Kinyip Gabriel Leung
NovoCureAbout Kinyip Gabriel Leung
Independent director at NovoCure (NVCR), age 63, serving on the Board since 2011 (14 years of tenure). Former Vice Chairman and employee coordinating global commercial operations (2011–2016); education includes B.S. (High Honors) from University of Texas at Austin and M.S. in Pharmacy from University of Wisconsin–Madison . He is currently a member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and is classified as independent under Nasdaq rules .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| NovoCure | Vice Chairman; employee coordinating global commercial operations | 2011–2016 | Led global commercial coordination |
| OSI Pharmaceuticals | EVP; President, Oncology & Diabetes Business | 2003–2010 | Launched erlotinib (Tarceva) for NSCLC |
| Pharmacia Corporation | Group VP, Global Prescription Business | 1999–2003 | Led oncology franchise across 80+ countries |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb | Executive | 1991–1999 | Oversaw growth of Taxol and Paraplatin |
External Roles
| Company | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. | Director | 2016–2019 | Prior public company board |
| Albany Molecular Research Inc. | Director | 2010–2016 | Prior public company board |
| Delcath Systems, Inc. | Director | 2011–2014 | Prior public company board |
| Current public company boards | None | — | No current external public boards |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Nominating and Corporate Governance (member) .
- Independence: Board-determined independent (non-employee) under Nasdaq rules .
- Attendance and cadence: Board met 6 times in 2024 (Audit 6, Compensation 7, Nominating 4); directors attended 98% of Board and committee meetings; executive sessions of independent directors held at each regularly scheduled Board and committee meeting .
- Board structure: Separate Executive Chairman and CEO; Lead Independent Director in place with defined responsibilities .
| Governance Metric (2024) | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Board meetings | 6 | |
| Audit Committee meetings | 6 | |
| Compensation Committee meetings | 7 | |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance meetings | 4 | |
| Director attendance | 98% | |
| Lead Independent Director | William Vernon | |
| Independent Board committees | Audit, Compensation, Nominating |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Program Terms (annual) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Employee Director base retainer | $55,000 | |
| Committee membership – Nominating & Corporate Governance | Member: $7,000; Chair: $13,000 | |
| Lead Independent Director | $35,000 | |
| Audit Committee | Chair: $25,000; Member: $15,000 | |
| Compensation Committee | Chair: $20,000; Member: $10,000 |
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $68,000 |
Performance Compensation
Director equity is time-based (not performance-based PSUs). Annual awards for Non-Employee Directors are granted under the 2024 Omnibus Incentive Plan; in 2024 the Board reduced annual equity value to $187,500 and split 50% RSUs / 50% options; annual awards vest in full by the next Annual Meeting or first grant anniversary; initial option award policy equals $667,000 grant-date fair value vesting over three years .
| Award Type | Grant Date | Quantity | Fair Value ($) | Strike Price ($) | Vesting | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RSUs | 2024-06-05 | 4,053 | 93,745 | — | Annual award; vests by next AGM or 1-year anniversary | |
| Stock Options | 2024-06-05 | 6,229 | 93,834 | 23.13 | Options vest ratably per NEDP; annual award | |
| RSU/Share Award | 2025-06-04 | 11,215 | — | — | Annual award; time-based | |
| Stock Options | 2025-06-04 | 16,697 | — | 16.72 | Options under NEDP |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Potential Interlock Area | Observation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shared directorships with NVCR competitors/suppliers/customers | None disclosed currently | |
| Prior board roles in pharma/contract research | Pernix, Albany Molecular Research, Delcath |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Oncology drug commercialization (Tarceva launch at OSI); global pharma leadership across >80 countries (Pharmacia); device/pharma executive experience (BMS) .
- Corporate governance experience and long tenure on NVCR’s Board (since 2011) .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Quantity | % of Outstanding | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary Shares (direct) | 78,175 | <1% | |
| Time-based unvested RSUs | 4,053 | <1% | |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 25,912 | <1% | |
| Total beneficial ownership | 108,140 | <1% | |
| Director stock ownership guideline | ≥3x annual cash retainer; compliant or on track | ||
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibited (anti-hedging/anti-pledging) |
Insider Trades (Form 4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Type | Quantity | Price ($) | Post-Transaction Ownership | Security | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-06 | 2024-06-05 | Award | 4,053 | 0.00 | 83,192 | Restricted Stock Units | |
| 2024-06-06 | 2024-06-04 | Sale | 964 | 23.8851 | 78,175 | Ordinary Shares | |
| 2024-06-06 | 2024-06-05 | Option Award | 6,229 | 23.13 | 6,229 | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | |
| 2025-06-06 | 2025-06-04 | Award | 11,215 | 0.00 | 92,444 | Ordinary Shares | |
| 2025-06-06 | 2025-06-04 | Option Award | 16,697 | 16.72 | 16,697 | Stock Option (Right to Buy) | |
| 2025-06-04 | 2025-06-03 | Sale | 999 | 17.3146 | 81,229 | Ordinary Shares |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths
- Independence affirmed despite prior employment; robust governance structure with separate Executive Chairman and CEO, and active Lead Independent Director .
- High Board/committee engagement (98% attendance; frequent meetings; executive sessions each meeting) .
- Clear anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy; director ownership guidelines (≥3x retainer) with compliance/on-track status .
- No related-party transactions involving directors/officers >$120,000 in 2024 (reduces conflict risk) .
- Say-on-Pay support of 98.2% in 2024 signals shareholder confidence in compensation governance .
- Potential conflicts/RED FLAGS
- Prior role as Vice Chairman and employee may raise perceived independence questions; however, the Board’s formal independence review classifies him as independent .
- Small open-market sales noted (964 shares in 2024; 999 shares in 2025); volumes are modest and not indicative of sustained selling pressure .
Overall, Leung brings deep oncology commercialization and global operating expertise to NVCR’s Board, is engaged through committee service (Nominating & Corporate Governance), and maintains alignment through equity ownership under strict anti-hedging/pledging rules; no material related-party exposure disclosed, and director compensation follows market-aligned cash/equity mix with time-based vesting .