Evert Schimmelpennink
iBioAbout Evert Schimmelpennink
Independent Class I Director at iBio since June 2021; age 53. Serves on the Compensation Committee and was affirmed independent under Nasdaq rules; Class I term expires at the 2027 Annual Meeting . Background includes nearly 25 years in biotech/pharma, currently CEO and President of publicly listed LENZ Therapeutics; prior CEO roles at Pfenex (led turnaround and sale to Ligand) and Alvotech; earlier senior roles at Pfizer, Hospira, and Synthon; holds an M.Sc. in bioprocess engineering (Wageningen University) and a Business Degree (Arnhem Business School) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pfenex, Inc. (public) | Chief Executive Officer; Acting PFO/PAO | Aug 2017–Oct 2020; Nov 13, 2019–sale | Led turnaround; first FDA approval; sale to Ligand in late 2020 |
| Alvotech (private at the time) | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2015–Jul 2017 | Aligned R&D, manufacturing, commercial for mAb portfolio |
| Pfizer Inc.; Hospira, Inc.; Synthon BV | Senior positions | Prior to 2015 | Specialty injectables/global roles |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. (public) | Chief Executive Officer & President; Director | Since Mar 4, 2021 | Publicly listed; ongoing executive role |
| Pipeline Therapeutics, Inc. | Chairman of the Board | Current | Chair role; company type not specified in proxy |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Schimmelpennink is independent; all current committee members are independent .
- Committees: Member, Compensation Committee; current committee membership is Sender (Chair), Kropotova, Schimmelpennink; 4 meetings in FY2025 .
- Attendance: Board held 6 meetings in FY2025; Compensation Committee held 4; Nominating held 5; Audit held 6; each current director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Structure: Independent directors meet in executive session at least quarterly; Chair and CEO roles are separated (Chair: William D. Clark) .
- Board refresh: Two independent directors (Arkowitz, Parada) added in Nov 2024; General Hill’s term expired Nov 21, 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Board cash retainer (Member) | $40,000 | FY2025 policy |
| Compensation Committee cash retainer (Member) | $7,500 | FY2025 policy |
| Chair fees | N/A | Not a chair |
| Meeting fees | None disclosed | Policy details show retainers, not per-meeting fees |
| FY2025 Fees Earned (Cash) | $48,063 | Actual FY2025 director cash compensation |
Performance Compensation
| Grant Type | Grant Date | Quantity | Fair Value | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options (annual board grant) | FY2025 cycle | 18,900 | $46,205 | Annual cycle grants; policy provides initial options vest over 36 months; annual grant vesting schedule not separately specified |
| Initial Director Option Grant | Upon initial election | 12,600 | Not separately broken out | Vests over 36 months |
No performance metrics (TSR, revenue, ESG) tied to director compensation are disclosed; director equity is time-based options granted per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Entity | Relationship to iBio | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| LENZ Therapeutics, Inc. | Unrelated disclosed | No related-party transactions involving Schimmelpennink disclosed in iBio’s proxy |
| Pipeline Therapeutics, Inc. | Unrelated disclosed | No related-party transactions involving Schimmelpennink disclosed in iBio’s proxy |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Bioprocess engineering M.Sc. (Wageningen); Business Degree (Arnhem) .
- CEO experience at multiple biopharma firms; scaling public/private companies; funding strategies; industry operating roles at Pfizer/Hospira .
- Current executive leadership in a public biotech (LENZ) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (as of Oct 3, 2025) | 19,318 shares (options) | Less than 1%; consists of options vested or vesting within 60 days |
| Outstanding options (Jun 30, 2025) | 19,318 total; 11,443 vested | Option balance and vesting status |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Prohibited by policy | Hedging and pledging prohibited for directors |
Governance Assessment
-
Positives
- Independent director; sits on and engages with the Compensation Committee; committee used independent consultant (Aon) in Aug 2024 to advise on compensation practices .
- Attendance threshold met; Board and committee cadence suggests active oversight; independent directors hold regular executive sessions .
- Director pay structure relies on modest cash retainers and equity via time-based options; no meeting fees or perquisites disclosed; aligns with small-cap norms .
- Hedging/pledging prohibited—strong alignment safeguard .
- Shareholder support: 2024 say-on-pay received ~91% approval; 2024 Annual Meeting director elections passed with pluralities (Evert received 1,942,245 “For”)—supportive sentiment .
-
Watch items
- Multiple external leadership roles (CEO at LENZ; chair at Pipeline) require time-balancing; Nominating Committee reviews professional obligations to ensure adequate commitment .
- No disclosed director stock ownership guidelines for non-employee directors; beneficial ownership primarily via options with <1% stake—typical for micro-cap, but lower “skin-in-the-game” than outright share ownership .
- Related-party transactions reviewed by Audit Committee; 2025 private placement involved an entity controlled by another iBio director (Parada/MagicRoad), not Schimmelpennink; continued monitoring of transactions for conflicts is prudent .
Appendix: Meeting Cadence and Independence
| Body | FY2025 Meetings | Independence |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 6 | Majority independent; Schimmelpennink independent |
| Audit Committee | 6 | All members independent |
| Compensation Committee | 4 | All members independent; consultant Aon retained |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | 5 | All members independent |
Executive sessions of independent directors occur at least quarterly .
Related-Party Transactions Summary
- No transactions involving Evert Schimmelpennink disclosed in the related-party section; Audit Committee reviews and pre-approves related-party transactions .
- 2025 private placement included a $500,000 purchase by MagicRoad (entity of director António Parada); side letter with Lynx1 regarding director nomination; both reviewed under policies .
Say-on-Pay & Shareholder Feedback
- 2024 say-on-pay support approximately 91% in favor, per proxy; annual say-on-pay votes are recommended and held .
- 2024 Annual Meeting voting outcomes reported via 8-K, showing director election and say-on-pay results .