John Quisel
Gossamer BioAbout John Quisel
John Quisel, Ph.D., J.D., age 53, is an independent Class III director of Gossamer Bio (GOSS), serving since November 2023; he is also President, Chief Executive Officer, and a director of Disc Medicine, Inc. since February 2020 . His credentials include an AB from Harvard University, MS from Stanford University, Ph.D. from MIT, and J.D. from Harvard Law School, reflecting deep scientific and legal expertise relevant to biopharma governance . The board has determined that all directors other than the CEO are independent under Nasdaq rules, which includes Dr. Quisel .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceleron Pharma Inc. | Various roles, most recently Chief Business Officer | Oct 2006–Feb 2020 | Led business strategy and transactions at a biopharma innovator |
| Ropes & Gray | Associate | Prior to Acceleron | Legal training in corporate/transactional practice |
| Foley Hoag | Associate | Prior to Acceleron | Legal training in corporate/transactional practice |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc Medicine, Inc. | President & Chief Executive Officer; Director | Since Feb 2020 | Public-company CEO; board member (hematology focus) |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; the committee met 4 times in 2024; members are independent and financially literate; chair is Skye Drynan .
- Independence: Board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent (includes Quisel) .
- Attendance: In 2024, each director attended at least 75% of the meetings of the board and the committees on which they served .
- Board leadership: Chairman & CEO is Faheem Hasnain; Lead Independent Director is Thomas Daniel, M.D. .
| Governance Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board class | Class III; term expires at 2027 annual meeting |
| Committee memberships | Audit Committee (member) |
| Chair roles | None disclosed (Audit Committee chair is Drynan) |
| Independence status | Independent under Nasdaq rules |
| Board/committee attendance (2024) | ≥75% for all directors |
| Lead Independent Director | Thomas Daniel, M.D. |
| Related-party oversight | Audit Committee reviews and approves related-party transactions |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount/Structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual director retainer (cash) | $40,000 | Non-employee directors |
| Audit Committee member retainer (cash) | $7,500 (2024); increased to $10,000 effective Feb 2025 | Program amended in Feb 2025 |
| Committee chair retainers (cash) | Audit $15,000→$20,000; Comp $12,000→$15,000; N&CG $8,000→$10,000 (Feb 2025 updates) | Not applicable to Quisel (not a chair) |
| Meeting fees | None disclosed | |
| Reimbursement of expenses | Travel/lodging reimbursement provided | |
| Quisel—Fees earned in 2024 | $47,500 | Reflects base + committee member fees |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Component | Grant Detail | Value/Structure | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial option grant (on election) | 230,000 options | Fair value aggregated under program; Quisel’s 2024 option award FV $55,465 | Vests monthly over 3 years |
| Annual option grant (recurring) | 115,000 options per year | Quisel total options outstanding at 12/31/24: 345,000 | Vests at earlier of 1-year anniversary or next annual meeting |
| Change-in-control vesting | Director awards vest upon a change in control | Program feature for non-employee directors | Accelerates at change in control |
| 2024 equity award—grant date fair value | $55,465 (options) | Quisel; 2024 cash + equity total $102,965 | Time-based vesting |
| Performance metrics tied to director pay | None disclosed | Director equity is time-based, not performance-based | N/A |
Notes and controls:
- The Restated 2019 Incentive Plan includes performance award mechanics for participants generally, but director compensation program specifies time-based option vesting; the plan also caps director annual compensation at $750,000 (initial year $1,000,000) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Positions | Interlocks/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc Medicine, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed in GOSS proxy | Public-company CEO/director role; no disclosed interlocks with GOSS competitors/suppliers/customers |
| Compensation Committee Interlocks (GOSS) | N/A | 2024 committee members were Cox (chair), Daniel, Milligan—all independent; none were GOSS officers; no interlocks disclosed | None disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Advanced scientific and legal training (AB Harvard; MS Stanford; Ph.D. MIT; J.D. Harvard Law), supporting oversight of R&D, IP, and complex transactions .
- Senior biopharma operating experience (Acceleron Chief Business Officer; CEO of Disc Medicine), strengthening board effectiveness in strategy, BD, and risk oversight .
- Financial literacy confirmed at Audit Committee; Audit Committee members are independent and financially literate .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Date/Context |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (common + derivatives) | 230,000 shares underlying options exercisable within 60 days (less than 1%) | As of April 28, 2025 |
| Options outstanding | 345,000 | As of December 31, 2024 |
| Exercisable vs. unexercisable | 230,000 exercisable within 60 days; remainder not exercisable within 60 days | As of the dates shown |
| Pledging/hedging | Prohibited by Insider Trading Compliance Policy | Policy applies to directors |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed for directors in proxy; director compensation cap $750k/$1,000k initial under plan | Program-level constraint |
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and engagement: Independent director; Audit Committee member; board confirms ≥75% attendance in 2024, supporting engagement and oversight of financial reporting, controls, and related-party transactions .
- Alignment and incentives: Director pay is modest, largely equity via options with multi-year vesting; 2024 totals were $102,965 (fees $47,500; option FV $55,465), indicating equity-linked alignment while avoiding excessive guaranteed pay .
- Conflicts and time commitment: Concurrent CEO/director role at Disc Medicine is notable; no related-party transactions or interlocks disclosed involving Quisel; Audit Committee oversight of related-party matters (including CEO’s family member employment) mitigates conflict risk .
- Policy safeguards: Prohibition on pledging/hedging enhances alignment; clawback policy and compensation committee-administered recovery policy bolster governance; director compensation capped under equity plan .
- Red flags to monitor: The Restated Plan permits repricing of stock options/SARs without shareholder approval (plan-level feature)—a shareholder-unfriendly provision; continued vigilance on plan administration is warranted .