Robert Wollin
MeiraGTx HoldingsAbout Robert Wollin
Robert J. Wollin is General Counsel and Secretary of MeiraGTx and has served in this role since June 2020 (joined the company in August 2019). He is 49 years old and previously held senior legal roles at Investment Technology Group (Director, Associate General Counsel), Bristol-Myers Squibb (Senior Corporate Counsel), and Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP; he holds a B.B.A. (honors) from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and a J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School . Company performance under his tenure has reflected development and transaction milestones alongside negative net income and weak TSR, with cumulative TSR index values of 27.46 (2022), 29.57 (2023), and 25.65 (2024), and net losses of $129,615k, $84,027k, and $147,791k, respectively .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Technology Group, Inc. | Director, Associate General Counsel | 2015–2019 | Led corporate legal work at a global financial technology firm |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Senior Corporate Counsel (Corporate Governance & Securities) | 2011–2015 | Supported public company governance, disclosure, and securities matters at a large pharma |
| Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP | Corporate Attorney | 2001–2011 | Practiced corporate law in New York across transactions and governance |
External Roles
No public company directorships or external board roles disclosed for Wollin .
Fixed Compensation
- MeiraGTx discloses compensation for “named executive officers” only (CEO, CFO/COO, CDO) and is a smaller reporting company; specific cash compensation (base salary, bonus) for the General Counsel is not disclosed in the proxy .
- Company-wide governance and compensation controls applicable to officers include an Insider Trading Compliance Policy (with anti-hedging prohibitions) and a 2023 Clawback Policy compliant with Nasdaq Rule 10D-1 .
Performance Compensation
Not disclosed for Wollin (non-NEO); equity awards and related performance conditions for NEOs are detailed, but no specific PSU/RSU/option grants are reported for the General Counsel in the proxy tables .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Option awards and alignment mechanics:
| Grant date | Instrument | Shares | Strike price | Expiration | Vesting schedule | Status at 12/31/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06/10/2020 | Stock option | 80,000 | $20.30 | 01/07/2030 | 25% on 01/08/2021; remainder in 36 equal monthly installments thereafter (continued service required) | Out-of-the-money versus $6.09 year-end share price |
Alignment, pledging, and hedging:
- Anti-hedging: Directors, officers, employees, contractors are prohibited from hedging/monetization transactions (zero-cost collars, forward sale contracts), short sales, and trading in publicly traded options on company equity; this materially limits misalignment and speculative trading by insiders .
- Pledging: No explicit pledging prohibition is disclosed; the policy text specifically addresses hedging and derivatives, not pledging .
- Clawback: Mandatory recovery of erroneously received incentive-based compensation for current and former officers over the 3 years preceding any required accounting restatement (administered by the Compensation Committee) .
Company performance context (during Wollin’s tenure):
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cumulative TSR Index (from $100 start) ($) | 27.46 | 29.57 | 25.65 |
| Net Income (Loss) ($USD thousands) | (129,615) | (84,027) | (147,791) |
Program/transaction milestones supporting value creation:
- 2024 achievements include RMAT designation for AAV2-hAQP1 (xerostomia), positive AAV-GAD Parkinson’s data enabling Phase 3 planning, LCA4 pediatric vision responses with regulatory paths (MHRA and FDA), and additional rare pediatric disease designations .
- 2024/2023 financings and deals: $60M in J&J milestone payments tied to RPGR asset sale and supply agreement; August 2024 equity financing led by Sanofi; broader riboswitch platform progress toward first-in-human studies in 2025 .
Employment Terms
- Current role: General Counsel and Secretary since June 2020; joined MeiraGTx in August 2019 .
- Individual employment agreement terms (severance, non-compete, change-in-control) are not disclosed for Wollin in the proxy; such provisions are detailed for NEOs only .
- Governance protections applicable to officers: Insider Trading Compliance Policy (anti-hedging) and Clawback Policy .
Investment Implications
- Alignment: Anti-hedging restrictions and clawback coverage for officers improve alignment and reduce opportunistic trading risk; Wollin’s 2020 option grant remained out-of-the-money at year-end 2023/2024, curbing near‑term exercise/selling pressure and aligning incentives to long‑term price appreciation .
- Retention risk: While NEO severance/change-in-control protections are robust, Wollin’s individual terms are not disclosed; continued tenure since 2020 and role in a period of major transactions (e.g., J&J asset sale/supply) suggest institutional knowledge value, but disclosure gaps limit precise assessment of his retention economics .
- Trading signals: With options struck at $20.30 versus 2024 year-end price of $6.09, option exercises are unlikely absent significant share price recovery; anti-hedging constraints further reduce near-term insider selling pressure .
- Governance quality: Use of an independent compensation consultant (TCS) and adoption of a compliant clawback policy are positives; no explicit pledging prohibition is disclosed, which is a minor governance gap versus best practice .