Tim Van Hauwermeiren
About Tim Van Hauwermeiren
Independent Class I director of Lexeo Therapeutics (since July 5, 2024), age 53, and co‑founder/CEO of argenx SE. He holds B.Sc./M.Sc. in bioengineering from Ghent University and an Executive MBA from Vlerick School of Management. Lexeo’s board deems him independent under Nasdaq rules; he served on the board in 2024 with directors meeting at least the 75% attendance threshold during service .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ablynx | Management roles (prior to argenx) | Not disclosed | Pre-argenx operating experience |
| Procter & Gamble | Management roles (prior to argenx) | Not disclosed | Pre-argenx operating experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| argenx SE | Co‑founder; Chief Executive Officer; Director | CEO since 2008; Director since 2017 | Built commercial franchise; raised >$4B funding (company press details) |
| iTeos Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Since 2018 | Independent public company directorship |
| RayzeBio, Inc. | Director (prior to acquisition) | 2023–2024 | Board service ended upon BMS acquisition |
Board Governance
- Board role and term: Class I director; current term expires at the 2027 annual meeting .
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (chair: Mette Agger) .
- Independence: Determined independent under Nasdaq/SEC rules (7 of 8 directors independent, including Van Hauwermeiren) .
- Attendance/engagement: Board met 9 times in FY2024; all directors met or exceeded 75% attendance of board and applicable committee meetings during their service in 2024 .
- Board structure: Classified board (three classes, staggered three‑year terms); independent chair separate from CEO .
- Indemnification: Standard director indemnification agreement in place; company charter/bylaws provide broad indemnification and D&O insurance .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Policy / Amount | FY2024 Actual for Van Hauwermeiren |
|---|---|---|
| Base annual cash retainer | $40,000 per non‑employee director | $21,587 (pro‑rated for 2024 service) |
| Committee member fees | Audit $7,500; Compensation $6,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance $6,000; Science & Tech $6,000 (chairs higher: $12–15k) | Included within cash above (not separately disclosed) |
| Meeting fees | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Chair fees | Board Chair $30,000; Committee Chairs $12,000–$15,000 | Not applicable (not a chair) |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Shares/Type | Vesting | Grant-Date Fair Value | Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Director Option | July 5, 2024 | 36,000 options | 3-year equal annual installments, subject to service | $410,796 (aggregate option award value reported for 2024) | Exercise price = FMV at grant; full acceleration upon change in control |
| Annual Director Option | At each annual meeting (pro‑rated if <12 months) | 18,000 options (policy) | Vests by next annual meeting or 1 year from grant, subject to service | Not applicable for 2024 (joined mid‑year; next eligibility at 2025 meeting) | FMV strike; accelerates upon change in control |
Notes: No director performance metrics (e.g., TSR/EBITDA) are used for non‑employee director pay; equity is option‑based with service‑based vesting and single‑trigger CIC acceleration per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person | External Board(s) | Potential Interlocks with LXEO Stakeholders | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tim Van Hauwermeiren | argenx SE (CEO/Director); iTeos Therapeutics (Director); RayzeBio (prior) | None disclosed with LXEO customers/suppliers; audit confirms independence and no related‑party transactions for his appointment | 8‑K states no Item 404(a) related‑party interests; no family relationships |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Founder/CEO experience scaling a biotech from clinical to commercial stage (argenx); extensive financing and BD track record .
- Domain expertise: biotech leadership, commercialization, capital markets; academic grounding in bioengineering and executive management .
- Board qualifies him for public company board leadership and biopharma operating insights .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Apr 15, 2025) | 0 shares beneficially owned; <1% of outstanding |
| Director outstanding options (Dec 31, 2024) | 36,000 options outstanding |
| Exercisable vs. unexercisable | Not broken out for directors; aggregate options disclosed |
| Pledged/hedged shares | Company policy prohibits director hedging, pledging, and short transactions |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed for directors in 2025 proxy (no guideline language found) |
Insider Trading and Section 16 Status
| Period | Status |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | Company states all directors, officers, >10% holders complied with Section 16(a) filing requirements; no delinquencies |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with deep operating and capital markets experience; assigned to Nominating & Corporate Governance, aligning expertise with board composition and governance oversight .
- Independence affirmed; 8‑K discloses no related‑party transactions for his appointment; board reports full Section 16 compliance in 2024, supporting governance hygiene .
- Anti‑hedging/pledging policy strengthens alignment; separate Chair/CEO structure improves oversight .
-
Watch items
- Low current share ownership (new director in mid‑2024); alignment is primarily via options at present; beneficial ownership table shows no countable shares as of Apr 15, 2025 despite 36,000 outstanding options .
- Director equity has single‑trigger acceleration upon a change in control, which some investors view as a less shareholder‑friendly construct for directors .
- Company operates with a classified board, which can entrench incumbents; not specific to the director but relevant to overall board responsiveness .
-
RED FLAGS
- None identified specific to Van Hauwermeiren in company disclosures: no related‑party transactions, no pledging/hedging, and Section 16 compliance reported .