Skye Drynan
Gossamer BioAbout Skye Drynan
Independent Class III director at Gossamer Bio since March 11, 2024; age 49. Founder/CEO of House of Skye; former Partner and Senior BioPharma Analyst at Capital Group, with prior senior investment roles at Credit Suisse Asset Management, Lord Abbett, New Vernon, and Putnam; BA from Wellesley and research assistant at MIT’s Whitehead Institute. Designated “audit committee financial expert” by the board, and currently chairs the Audit Committee; board determined she is independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Group | Partner; Senior BioPharma Analyst | 2008–2020 | Led biopharma coverage; life sciences investing experience |
| Credit Suisse Asset Management | Portfolio Manager; Global Head of Healthcare | Prior to Capital Group; managed >$1B in assets | Healthcare portfolio leadership |
| Lord, Abbett & Co.; New Vernon Associates; Putnam Investments | Senior investment professional (healthcare) | Prior roles | Deep healthcare investing background |
| Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (MIT) | Research Assistant | Early career | Scientific research exposure |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of Skye, Ltd. | Founder, CEO, Creative Director | 2016–present | Fashion/commerce/content/technology; patents in AI, tech, design utility |
| Various tech/data companies (e.g., MNTN, Accelerate360, Nuda Foods, Vibely, VMD Ventures) | Advisor/partnerships | Current (as disclosed) | Strategic advisory; partnerships in commerce/tech ecosystems |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit (Chair), members: Russell Cox and John Quisel; audit met 4 times in FY2024. All committee members independent; Drynan designated “audit committee financial expert” .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except CEO are independent; lead independent director is Thomas Daniel .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in FY2024; each director attended at least 75% of board/committee meetings during their service; annual meeting attendance—“all but one” directors attended in 2024 (individual breakdown not disclosed) .
- Insider trading policy: Prohibits pledging/hedging, margin purchases, short sales, and derivatives in company stock .
- Indemnification: Company indemnifies directors to fullest extent under Delaware law and maintains D&O insurance .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board Cash Retainer | $40,000 | Standard non-employee director retainer |
| Audit Committee Chair Retainer | $15,000 (2024) | Increased to $20,000 effective Feb 2025 |
| Committee Member Retainers | Audit member $7,500 (2024); Compensation $6,000; Nominating $4,000 | Increased to $10,000 / $7,500 / $5,000 effective Feb 2025 |
| 2024 Cash Fees Earned (Drynan) | $39,577 | Reflects tenure from March 11, 2024 |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Option (Initial) | Mar 11, 2024 | 230,000 | $250,838 | Monthly over 3 years | Standard for new directors; options vest on change in control |
| Stock Option (Annual) | Jun 26, 2025 | 115,000 | n/a | First anniversary or next annual meeting | Reported on Form 4 |
- Option pricing practices: No in-the-money grants; exercise price at FMV on grant date; no single-trigger vesting; plan permits acceleration if awards are not assumed in a change in control .
- Repricing risk: Restated plan permits option/SAR repricing without shareholder approval (RED FLAG) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | Not disclosed | No current public company directorships disclosed beyond Gossamer Bio |
| Related-party or interlocks | — | None disclosed | 8-K states Drynan not party to Item 404(a) related-party transactions upon appointment |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial and investment expertise in biotechnology; designated audit committee financial expert .
- Entrepreneurial/operator experience in technology and IP (AI/design patents) via House of Skye .
- Broad boardroom skills aligned to oversight of financial reporting, risk, and capital allocation .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shares Beneficially Owned (Apr 28, 2025) | 95,833 | Options exercisable within 60 days count toward beneficial ownership |
| % of Shares Outstanding | <1% | Based on 227,221,261 shares outstanding |
| Options Outstanding (Dec 31, 2024) | 230,000 | Initial director grant |
| Options Exercisable within 60 days (Apr 28, 2025) | 95,833 | Portion of options counted for beneficial ownership |
Insider Trades
| Date | Form | Security | Quantity | Description/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11–12, 2024 | Form 3 | — | — | Initial statement of beneficial ownership (director appointment) |
| Mar 11–12, 2024 | Form 4 | Stock Option | 230,000 | Initial director option grant; monthly vesting over 3 years |
| Jun 26, 2025 | Form 4 | Stock Option | 115,000 | Annual director option grant |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths: Independent director; chairs Audit Committee; “audit committee financial expert”; strong investment/finance background; board and committees met regularly with ≥75% attendance; robust anti-hedging/pledging; indemnification and D&O coverage enhance director independence .
-
Alignment: Director pay mixes modest cash with equity; initial and annual option grants with FMV pricing and multi-year vesting; options accelerate only if not assumed in change in control; annual retainer and committee fees within typical biotech ranges .
-
Potential RED FLAGS and monitoring:
- Plan-level repricing authority without shareholder approval (dilution/governance risk). Monitor any actual repricing events (none disclosed here) .
- Limited disclosed outright share ownership (beneficial ownership driven by options); continue to monitor ownership growth and any pledging/hedging (prohibited by policy) .
- Broader company related-person item: CEO’s son employed and granted options; while not tied to Drynan, it’s a related-party context the Audit Committee oversees (watch for arm’s-length compliance) .
-
Conflicts/related-party: Company disclosed Drynan had no Item 404(a) related-party transactions upon appointment; board determined independence .
-
Compensation Committee oversight: Independent compensation committee with independent consultant (Alpine Rewards) informs peer benchmarking; supports overall governance quality .
Implications: As Audit Chair and financial expert, Drynan enhances board oversight of reporting and related-party controls, supporting investor confidence. Keep watch on equity plan governance (repricing authority) and the evolution of her ownership stake to assess alignment and potential dilution signals .