Eric Dobmeier
About Eric Dobmeier
Eric Dobmeier (age 56) has served as an independent director of Structure Therapeutics Inc. (GPCR) since December 2022. He holds an A.B. in History from Princeton University and a J.D. from UC Berkeley School of Law, and brings operating, business development, and legal experience from senior roles at public biotechs, including Seattle Genetics (COO) and Chinook Therapeutics (President & CEO). The Board has affirmatively determined he is independent under Nasdaq standards, including the heightened independence requirements for Audit and Compensation committees, and he met the company’s attendance expectations in 2024 (no director <75% attendance).
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KDNY) | President, CEO, Director | Apr 2019–Aug 2023; acquired by Novartis Aug 2023 | Led strategy through sale to Novartis. |
| Silverback Therapeutics | President & CEO | Jan–Jun 2018 | Transitional CEO role; corporate leadership. |
| Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ: SGEN) | Chief Operating Officer; prior roles since 2002 | COO Jun 2011–Dec 2017 | Oversight of operations at a major oncology biotech. |
| Venture Law Group; Heller Ehrman LLP | Attorney | Prior to biotech roles | Advised technology companies on financings, M&A, partnering. |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Janux Therapeutics (NASDAQ: JANX) | Director | Since Jul 2024 | Public biotech director role. |
| Samsara Biocapital | Venture Partner | Since May 2024 | Investment role in life sciences. |
| Private biotech companies | Director | Current | Several private company boards. |
| Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: ATRA) | Director | 2015–2024 | Public biotech board experience. |
| Adaptive Biotechnologies (NASDAQ: ADPT) | Director | 2016–2021 | Public biotech board experience. |
| Stemline Therapeutics (NASDAQ: STML) | Director | 2012–2018 | Public biotech board experience. |
| Versartis (NASDAQ: VSAR) | Director | 2017–2018 | Public biotech board experience. |
Board Governance
- Committee memberships (2024/2025): Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee member; not on Nominating & Corporate Governance or Research & Development Committees. Audit Committee members: Sharon Tetlow (Chair), Eric Dobmeier, Angus C. Russell; Compensation Committee members: Ted W. Love, M.D. (Chair), Eric Dobmeier, Daniel Welch.
- Independence: Board determined Dobmeier is “independent” for Board service and for Audit and Compensation Committee service per Nasdaq and SEC rules.
- Attendance: In 2024, Board held 7 meetings; Audit 4; Compensation 4; R&D 1; Nominating acted by written consent. No director attended fewer than 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings.
- Board leadership: Independent, non-executive Chair (Daniel Welch); regular executive sessions of independent directors.
| Committee | Role | Chair (Y/N) | 2024 Meetings | Attendance Indicator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | N | 4 | ≥75% for all directors. |
| Compensation | Member | N | 4 | ≥75% for all directors. |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Not a member | — | 0 (written consents) | n/a. |
| Research & Development | Not a member | — | 1 | n/a. |
Fixed Compensation
- Non-employee director policy (2024 updates): Annual cash retainer $45,000; committee member retainers (from Mar 15, 2024): Audit $10,000; Compensation $7,500; R&D $7,500; Nominating $5,000; corresponding chair retainers: Audit $20,000; Compensation $15,000; R&D $15,000; Nominating $10,000.
- 2024 actual cash fees: $62,500 (Dobmeier).
| Metric | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $45,000 |
| Reported 2024 cash fees earned | $62,500 |
Performance Compensation
- 2024 equity (grant date accounting value): Option awards $402,168 (Dobmeier). Total 2024 director comp $464,668.
- Option mechanics (policy): Initial option (on appointment) vests over 36 months; annual option (at AGM) vests over 12 months; 10-year term; full vesting on change-in-control; 12-month post-termination exercise (non-cause/non-death).
- 2025 policy update: Initial director option sized to $800,000 value (capped at 0.060% of outstanding shares); annual option sized to $400,000 value (capped at 0.030%); value converted to ADS count using 30-day average price; multiplied by 3 for ordinary shares.
| Equity Award Feature | 2024/2025 Policy Detail |
|---|---|
| 2024 Option grant (Dobmeier) – value | $402,168 (grant-date fair value) |
| Initial director option (tenure-based) | 75,000 ordinary shares (post-Aug 2023 policy), 36 monthly vesting; 10-year term. |
| Annual director option | 37,500 ordinary shares, 12 monthly vesting; 10-year term. |
| CIC treatment | Full vesting upon change in control (director options). |
| 2025 value-based sizing | Initial $800,000; Annual $400,000; % caps; 30-day average ADS for valuation. |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Overlap/Interlock Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Janux Therapeutics (JANX) | Director (since Jul 2024) | No GPCR-related transactions disclosed. |
| Samsara Biocapital | Venture Partner (since May 2024) | No related-party transactions with GPCR disclosed. |
| Prior boards (ATRA, ADPT, STML, VSAR) | Director | Historical roles; no current conflicts disclosed. |
- Compensation Committee interlocks: None reported; no GPCR executive served on the board/comp committee of another company with reciprocity in 2024/2025.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior operating leadership at Seagen (COO) and Chinook (CEO), with M&A/strategic exits (Novartis acquisition of Chinook).
- Legal background (Princeton A.B.; Berkeley J.D.) with corporate finance/M&A advisory experience.
- Audit literacy; Audit Committee can “read and understand fundamental financial statements”; Tetlow designated financial expert (not Dobmeier).
- Active network across public/private biotechs; current investment role at Samsara Biocapital.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned | Equivalent ADSs | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Dobmeier | 98,805 | 32,935 | <1% | Footnote: 98,805 ordinary shares underlying options exercisable within 60 days of Apr 17, 2025. |
| Options outstanding (directors, as of Dec 31, 2024) | 117,498 ordinary shares (Dobmeier) | — | — | Aggregate options outstanding by director shown; options vest per policy. |
- Hedging/pledging: Company prohibits hedging and pledging of company securities by directors/officers; no pledging disclosed for Dobmeier.
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness and engagement: Dobmeier serves on both Audit and Compensation—committees central to financial reporting and pay governance; independence affirmed for committee service, with strong attendance compliance in 2024.
- Shareholder confidence signals: Re-elected Class II director at 2025 AGM with 133,703,367 votes For vs 596,667 Against; Say-on-Pay approved (115,026,066 For vs 19,231,338 Against); “1 Year” Say-on-Pay frequency selected overwhelmingly—supports governance/comp oversight credibility.
- Compensation alignment for directors: Cash retainer plus options with time-based vesting and CIC acceleration; 2025 policy adds value-based caps and share % limits—aligns with market practice and mitigates dilution risk.
- Conflicts/related party exposure: No related-person transactions disclosed involving Dobmeier; prior related transactions involved another director (Schrödinger) and were assessed for independence.
- RED FLAGS: None observed specific to Dobmeier—no low attendance, no hedging/pledging, no interlocks, no related-party transactions. Continue monitoring for potential fund/company interlocks via Samsara portfolio and Janux relationships, but no GPCR transactions disclosed to date.
Overall, Dobmeier’s dual committee roles, legal/operating background, and high re-election support bolster board credibility at GPCR. Absence of conflicts and adherence to independence standards underpin investor confidence, while evolving director equity policy adds structure to pay-for-governance alignment.