Christy Oliger
About Christy Oliger
Christy J. Oliger is an independent Class III director of Nuvalent (NUVL) and a member of the Audit Committee, elected effective June 18, 2025. She brings 30+ years of biopharma commercial and portfolio leadership, most recently as SVP, Oncology Business Unit Head at Genentech; earlier roles include senior leadership across R&D and commercial at Genentech/Roche and management positions at Schering‑Plough. She holds a B.A. in Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genentech (Roche) | Senior Vice President, Oncology Business Unit Head; held senior leadership roles across oncology, neurology, rare disease, respiratory, dermatology, immunology | Through 2020 (retired from Genentech/Roche July 2020) | Responsible for all U.S. oncology commercial activities; led commercialization across multiple therapeutic areas |
| Roche | Led Roche global portfolio management function (>300 late‑stage projects) | Not disclosed | Portfolio governance overseeing late‑stage development portfolio |
| Schering‑Plough | Management positions | 1992–1999 | Commercial management roles |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Since/Through | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuvalent (NUVL) | Independent Director; Audit Committee member | Since Jun 18, 2025 | Class III term to 2027 annual meeting; Board determined “independent” |
| Vera Therapeutics (VERA) | Director | Since Jun 7, 2024 | Appointment confirmed by company press release |
| Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI) | Director | Current | Listed as current on Nuvalent board bio |
| Replimune Group (REPL) | Director | Current | Listed as current on Nuvalent board bio |
| LAVA Therapeutics (LVTX) | Director | Current | Listed as current on Nuvalent board bio |
| RayzeBio (acquired by BMS 2024) | Former Director | Through 2024 | Prior board until acquisition by BMS |
| Reata Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Biogen 2023) | Former Director | Through 2023 | Prior board until acquisition by Biogen |
| Sierra Oncology (acquired by GSK 2022) | Former Director | Through 2022 | Prior board until acquisition by GSK |
Board Governance
- Independence and class/term: Independent; elected Class III director, term through the 2027 annual meeting.
- Committee assignment: Appointed to the Audit Committee effective immediately upon election.
- Company board structure: Nuvalent separates Chair (Anna Protopapas) and CEO roles.
- Board meetings and attendance context: Nuvalent’s board met six times in 2024; all directors attended ≥75% of board and committee meetings that year (note: Oliger joined in 2025).
- Annual meeting voting environment (signal of investor sentiment): On June 18, 2025, say‑on‑pay received 53,520,192 For, 10,356,887 Against, 2,498 Abstain; KPMG ratification received 64,366,589 For, 10,783 Against, 2,332 Abstain.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer (member) | $42,000 | Paid quarterly, prorated for service |
| Additional retainer – Non‑executive Chair | $31,000 | Not applicable to Oliger unless appointed Chair |
| Audit Committee member | $10,000 | Oliger is eligible as an Audit Committee member |
| Audit Committee Chair | $20,000 | For chair only |
| Compensation Committee member | $7,500 | For members; Chair $15,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance member | $5,000 | For members; Chair $10,000 |
Performance Compensation
Nuvalent’s non‑employee director equity is time‑vested (no performance metrics for directors): initial “Initial Award” value $600,000 (50% options / 50% RSUs) and annual “Annual Award” value $400,000 (50% options / 50% RSUs). Initial options vest monthly over 3 years; initial RSUs vest annually over 3 years. Annual options and RSUs vest in full by the next annual meeting or first anniversary.
| Equity Program | Value / Size | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Award (policy) | $600,000 (approx. 50% option / 50% RSU) | Options: monthly over 3 years; RSUs: annual over 3 years | Caps: option ≤14,850 sh; RSU ≤7,425 sh; subject to plan terms |
| Annual Award (policy) | $400,000 (approx. 50% option / 50% RSU) | Full vest by next annual meeting or first anniversary | Caps: option ≤9,900 sh; RSU ≤4,950 sh |
| Oliger Initial Option | 6,119 sh @ $75.53 | Monthly over 3 years (from grant) | Granted upon election 6/18/2025 |
| Oliger Initial RSU | 3,971 sh | Equal annual installments over 3 years | Granted upon election 6/18/2025 |
The company states it does not permit hedging or pledging of its securities as part of compensation governance; its insider trading policy expressly prohibits hedging.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: Vera Therapeutics; Karyopharm Therapeutics; Replimune Group; LAVA Therapeutics. Prior: RayzeBio (BMS 2024), Reata (Biogen 2023), Sierra Oncology (GSK 2022).
- Related party / interlocks: Nuvalent disclosed no transactions with Ms. Oliger requiring Item 404(a) related‑party disclosure at election; she has no family relationships with directors or executives.
- Compensation Committee interlocks (company context 2024): No interlocks or insider participation among members then serving (Oliger was not yet on the board).
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep U.S. oncology commercial leadership (Genentech Oncology BU Head) and multi‑therapy commercialization experience; portfolio governance expertise (Roche).
- Education: B.A., Economics, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Equity Ownership
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Initial equity awards at Nuvalent | Option to purchase 6,119 shares at $75.53 (monthly vesting over 3 years); 3,971 RSUs (annual vesting over 3 years), granted upon election June 18, 2025, subject to continued service |
| Ownership guidelines | Not disclosed for directors in the proxy; director equity program and vesting per policy shown above |
| Hedging/pledging | Company prohibits hedging; compensation governance materials indicate no hedging or pledging of company securities |
Governance Assessment
- Positive indicators: Independent director with Audit Committee service; extensive oncology commercialization and portfolio oversight experience; no related‑party transactions disclosed at election; equity-heavy director pay structure aligns interests with shareholders.
- Board effectiveness context: Nuvalent maintains independent committees, separated Chair/CEO roles, executive sessions, and strong attendance culture (≥75% in 2024).
- Monitoring considerations: Multiple concurrent public company directorships can increase time demands; however, appointments are in adjacent therapeutic areas which may add relevant market insight.
No red flags identified related to related‑party transactions, family relationships, or Item 404 concerns at the time of appointment; hedging of company stock is prohibited by policy.
Appendix: Company Voting Outcomes (context for investor sentiment)
| Proposal (Annual Meeting: Jun 18, 2025) | For | Against | Abstain | Broker Non‑Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Say‑on‑Pay (Advisory) | 53,520,192 | 10,356,887 | 2,498 | 500,127 |
| KPMG LLP Ratification | 64,366,589 | 10,783 | 2,332 | — |
Sources
- Nuvalent DEF 14A (Apr 28, 2025): governance structure, director compensation policy, committee composition, attendance, anti‑hedging policy
- Nuvalent 8‑K (Jun 20, 2025): Oliger election, independence, Audit Committee assignment, initial equity grants, absence of Item 404 transactions, indemnification agreement; 2025 annual meeting vote results
- Nuvalent 8‑K (Aug 7, 2025) and press release: background summary of Oliger’s Genentech roles
- Nuvalent Investor Board Bio (2025): current and prior public board roles; education
- Vera Therapeutics press release: Oliger appointment and current board affiliations
- LAVA Therapeutics profile: Roche portfolio management function
- RayzeBio profile: career timeline at Genentech/Roche and Schering‑Plough