Laurence Reid
About Laurence Reid
Laurence Reid, Ph.D., age 62, is an independent Class III director of KalVista Pharmaceuticals (KALV) who joined the Board in November 2024; his current term runs to the 2027 annual meeting . He has a B.A. in natural sciences from Cambridge University and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from King’s College, London University, and brings prior CEO and CBO experience across public and private biotech companies; he serves on KalVista’s Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and is classified as independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decibel Therapeutics, Inc. | Chief Executive Officer and Director | Jan 2020 – Nov 2023 | Leadership in public biotech; CEO experience |
| Third Rock Ventures LLC | Entrepreneur in Residence | Nov 2019 – Nov 2020 | Venture creation exposure |
| Warp Drive Bio, LLC | Chief Executive Officer | Mar 2015 – Oct 2018 | Company leadership in biotech |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Chief Business Officer | Jun 2010 – Dec 2014 | Business development and strategy at public biotech |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metagenomi, Inc. | Director | Public | Publicly traded biotechnology company directorship |
| Several private biotechnology companies | Director | Private | Additional private company board roles (not individually named) |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board class/term | Class III; term expires at the 2027 annual meeting |
| Independence | Independent director under Nasdaq standards |
| Committees | Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (member); Chair is Nancy Stuart |
| Other committees | Not listed as member of Audit or Compensation Committees |
| Board leadership | Chairman: Brian J.G. Pereira, M.D.; CEO and Chair roles separated |
| Attendance | In FY ended Apr 30, 2025, no current director attended fewer than 75% of Board and committee meetings during their tenure; Nominating Committee acted by unanimous written consent |
| Executive sessions | Independent directors meet in regularly scheduled executive sessions |
| Board evaluation | Annual Board and committee self-evaluations conducted |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY Ended Apr 30, 2025 Policy | Reid FY2025 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer (director) | $42,500 per independent director | $18,363 fees earned or paid in cash (pro rata for partial year) |
| Chair retainers | Chairman of the Board: $30,000; Audit Chair: $20,000; Compensation Chair: $15,000; Nominating Chair: $10,000 | N/A (not a chair) |
| Committee member retainers | Audit member: $10,000; Compensation member: $7,500; Nominating member: $5,000 | Included in fees above (committee membership on Nominating) |
| Reimbursement | Reasonable out-of-pocket expenses reimbursed | As per policy |
Transition period update: For the transition period ending Dec 31, 2025, cash retainers unchanged; equity grant sizes were increased (see Performance Compensation) .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | FY Ended Apr 30, 2025 Structure | Transition Period Ending Dec 31, 2025 Structure | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial option grant at appointment | Option to purchase 17,000 shares | Option to purchase 45,000 shares | Initial option vesting monthly over 3 years |
| Annual option grant (at annual meeting) | Option to purchase 10,000 shares | Option to purchase 30,000 shares | Annual option vesting monthly over 1 year |
| FY2025 option award value (Reid) | $124,137 aggregate grant-date fair value | N/A | Time-based vesting; no performance metrics for directors |
No director performance metrics are tied to equity; director options are time-based under the plan .
Director Compensation (FY ended Apr 30, 2025)
| Name | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Option Awards ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence Reid | $18,363 | $124,137 | $142,500 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public company boards: Metagenomi, Inc. (public) .
- Committee roles at other boards: Not disclosed .
- Interlocks/overlaps with competitors, suppliers, customers: None disclosed involving Dr. Reid .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Education: B.A., natural sciences, Cambridge University; Ph.D., biochemistry, King’s College London .
- Industry expertise: CEO experience at Decibel Therapeutics and Warp Drive Bio; CBO at Alnylam; venture EIR at Third Rock; broad biotech leadership and business development credentials .
- Board qualifications cited: “Extensive leadership experience as a senior executive within the biotechnology industry” .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Common Stock | Options/Other Securities Exercisable Within 60 Days | Total Beneficial Ownership | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurence Reid | 0 | 44,000 | 44,000 | <1% (asterisked in filing) |
- Anti-hedging/anti-pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of company securities without express approval of general counsel; no pledges disclosed for Dr. Reid .
- Stock ownership guidelines for directors: Not disclosed in the proxy .
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee fit: Reid is independent and sits on the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee, aligning with his prior CEO and strategic background; no Audit or Compensation Committee roles disclosed, which mitigates financial oversight conflicts given his external board seat at Metagenomi .
- Engagement: Board attendance thresholds were met by all current directors in FY2025; the Nominating Committee operated by unanimous written consent, which is common for light agendas but should be balanced with periodic meetings as needs evolve .
- Pay structure alignment: Director pay is modest in cash with equity delivered via time-based options; FY2025 transition increased equity grant sizes to support retention during a pivotal commercialization period, but remains capped under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan’s $750,000 annual limit per director . Reid’s FY2025 total director compensation was $142,500 with ~$124k in option value, indicating equity-heavy alignment .
- Ownership alignment: As of Aug 6, 2025, Reid beneficially owned options for 44,000 shares and no common shares; policy-level anti-hedging/anti-pledging supports alignment, though a formal director ownership guideline is not disclosed .
- Conflicts/related parties: The proxy discloses related-party participation in financings by certain 5% holders, but no related-party transactions or conflicts involving Reid were disclosed—a positive signal for independence .
- Controls and accountability: Majority voting with a resignation policy, regular executive sessions of independent directors, and a compensation clawback policy (executive-focused) indicate solid governance scaffolding; equity grant timing practices are articulated to avoid MNPI issues—positive for investor confidence .