Linda Szyper
About Linda Szyper
Independent director (Class II) at Harmony Biosciences since November 2021; age 59 as of April 4, 2025. Background spans chief operating roles in healthcare communications and commercial leadership in biotech; currently serves as an independent life sciences consultant, bringing expertise in pharmaceutical marketing, medical communications, consumer health, and payer/patient engagement .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| McCann Health | Chief Operating Officer | Jan 2018 – Oct 2021 | Led global healthcare communications operations |
| Circassia | Chief Commercial Officer | Oct 2014 – Mar 2017 | Commercial leadership at UK-listed biotech/medical device firm |
| Publicis Healthcare Communications Group | Chief Development Officer | Jan 2008 – Oct 2014 | Business development across healthcare communications network |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neos Therapeutics (public) | Director | Mar 2018 – Mar 2021 | Prior public board experience |
| Independent consultancy | Life sciences consultant | Current | Focus on pharma marketing and engagement |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under Nasdaq and SEC standards; all directors other than CEO (Dayno) and Chair (Aronin) are independent .
- Committee assignment: Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee member; committee chaired by Juan Sabater; met 2 times in 2024 .
- Attendance: In 2024, each director attended at least 78% of board and applicable committee meetings; all then-incumbent directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Non-executive Chair (Aronin); no Lead Independent Director currently .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 | 2025 Program |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer ($) | $45,000 (program), $50,000 fees earned by Szyper | $50,000 annual retainer |
| Committee member retainer – Nominating ($) | $5,000 (non-chair) | $5,250 (non-chair) |
| Committee chair retainer – Nominating ($) | $10,000 (not applicable to Szyper) | $12,000 (not applicable to Szyper) |
| Total 2024 cash fees earned ($) | $50,000 | — |
| Anti-hedging policy | Prohibits hedging/monetization transactions | Continues |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Grant | 2024 Actual | Vesting | 2025 Program | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director option grant (fair value $) | $125,010 | Vests in full on earlier of 1-year anniversary or next annual meeting; accelerates on change-in-control | $300,000 option value for all eligible directors | Same vesting; accelerates on change-in-control |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Overlap/Interlock | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neos Therapeutics | Public | Prior (no current interlock) | Service from 2018–2021; no current related-party exposure disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep experience in pharmaceutical marketing, medical communications, consumer health, and payer/patient engagement; expected to bring valuable insight to the board .
- Prior senior operating roles (COO, CCO, CDO) across global healthcare communications and biotech businesses .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | Ownership % | Options Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linda Szyper | 15,693 | <1% | 22,029 (aggregate outstanding at 12/31/2024) |
| Stock ownership guidelines (directors) | Must hold 1.5x annual cash retainer; RSUs count; options do not | Compliance expected by Dec 31, 2026 for incumbents | — |
| Anti-hedging | Hedging/monetization prohibited | — | — |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and role: Independent director on the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, contributing to board composition, governance guidelines, and board/management self-evaluations—supports board effectiveness .
- Engagement: Board met 13 times in 2024; each director attended at least 78% of board/committee meetings; full attendance at 2024 annual meeting—acceptable engagement signal .
- Pay structure alignment: Mix of modest cash retainer plus annual option grant that vests on annual cycle; 2025 increase to $300k option value and $50k retainer elevates equity weighting, reinforcing long-term alignment but increases fixed director pay—monitor for pay inflation vs market .
- Ownership alignment: Personal ownership is <1%; options outstanding; company adopted director ownership guidelines (1.5x retainer) with compliance by 2026—positive governance move; actual compliance status not disclosed .
- Conflicts/related-party exposure: No related-party transactions involving Szyper disclosed; company reports only a right-of-use agreement with Paragon for office space ($0.3M), reviewed under related-party policies—low conflict risk for Szyper .
- Structural watchpoints: No Lead Independent Director while Chair is founder; concentrated holdings by Valor affiliates represented on board (Gracias, Sabater) may shape governance dynamics—context for independence oversight, though not specific to Szyper .
- Shareholder feedback: Prior Say-on-Pay support high (97.6% in 2023), indicating positive investor sentiment toward compensation governance broadly .