Meg Alexander
Ovid TherapeuticsAbout Meg Alexander
Margaret “Meg” Alexander is President of Ovid Therapeutics and will become Chief Executive Officer and a Class II director effective January 1, 2026; she will retain the President title and cease serving as Chief Operating Officer at that time . She previously served as Chief Strategy Officer (Jun 2023–Sep 2024), Chief Corporate Affairs Officer (Jan 2022–Jun 2023), and Vice President, Communications (Jul 2021–Jan 2022) . She is 43 years old as disclosed at her September 2024 appointment and holds a BBA from the College of William & Mary; her prior career includes founding and scaling Syneos Health’s Reputation & Risk Management business and guiding launches for 25+ medicines for leading biopharma and Fortune 500 companies . In 2024, corporate objectives were assessed at 106%, and Ms. Alexander achieved 150% of her individual goals, resulting in 115% of target payout (prorated) under the annual cash incentive plan .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ovid Therapeutics | Vice President, Communications | Jul 2021–Jan 2022 | Led corporate communications; foundation for corporate affairs strategy |
| Ovid Therapeutics | Chief Corporate Affairs Officer | Jan 2022–Jun 2023 | Built stakeholder engagement and corporate affairs capabilities |
| Ovid Therapeutics | Chief Strategy Officer | Jun 2023–Sep 2024 | Corporate strategy leadership |
| Ovid Therapeutics | President & Chief Operating Officer | Sep 9, 2024–Dec 31, 2025 | Elevated scope; compensation and severance terms amended |
| Ovid Therapeutics | Chief Executive Officer; Class II Director | Effective Jan 1, 2026 | Leadership succession; retains President, exits COO role |
| Syneos Health | Managing Director, Reputation & Risk Management | Jan 2015–Jun 2020 | Founded and scaled business; guided 25+ medicine launches and major initiatives for Pfizer, Novartis, Amgen, Janssen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Alnylam, BioMarin, Nestlé, Coca-Cola |
External Roles
- Outside activities (board/committee member, advisor, consultant) permitted with written consent; restrictions include avoiding neurology-related activities and conflicts with Ovid duties; consent can be rescinded if activities compromise Ovid’s interests .
- No public company directorships disclosed in cited filings .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 Terms (President & COO) | 2026 Terms (CEO, effective Jan 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | $500,000 | $625,000 |
| Target Bonus (%) | 45% of base | 55% of base |
| Legal Fee Reimbursement (one-time) | Not disclosed | Up to $35,000 for employment agreement negotiation |
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Incentive (2024)
| Component | Weighting | Target | Actual | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate objectives | 80% | 100% | 106% | Contributes to total payout |
| Individual objectives (Alexander) | 20% | 100% | 150% | Contributes to total payout |
| Total (Alexander) | — | 100% of target | — | 115% of target, prorated for 2024 promotion timing |
Option Awards (select grants)
| Grant | Shares | Exercise Price ($/share) | Vesting Schedule | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2/22/2024 option | 168,750 | 3.68 | 25% at first anniversary; remainder in 36 equal monthly installments; unvested accelerates on change-in-control/covered termination per agreement | 2/22/2034 |
| 7/30/2024 retention option | 315,000 | 1.05 | 50% vests on 7/30/2025; remaining vests in 24 equal monthly installments thereafter; unvested accelerates on change-in-control/covered termination per agreement | 7/30/2034 |
| 9/9/2024 promotion option | 140,000 | 1.07 | 25% at first anniversary; remainder in 36 equal monthly installments; unvested accelerates on change-in-control/covered termination per agreement | 9/9/2034 |
| CEO grant (post-appointment) | 890,000 | Fair market value on grant date | Vesting commencement Jan 1, 2026; 25% at first anniversary; remainder in 36 equal monthly installments; 10-year term | 10 years from grant date |
RSU Awards
| Grant | Unvested Units (12/31/2024) | Market Value (12/31/2024) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/23/2023 RSU | 28,125 | $26,156 (at $0.93/share) | RSUs vest in three equal annual installments commencing Feb 22, 2025 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
Beneficial Ownership (as of Oct 31, 2025)
| Holder | Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | Ownership (%) | Breakdown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret Alexander | 667,298 | <1% | 16,373 common shares; 650,925 options exercisable within 60 days |
| Shares Outstanding Reference | 71,212,353 | — | Shares outstanding as of Oct 31, 2025 |
- No pledging of company stock disclosed in the cited filings .
- Stock ownership guidelines or compliance status not disclosed in the cited filings .
Employment Terms
| Provision | 2024 Employment Agreement (President & COO, effective Sep 9, 2024) | 2026 Employment Agreement (CEO, effective Jan 1, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Severance (without cause/good reason) | 12 months base salary; monthly taxable cash payment equal to health plan premiums for executive/spouse/dependents for 12 months, grossed up for all taxes | 12 months base salary; monthly taxable cash payment equal to health plan premiums for up to 12 months, grossed up for all taxes |
| Change-in-Control (within 3 months before, at, or within 12 months after) | Unvested options fully vest; repurchase/reacquisition rights lapse on other stock awards | 18 months of base salary plus monthly bonus payment (based on prior year bonus/12) for 18 months; health premium cash payments grossed up for up to 18 months; full acceleration of unvested equity and lapse of repurchase/reacquisition rights; administrative/secretarial support and outplacement services up to 12 months |
| Indemnification | Company to indemnify to fullest extent permitted by Delaware law via indemnification agreement | Not separately disclosed; employment terms otherwise similar to prior agreements (Levin agreement detail noted for context) |
| Outside Activities | Allowed with consent; restrictions apply (no neurology conflict; reputational and duty considerations) | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Board service: Appointed as a Class II member of the Board, effective January 1, 2026; concurrently appointed Chief Executive Officer and will retain President title while ceasing COO role; Dr. Jeremy Levin transitions to Executive Chairman .
- Committee assignments: Not disclosed in the cited filings .
- Director compensation: Not disclosed for Ms. Alexander in the cited filings .
Performance & Track Record
- Prior career achievements: Founded and scaled Syneos Health’s Reputation & Risk Management practice; guided launches of 25+ medicines and major initiatives for leading biopharma and consumer companies .
- 2024 performance: Corporate objectives assessed at 106%; Ms. Alexander achieved 150% of individual objectives, yielding 115% of target payout (prorated) .
Compensation Committee Analysis
- Retention awards: To address retention after a workforce reduction and align with revised strategy, the Compensation Committee granted July 2024 retention option awards of 315,000 shares to Ms. Alexander at $1.05, with 50% vesting on Jul 30, 2025 and remaining shares vesting over 24 months .
- Consultant input: The Compensation Committee referenced guidance from a compensation consultant when adjusting CEO’s annual incentive payout; committee set corporate objective attainment at 106% and applied discretion for payouts .
Compensation Structure Observations
- Shift in pay mix and scope: Transition from President & COO to CEO increases base salary from $500,000 to $625,000 and target bonus from 45% to 55%, and adds a 890,000-share option grant with a one-year cliff and monthly vesting thereafter .
- Option-centric equity: Multiple time-based option awards in 2024 and CEO grant in 2026 indicate emphasis on long-dated equity incentives; several grants include change-in-control acceleration .
Risk Indicators & Red Flags
- Tax gross-ups: Severance-related health premium cash payments are grossed up for taxes in both the 2024 and 2026 agreements .
- Equity acceleration: Full vesting acceleration on change-in-control; heightened sensitivity to deal timing and transaction-related incentives .
- Related-party transactions: None disclosed for Ms. Alexander in the cited filings .
Equity Award Detail (Outstanding at FY-end 2024)
| Instrument | Exercisable (Dec 31, 2024) | Unexercisable (Dec 31, 2024) | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/2/2021 option | 59,791 | 10,209 | 3.73 | 8/2/2031 | 25% cliff; 36 monthly installments; acceleration on change-in-control/covered termination |
| 2/3/2022 options (two grants) | 72,916 | 27,084 | 2.72 | 2/3/2032 | Time-based vesting; acceleration on change-in-control/covered termination |
| 4/8/2022 option | 6,666 | 3,334 | 3.22 | 4/8/2032 | Time-based vesting |
| 2/23/2023 options | 83,854 | 91,146 | 2.50 | 2/23/2033 | RSU also granted; RSUs vest over 3 years; acceleration provisions apply |
| 2/22/2024 option | — | 168,750 | 3.68 | 2/22/2034 | 25% cliff; 36 monthly installments |
| 7/30/2024 retention option | — | 315,000 | 1.05 | 7/30/2034 | 50% vests 7/30/2025; remainder over 24 months |
| 9/9/2024 promotion option | — | 140,000 | 1.07 | 9/9/2034 | 25% cliff; 36 monthly installments |
| 2/23/2023 RSU | — | 28,125 | — | — | Market value $26,156 at $0.93/share; three annual tranches starting Feb 22, 2025 |
Investment Implications
- Retention risk looks mitigated near term by sizeable option overhang and enhanced change-in-control economics (18 months base+bonus and full acceleration under CEO agreement), increasing stickiness through the leadership transition .
- Potential insider selling pressure may align with vesting milestones: 50% of the 315,000-share retention option vests on Jul 30, 2025; CEO grant has a one-year cliff on Jan 1, 2027 with ongoing monthly vesting thereafter .
- Alignment: Beneficial ownership includes 650,925 options exercisable within 60 days of Oct 31, 2025 and 16,373 common shares; total beneficial stake <1%, suggesting incentive alignment primarily via option appreciation rather than material current ownership percentage .
- Governance: Dual roles (CEO and director) combined with an Executive Chairman structure emphasize continuity; committee assignments and director compensation were not disclosed at the time of filings, limiting insight into board-level governance levers specific to Ms. Alexander .