Bill Chase
About Bill Chase
William (Bill) Chase, 57, has served as an independent director of GRAIL since June 2024 and is nominated to continue as a Class I director through the 2028 annual meeting. He is the Audit Committee Chair and an SEC-designated audit committee financial expert; previously EVP/CFO at AbbVie and held senior finance roles at Abbott Laboratories. He holds a B.S. from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. | EVP, Finance & Administration; EVP & CFO | Oct 2018–Jul 2019 | Oversaw finance, investor relations, IT; strategy, licensing and M&A contributions |
| Abbott Laboratories | CVP, Licensing & Acquisitions; CVP & Treasurer; Controller, Abbott International | ~25 years (prior to AbbVie) | Progressive finance leadership roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (public) | Director; Audit Committee Chair | Since Apr 2023 | Audit leadership; financial oversight |
| Parexel International (private) | Director | Since Nov 2021 | Board oversight at biopharma services firm |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under Nasdaq rules; no family relationships disclosed .
- Committees & Chair roles:
| Committee | Role | 2024 Meetings | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Chair | 2 | Attended all meetings of Board and committees served |
| Compensation | Member | 4 | Attended all meetings |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member | 1 | Attended all meetings |
- Audit Committee financial expert designation: Chase qualifies per Item 407(d)(5) and Nasdaq .
- Board meetings: 5 in 2024; all directors attended all applicable meetings .
- Lead independent director: Not appointed; independent non-executive Chair in place .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $43,623 | Elected DSUs covering 2,446 shares in lieu of $38,425 cash; remaining $5,199 in cash |
| Stock Awards (RSUs) | $449,990 | Initial grant; ASC 718 grant-date fair value |
| Total | $493,613 | Sum of cash and RSU value |
| Deferred Stock Units (DSUs) | 2,446 shares | Fully vested DSUs elected in 2024 |
Non-Employee Director Compensation Program structure (for reference):
- Annual cash retainer $50,000; Audit Chair $20,000; Compensation Chair $15,000; Nominating Chair $10,000; Audit member $10,000; Compensation member $7,500; Nominating member $5,000; Non-executive Board Chair $50,000; Lead Independent Director $35,000 (not applicable in 2024) .
- Deferred Compensation Plan allows deferral of cash retainers and/or RSU awards (effective July 15, 2024) .
Performance Compensation
| Element | Value/Terms | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Director RSU Award | ~$450,000; vests one-third annually over 3 years | Time-based vesting; no explicit performance metrics disclosed |
| Annual Director RSU Award | ~$250,000 at each annual meeting (prorated if <6 months service) | Time-based, vests at 1 year or next annual meeting |
| Change-in-Control Treatment | Director awards vest in full immediately prior to change-in-control if not continuing as board member of Company or ultimate parent | Not performance-based; vesting is contingent on change-in-control status |
Company-wide clawback policy applies to incentive-based compensation upon restatement; award agreements and plans include clawback provisions .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Market | Role | Committee Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. | Public | Director | Audit Chair |
| Parexel International | Private | Director | N/A disclosed |
- Compensation Committee Interlocks: None; GRAL compensation committee members (including Chase) are non-employees; no reciprocal executive/director interlocks disclosed .
- Related-party transactions: None disclosed involving Chase; related-party transactions require Audit Committee review/approval .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Financial leadership: Former AbbVie EVP/CFO; senior finance roles at Abbott Laboratories .
- Audit & accounting: Audit Committee Chair; SEC-defined audit committee financial expert .
- Industry: Extensive biotechnology/pharma experience; governance at public and private biopharma companies .
- Education: B.S. (University of Illinois); MBA (University of Chicago Booth) .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Direct Common Shares | DSUs (Vested) | RSUs (Unvested) | Options | Ownership % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William (Bill) Chase | — | 2,446 | 26,470 | N/A | <1% |
- Hedging/Pledging: Company insider trading policy prohibits hedging transactions for directors and controlled entities; pledging not disclosed .
- Stock ownership guidelines for directors: Not disclosed in proxy; compliance status not disclosed.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director; Audit Chair with SEC “financial expert” designation; perfect attendance across Board/committee meetings in 2024; participation on all three key committees; DSU election in lieu of cash indicates alignment with shareholder outcomes .
- Oversight quality: Audit Committee pre-approves auditor services; reviews related-party transactions, risk management, and cybersecurity; EY audit fees disclosed and independence affirmed .
- Compensation governance: Independent compensation consultant (Compensia) engaged; no consultant conflicts; director pay mix emphasizes equity; clawback framework in place for incentive compensation .
- Potential watch items: Company’s 2024 Inducement Plan permits option/SAR repricing or cash exchange without stockholder approval (employee-focused plan; directors receive RSUs); monitor plan governance practices though not directly tied to director RSU grants .
- Conflicts: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Chase; no Section 16 filing delinquencies reported for him in 2024 .