited). Monitoring point: External role at Warburg Pincus warrants routine conflict screening, though EYPT affirms independence and discloses no related transactions .
References