Seth Benson
About Seth Benson
Independent director of Harvard Bioscience, appointed on July 16, 2025; member of the Audit Committee. Background spans >20 years in finance, technology, and operations in life science tools, including CFO of Nuclera Ltd, prior CFO of Vizgen, Inc., and VP, Strategic Finance & Investor Relations at Akoya Biosciences . Independence affirmed at appointment as one of “two new independent directors” . Initial insider filing reported no beneficial ownership as of his Form 3 on July 25, 2025 .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vizgen, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Not disclosed in filings | Finance leadership in life science tools |
| Akoya Biosciences | VP, Strategic Finance & Investor Relations | Not disclosed in filings | Strategic finance and investor relations in life sciences |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuclera Ltd | Chief Financial Officer | Current as of July 17, 2025 | Life science tools; senior finance leadership |
Board Governance
- Appointment and committee assignment: Added to the Board and the Audit Committee on July 16, 2025, which restored Nasdaq Audit Committee composition compliance (Rule 5605(c)(2)(A)) .
- Independence: Appointed as an independent director .
- Lead Independent Director: Katherine Eade serving as Lead Independent Director as of July 17, 2025 .
- Attendance/engagement baseline: In 2024 the Board met 14 times; each director then in office attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; non-employee directors meet in regular executive sessions. Benson joined in 2025; his attendance not yet disclosed for 2025 .
Fixed Compensation
Policy framework for non-employee directors (2025):
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (Board) | $40,000 | Paid quarterly in arrears |
| Audit Committee chair (cash) | $20,000 | Additional to member retainer |
| Audit Committee member (cash) | $12,500 | — |
| Compensation Committee chair (cash) | $9,000 | — |
| Compensation Committee member (cash) | $9,000 | — |
| Nominating & Governance chair (cash) | $6,500 | — |
| Nominating & Governance member (cash) | $5,000 | — |
Performance Compensation
Director equity is time-based (no disclosed performance metrics for directors):
| Equity Component | Grant Value | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU retainer (non-employee directors) | $150,000 | Vests in full prior to next annual meeting or one year from grant, whichever earlier | Granted on 5th business day following annual meeting |
| Lead Independent Director RSU retainer | $35,000 | Same annual-cycle vesting | Policy (not applicable to Benson unless designated Lead Independent) |
| Initial election RSU award | $150,000 | Vests annually over three years | Granted on 5th business day after initial election |
The DEF 14A specifies policy entitlements; Benson’s specific grants/quantities are not individually disclosed in filings to date .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| None disclosed | — | — | No public company directorships disclosed for Benson in HBIO filings |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance leadership across life science tools and technology sectors: CFO at Nuclera; prior CFO at Vizgen; VP Strategic Finance & IR at Akoya Biosciences .
- Governance signal: Audit Committee placement helped restore Nasdaq compliance for committee composition .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Security | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 25, 2025 | Common Stock (non-derivative) | 0 (“No securities are beneficially owned.”) | Form 3 initial statement of beneficial ownership |
| Policy | Director stock ownership guideline | ≥3x annual cash retainer within 5 years of initial election | Unvested RSUs count; options excluded |
| Q2 2025 | Rule 10b5-1 adoption/termination | None by directors/officers in the quarter | Applies to period including Benson’s appointment |
Insider Filings
| Form | Filed Date | Event Date | Key Disclosure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 3 (Initial Statement) | July 25, 2025 | July 16, 2025 | No securities beneficially owned |
Governance Assessment
- Positive signals: Appointment as independent director and Audit Committee member strengthened board compliance and oversight; Nasdaq Audit Committee rule compliance restored upon his and Rob Gagnon’s appointments .
- Alignment watch item: Form 3 shows zero initial beneficial ownership; HBIO’s equity retainer and 5-year director ownership guideline should build alignment over time, but near-term ownership is minimal until grants vest and/or shares are acquired .
- Engagement baseline: Board maintains executive sessions and strong attendance; Benson’s attendance record will be assessable in the 2026 proxy for 2025 activity .
- Conflicts/related-party: No related-party transactions disclosed involving Benson; no Rule 10b5-1 plan adoptions/terminations in Q2 2025 . No other public board interlocks disclosed .
Oversight focus: Monitor Benson’s committee workload, any future designation to Compensation or Nominating & Governance, equity grant disclosures, and progress toward ownership guidelines to gauge alignment and engagement .