Jayson Dallas
About Jayson Dallas
Jayson Dallas, M.D., age 57, has served on Galecto’s Board since 2020 and is currently Chief Executive Officer and board member of Rivus Pharmaceuticals (CEO since June 2023; previously Executive Chair from April 2021 to June 2023). He holds an M.D. from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa) and an MBA from Ashridge Business School (UK), with prior senior roles at Aimmune (CEO), Ultragenyx (EVP & first CCO), Roche (UK GM), Genentech, Novartis, and Pfizer/Pharmacia .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aimmune Therapeutics | President & CEO; Director | Jun 2018 – Dec 2020 | Led company through acquisition by Nestlé Health Science; extensive commercial leadership |
| Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical | EVP & first Chief Commercial Officer | Aug 2015 – 2018 | Built initial commercial organization and strategy |
| F. Hoffmann-La Roche (UK) | General Manager | Jan 2013 – Jul 2015 | Country P&L leadership |
| Genentech | Head, Global Oncology Launch Excellence & Biosimilar Strategy; Head, Global Product Strategy (Immunology & Ophthalmology) | Prior to 2013 | Global launch/process ownership; therapeutic strategy |
| Novartis; Pfizer/Pharmacia; Roche (Switzerland) | Various senior roles | Earlier career | Drug development, medical, commercial planning and operations |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rivus Pharmaceuticals | Chief Executive Officer; Director | CEO since Jun 2023; Exec Chair Apr 2021–Jun 2023 | Operational leadership in metabolic/obesity therapeutics |
| Arena Pharmaceuticals | Director | Feb 2017 – Mar 2022 | Board oversight through sale to Pfizer in 2022 |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair (both committees comprised solely of independent directors) .
- Independence: The Board determined all directors except the CEO are independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules; Dallas is independent .
- Attendance: In FY2024 the Board met 22 times and committees met 10 times; every director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings. Audit Committee held 4 meetings; Compensation Committee 5; Nominating & Corporate Governance 1 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions without management .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (FY2024) | $57,150 | Actual for Dallas; payable quarterly in arrears |
| Option awards (grant-date fair value, FY2024) | $6,818 | Options granted under director program; ASC 718 valuation |
Director compensation program fee schedule:
| Service | Member Annual Fee | Chair Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | $40,000 | $35,000 |
| Financing Committee | $15,000 | $10,000 |
| Audit Committee | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| Compensation Committee | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | $5,000 | $5,000 |
Performance Compensation
- Director equity structure: Upon initial election/appointment, each non-employee director receives an option to purchase 720 shares; at each annual meeting, each non-employee director receives another 720-share option (Chair of the Board receives 1,440). Initial options vest monthly over 36 months (2.778% per month); annual meeting options vest monthly over 12 months (8.333% per month); all director options become exercisable in full upon specified change-in-control events .
- As of Dec 31, 2024: Dallas held options to purchase 3,960 shares; grant FV for 2024 options was $6,818 . As of April 15, 2025: 3,900 options were exercisable within 60 days .
- Performance metrics: Director equity is time-based service vesting; no performance metrics disclosed for director grants .
Option holdings and vesting detail:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Options outstanding (12/31/2024) | 3,960 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days (4/15/2025) | 3,900 |
| 2024 option grant FV | $6,818 |
| Vesting schedules | Initial: 2.778% monthly for 36 months; Annual: 8.333% monthly for 12 months |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Relationship |
|---|---|---|
| Arena Pharmaceuticals | Public (former) | Dallas served as director until March 2022; no current interlock with GLTO disclosed |
| Bridge Medicines | Private | Not a Dallas role; highlighted because GLTO’s Chair (Goldfischer) is Executive Chairman and affiliates are GLTO shareholders—potential board-level conflict context |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Medical and commercial leadership across biopharma with global P&L and launch excellence (Roche, Genentech, Ultragenyx, Aimmune) .
- Advanced clinical and business training (M.D.; MBA) and cross-functional strategy expertise in drug development and commercialization .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Jayson Dallas, M.D. | 3,900 (issuable upon exercise of options within 60 days) | * (less than 1%) |
Policy alignment:
- Insider Trading Policy prohibits short sales; hedging and pledging require Audit Committee approval; transactions by directors require pre-clearance by General Counsel .
- Compensation Recovery Policy adopted Nov 16, 2023; no restatements requiring clawback in or after FY2024 .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director; chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance; member of Audit; meets attendance threshold; experience spans medical, R&D interfacing, global commercial strategy and launch execution—useful for oversight of pipeline-to-commercial transitions .
- Alignment: Director pay is modest and includes service-vested options; Dallas’s beneficial ownership is small (options only), consistent with micro-cap context and service-based director equity grants; hedging/pledging restrictions and clawback framework support investor alignment .
- Potential conflicts: No related-party transactions involving Dallas disclosed. Board-level related-party exposure exists via the Bridge Medicines acquisition where the Chair (Goldfischer) is Executive Chairman and affiliated funds are shareholders, monitored under the Audit Committee’s related-person transaction policy—investors should watch committee independence and approvals on Bridge-related matters .
- Attendance/engagement: Board and committee cadence was high in 2024; directors met attendance minimums; independent executive sessions occur regularly—signals active oversight .
RED FLAGS to monitor: Chair’s dual role at Bridge Medicines in context of GLTO’s asset purchase (ensure continued robust related-party oversight); limited personal share ownership typical for directors but may temper “skin-in-the-game” optics in a highly dilutive micro-cap environment .