Mark Chin
About Mark Chin
Mark Chin, M.S., M.B.A., is an independent director of Disc Medicine (IRON), serving since September 2021 and standing for re-election as a Class II director to serve until the 2028 annual meeting; he is 43 years old as of April 15, 2025 . He is a biotechnology investor/operator with prior roles across venture capital and biopharma strategy, and holds a B.S. (UC San Diego), M.S. (University of Pennsylvania), and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School . He currently serves as a Partner at Avoro Capital (since November 2023) following senior roles at Arix Bioscience, Longitude Capital, Boston Consulting Group, Gilead, and Genentech .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avoro Capital | Partner | Nov 2023 – Present | Biotech-focused investment leadership |
| Arix Bioscience PLC | Managing Director; Investment Director | Apr 2020 – Nov 2023; Aug 2016 – Apr 2020 | VC investments in biotech |
| Longitude Capital | Principal | Sep 2012 – Aug 2016 | Investments in private/public biotech & medtech |
| Boston Consulting Group | Consultant | Jan 2011 – Sep 2012 | Strategy/corp dev projects for pharma/biotech |
| Gilead Sciences | Corporate Development | Prior to 2011 (dates not specified) | Corporate development |
| Genentech | Market Planning | Prior to 2011 (dates not specified) | Market planning |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpoon Therapeutics (formerly Nasdaq-listed) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Imara Inc. (Nasdaq: IMRA) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Iterum Therapeutics (Nasdaq: ITRM) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Pyxis Oncology (Nasdaq: PYXS) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Various private biotech companies | Director (current) | Not disclosed | Board service |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined Mr. Chin is independent under SEC and Nasdaq standards; audit committee independence also satisfied .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; William White serves as chair and audit committee financial expert; committee met 4 times in 2024 .
- Attendance: The board met 4 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Executive sessions: The non-management directors held regular executive sessions; independent-only executive sessions occurred 4 times in 2024 .
- Tenure and election: Class II director since Sept 2021; nominated for re-election at the 2025 Annual Meeting to serve until 2028 .
Fixed Compensation
| 2024 Director Compensation (Mark Chin) | Amount ($) |
|---|---|
| Fee Earned or Paid in Cash | 47,500 |
| Option Awards (grant-date fair value) | 282,675 |
| Total | 330,175 |
| Non-Employee Director Retainer Schedule | Non-Chair Member ($) | Chair ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 40,000 | 150,000 |
| Audit Committee | 10,000 | 20,000 |
| Compensation Committee | 7,500 | 15,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | 5,000 | 10,000 |
Notes:
- Initial director option grant: 20,000 shares, vesting monthly over 3 years with 1-year cliff; Annual grant: 10,000 shares vesting on the earlier of 1 year or next annual meeting; full acceleration upon sale of the Company .
- Employee directors receive no additional director compensation; reasonable expenses reimbursed .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Type | Grant Size | Vesting | Performance Metrics | Change-in-Control Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Option Grant | 20,000 shares | Equal monthly over 3 years; 1-year cliff | None disclosed (time-based) | Full accelerated vesting upon sale of the Company |
| Annual Option Grant | 10,000 shares per year | Vests in full by 1 year or next annual meeting | None disclosed (time-based) | Full accelerated vesting upon sale of the Company |
| 2024 Option Award (fair value) | $282,675 | Per plan policy | None disclosed (time-based) | Per plan policy |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harpoon Therapeutics | Public (formerly Nasdaq) | Prior Director | No IRON-related transactions disclosed |
| Imara Inc. (IMRA) | Public | Prior Director | No IRON-related transactions disclosed |
| Iterum Therapeutics (ITRM) | Public | Prior Director | No IRON-related transactions disclosed |
| Pyxis Oncology (PYXS) | Public | Prior Director | No IRON-related transactions disclosed |
| Multiple private biotech companies | Private | Current Director | Not enumerated |
- Related-party transactions policy: Board reviews/approves any director/5% holder transactions; majority of disinterested directors must approve; stockholders must be informed when entitled to vote .
- Offerings participation: Several 5% holders (including firms affiliated with other IRON directors) participated in 2024–2025 offerings; no participation by Avoro (Mr. Chin’s employer) disclosed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Venture capital and public/private biotech investing; prior principal/MD roles at Arix, Longitude, and Avoro .
- Corporate strategy and development experience at BCG, Gilead, and market planning at Genentech .
- Education: B.S. (UC San Diego), M.S. (University of Pennsylvania), M.B.A. (Wharton) .
- Board qualification rationale: Experience investing in, guiding, and leading startup/early-phase companies and other board service .
Equity Ownership
| Beneficial Ownership (as of April 15, 2025) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 24,136 |
| Common shares owned | Not disclosed separate from options; total beneficial line shows 24,136 |
| Outstanding shares (denominator) | 34,632,936 |
| Percent of shares beneficially owned | * <1% |
| Unexercised Options (as of Dec 31, 2024) | Number |
|---|---|
| Mark Chin | 24,136 |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with audit committee service; audit committee and board structures comply with SEC/Nasdaq requirements .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 4 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of meetings; all attended the annual meeting; independent-only executive sessions held 4 times, indicating active oversight by non-management directors .
- Relevant biotech investment and operating experience; prior public company board roles add network and strategic insight .
- Alignment and incentives:
- Director compensation largely equity-based via options (annual grant plus initial grant), creating some alignment with shareholder outcomes; 2024 cash retainer $47,500 and option award fair value $282,675 .
- Beneficial ownership is under 1% with 24,136 options exercisable within 60 days; alignment through options exists but absolute ownership is low, typical for non-employee directors .
- Potential risk indicators:
- RED FLAG: Director equity awards include full single-trigger acceleration upon sale of the Company, which can be viewed as shareholder-unfriendly in change-in-control scenarios .
- External investment responsibilities (Avoro Capital) imply general conflict risk potential; however, no related-party transactions involving Mr. Chin were disclosed; company has formal related-party approval policies .
- Election signal:
- Board unanimously recommends re-electing Mr. Chin as a Class II director, suggesting confidence in his contributions to board effectiveness .