Cameron Turtle
About Cameron Turtle
Cameron Turtle, D.Phil., age 35, is a Class II independent director of Oruka Therapeutics (ORKA), serving since the August 29, 2024 Merger Closing; he is currently Chair of the Compensation Committee and a member of the Audit Committee . Dr. Turtle holds a B.S. with honors in Bioengineering from the University of Washington and a D.Phil. in Cardiovascular Medicine from the University of Oxford; he is a Rhodes Scholar and has been recognized by Forbes 30 Under 30, SF Business Times 40 Under 40, and the Biocom Life Sciences Catalyst Award . He is judged independent under Nasdaq rules alongside other non-management directors .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYRE) | Chief Executive Officer; Director | CEO since Nov 2023; COO Jun–Nov 2023; Advisor May–Jun 2023 | Leads strategy and operations; board member |
| Foresite Labs | Venture Partner | Jul 2022–May 2023 | Life sciences company formation and investment |
| BridgeBio Pharma (Nasdaq: BBIO) | Chief Strategy Officer | Jan 2021–Apr 2022 | Corporate strategy and portfolio shaping |
| Eidos Therapeutics (Nasdaq: EIDX) | Chief Business Officer | Nov 2018–Jan 2021 | Led BD, IR, and multiple operations as drug advanced |
| McKinsey & Company | Consultant | Prior to Eidos/BridgeBio (dates not fully specified) | Pharma/device M&A, growth, clinical trial strategy, sales optimization |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYRE) | Chief Executive Officer and Director | Nov 2023 | Public company CEO with concurrent board seat |
Interlock note: ORKA director Peter Harwin also serves on Spyre’s board, creating an informational interlock with a fellow ORKA director at the same external public company .
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee Chair; Audit Committee member .
- Independence: Board determined Turtle is independent under Nasdaq and Exchange Act committee standards .
- Attendance: Following the Merger through end of 2024, each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings during their service period .
- Board/committee activity since Merger: Audit (3 meetings), Compensation (3), Nominating (1) .
- Board leadership: Non-executive Chair (Samarth Kulkarni); independent directors meet in regular executive sessions .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount | Period/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | 20,377 | 2024 partial-year post-appointment |
| Option Awards ($) | — | No 2024 director option expense reported for Turtle |
| Total ($) | 20,377 | — |
Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (Cash Retainers, Post-Merger):
| Role | Annual Cash Retainer ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board Member | 40,000 | Standard retainer |
| Board Chair | 30,000 | Additional retainer for Chair (not applicable to Turtle) |
| Audit Committee Chair | 15,000 | — |
| Audit Committee Member (non-chair) | 7,500 | Applicable to Turtle |
| Compensation Committee Chair | 12,000 | Applicable to Turtle |
| Compensation Committee Member (non-chair) | 6,000 | — |
| Nominating Committee Chair | 10,000 | — |
| Nominating Committee Member (non-chair) | 5,000 | — |
Performance Compensation
Annual and Initial Director Equity Program:
| Grant Type | Shares | Vesting |
|---|---|---|
| Annual stock option grant | 17,500 | Vests monthly over 12 months (for directors who joined before Jan 1 of grant year) |
| Initial stock option grant | 35,000 | Vests monthly over 36 months |
Turtle’s Disclosed Equity Holdings and Vesting:
| Award | Shares | Key Terms |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted common stock (pre-Merger purchase) | 85,233 | Vests 25% on March 1, 2025; then monthly through March 1, 2028 |
| Compensatory warrants | 9,048 | Assumed by ORKA; pricing/expiration not specified in proxy |
| Stock options (portion vesting within 60 days) | 2,262 | Options vesting imminently; overall grant details not itemized in proxy |
Policy Safeguards:
- Insider trading policy prohibits hedging, pledging, and speculative derivatives; applies to directors .
- Clawback policy (NASDAQ 5608/Rule 10D-1) for restatement-driven excess incentive recovery for covered executives; while director pay is primarily cash/equity retainers, this strengthens governance discipline broadly .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Role | Committee Roles | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SYRE) | Director | Not disclosed | Interlock with ORKA director Peter Harwin, who also serves on Spyre’s board |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Biopharma company-building from preclinical to late-stage development and commercialization; BD/IR leadership; strategic and clinical trial expertise .
- Academic credentials in cardiovascular medicine; Rhodes Scholar and other notable awards signaling early-career excellence .
- The Nominating Committee cites Board skill needs in biotech, clinical development, finance, governance, and portfolio management—areas in which Turtle’s background aligns .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficially Owned Shares | % of Shares Outstanding | Components/Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Turtle | 110,579 | <1% | 85,233 shares via Turtle Family Trust; 2,262 options vesting within 60 days; 23,084 restricted shares vesting within 60 days |
Shares pledged as collateral: Company policy prohibits pledging; no pledging disclosed for Turtle .
Insider Filing Status
| Item | Status | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Section 16(a) filings (Forms 3, 4, 5) | All directors/officers/≥10% holders timely filed, per company’s review | FY 2024 |
Governance Assessment
- Committee leadership and workload: As Compensation Committee Chair and Audit Committee member, Turtle sits at the center of pay-setting and financial oversight; the Compensation Committee engaged Alpine Rewards LLC and affirmed no consultant conflicts, a positive signal for process integrity .
- Independence and attendance: Board certified independence; attendance at or above the 75% threshold alongside regular executive sessions evidences engagement .
- Interlocks and potential conflicts: Dual role as CEO/director of Spyre, coupled with fellow ORKA director Harwin’s Spyre directorship, forms an interlock that could influence information flows; Audit Committee is tasked with related party review, and the company has a formal related person transactions policy post-Merger, which mitigates risk .
- Ownership alignment: Personal share ownership (including restricted stock) and options/warrants provide alignment, with hedging/pledging prohibited; overall beneficial ownership is <1%, appropriate for an independent director but not a controlling stake .
- Structural governance considerations: A classified board, supermajority removal/voting requirements, and no special meetings or written consents can entrench directors; investors should weigh these features against management’s rationale for stability in a pre-revenue biotech context .
RED FLAGS to monitor:
- Interlock with Spyre (Turtle CEO; Harwin director) for any transactions or overlapping strategic decisions—ensure Audit Committee oversight on potential related party or conflict scenarios .
- Time commitments: External public company CEO duties plus ORKA committee leadership—Nominating Committee reviews director time commitments annually; watch for any deterioration in attendance or responsiveness .
- Governance structure rigidity (classified board, supermajority provisions) may weaken shareholder influence in director accountability, though the board annually reassesses practices .