George Golumbeski
About George Golumbeski
George Golumbeski, PhD, 67, is an independent director of Mural Oncology plc, serving since July 2024. He is a partner at DROIA Ventures (since 2020) and previously was President of GRAIL, Inc. (Aug 2018–Sep 2019) and EVP, Business Development at Celgene (2009–Apr 2018). He currently serves on the public boards of Shattuck Labs, Inc. (since Jan 2018) and Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (since Jan 2019), and previously served on MorphoSys AG (May 2018–May 2024, acquired by Novartis) and Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Feb 2014–Mar 2021). He holds a B.A. in Biology (University of Virginia) and a Ph.D. in Genetics (University of Wisconsin‑Madison), with postdoctoral research at University of Colorado–Boulder .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celgene Corporation | EVP, Business Development | 2009–Apr 2018 | Led BD; senior biopharma leadership |
| GRAIL, Inc. | President | Aug 2018–Sep 2019 | Early cancer detection company leadership |
| DROIA Ventures | Partner | 2020–Present | Life sciences investor |
| MorphoSys AG | Director | May 2018–May 2024 | Board tenure ended upon Novartis acquisition |
| Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director | Feb 2014–Mar 2021 | Board service completed 2021 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shattuck Labs, Inc. (public) | Director | Jan 2018–Present | Not disclosed in MURA proxy |
| Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (public) | Director | Jan 2019–Present | Not disclosed in MURA proxy |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member .
- Committee chairs: Compensation Committee chaired by Dr. Francis Cuss; Nominating & Corporate Governance chaired by Benjamin Hickey .
- Independence: Board determined all directors except CEO Caroline Loew are independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules (Rule 10A‑3 for audit, Rule 10C‑1 for compensation); therefore, Dr. Golumbeski is independent .
- Board leadership: Chair of the Board is Scott Jackson; CEO is Caroline Loew; roles separated .
- Attendance: Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings on which they served; all directors attended the 2024 AGM .
- Committee activity: Compensation Committee met 4 times in 2024; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee met 2 times in 2024 .
- Related‑party oversight: Audit Committee reviews all related person transactions for potential conflict situations .
- Conduct and policies: Code of Business Conduct and Ethics adopted; Compensation Recovery (Clawback) Policy for Section 16 executive officers; Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging, short sales, and derivative transactions; committee charters posted on investor site .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2024) | Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $19,424 |
| Option Awards (grant‑date fair value, ASC 718) | $33,905 |
| Total | $53,329 |
Non‑Employee Director Compensation Program (cash retainers, 2023–2024):
| Service | Member Annual Fee (USD) | Chair Additional Annual Fee (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | $40,000 | $30,000 |
| Audit Committee | $7,500 | $7,500 |
| Compensation Committee | $6,000 | $6,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | $5,000 | $5,000 |
Notes:
- Fees are paid quarterly and prorated based on days served; reasonable travel expenses reimbursed .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award Feature (FY2024 grants) | Details |
|---|---|
| Shares subject to option grant (Dr. Golumbeski) | 15,334 ordinary shares |
| Grant‑date fair value (ASC 718) | $33,905 |
| Vesting | 12 equal quarterly installments over 3 years, subject to continued service |
| Exercise price | Fair market value on grant date |
| Term | 10 years |
| Performance metrics | None disclosed for director equity; time‑based vesting only |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to MURA | Potential Interlock/Conflict Disclosure |
|---|---|---|
| Shattuck Labs, Inc. | External public board | No related‑party transaction disclosure involving Dr. Golumbeski in proxy’s RPT section; Audit Committee oversees RPTs |
| Sage Therapeutics, Inc. | External public board | Same as above |
| MorphoSys AG (prior) | External public board (ended May 2024) | Ended upon acquisition; no MURA RPT linkage disclosed |
| Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (prior) | External public board (ended Mar 2021) | No MURA RPT linkage disclosed |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Senior biopharma dealmaking and BD leadership (Celgene EVP BD; GRAIL President) .
- Board experience across multiple public biotechs (Shattuck Labs; Sage Therapeutics; prior MorphoSys; prior Enanta) .
- Academic credentials: B.A. Biology (UVA); Ph.D. Genetics (UW‑Madison); postdoc in molecular biology (University of Colorado–Boulder) .
Equity Ownership
| Metric (as of stated date) | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (Apr 4, 2025) | 3,834 shares; <1% of outstanding |
| Composition of beneficial ownership | Consists of ordinary shares underlying options exercisable within 60 days |
| Outstanding director options (Dec 31, 2024) | 15,334 ordinary shares subject to options |
| Shares pledged as collateral | Not disclosed in proxy; Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging/derivatives |
Governance Assessment
- Independence and committee engagement: Independent director with active roles on both Compensation and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees; committee chairs are independent, which supports oversight quality .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board/committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 AGM—no attendance red flag .
- Director pay structure and alignment: Mix of cash retainer plus time‑vested options; 2024 cash of $19,424 and option grant fair value of $33,905; equity awards are time‑based with FMV strike and 10‑year term—no performance conditions attached to director grants (typical for directors) .
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial holdings of 3,834 shares reflect options imminently exercisable; percentage ownership <1%—modest “skin‑in‑the‑game” consistent with early tenure (initial appointment July 2024) .
- Policy safeguards: Audit Committee reviews related‑person transactions; Clawback policy for Section 16 executive officers; insider trading policy prohibits hedging/derivative transactions—reduces misalignment risks .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed pertaining to attendance, related‑party transactions involving Dr. Golumbeski, hedging, or option repricing in the proxy materials .