Martin Babler
About Martin Babler
Martin Babler, age 60, has served as an independent director of Prelude Therapeutics (PRLD) since July 2021. He is President and CEO of Alumis Inc. (since September 2021), and previously was CEO at Principia Biopharma (2011–2020) and Talima Therapeutics (2007–2011). Earlier, he held senior commercial roles at Genentech (1998–2007) and began his career at Eli Lilly; he holds a Swiss Federal Diploma in Pharmacy and completed Kellogg’s Executive Development Program .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alumis Inc. | President & CEO | Sep 2021–present | Executive leadership and biopharma operating experience |
| Principia Biopharma Inc. | President & CEO | Apr 2011–Oct 2020 | Led company through acquisition by Sanofi |
| Talima Therapeutics, Inc. | President & CEO | Dec 2007–Apr 2011 | CEO of pharmaceutical company |
| Genentech, Inc. | Vice President, Immunology Sales & Marketing; led Commercial Development; led Cardiovascular Marketing | 1998–2007 | Built and led commercial organizations |
| Eli Lilly and Company | Sales, sales management, global marketing, business development | Not disclosed | Commercial foundation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89bio Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Current public company directorship |
| Sardona Therapeutics Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Current directorship |
| Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) | Emerging Companies Section Governing Board member | Not disclosed | Industry body governance role |
Board Governance
- Independence: PRLD’s Board determined Martin Babler is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Audit Committee chaired by Mardi C. Dier; committee meets independence and literacy requirements .
- Attendance: In 2024 the Board met 5 times; Audit 4; Compensation 4; Nominating 1. No director attended fewer than 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during tenure .
- Risk oversight: Audit Committee oversees internal controls, disclosure controls, cybersecurity, and related-person transactions; Compensation Committee monitors incentive-related risk; Nominating Committee oversees governance policies and Board evaluation .
Fixed Compensation
| Fee Type | Role | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Board retainer (cash) | Board Member | $35,000 |
| Additional retainer | Board Chair | $30,000 |
| Committee retainer | Audit Committee Chair | $15,000 |
| Committee retainer | Audit Committee Member | $7,500 |
| Committee retainer | Compensation Committee Chair | $10,000 |
| Committee retainer | Compensation Committee Member | $5,000 |
| Committee retainer | Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | $8,000 |
| Committee retainer | Nominating & Corporate Governance Member | $4,000 |
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Option Awards Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $42,500 | $92,034 | $134,534 |
| 2024 | $45,659 | $65,319 | $110,978 |
Notes:
- Non-employee directors are reimbursed for reasonable expenses .
- CEO does not receive director compensation .
Performance Compensation
- Annual equity grants: Each continuing non-employee director received an option to purchase 23,500 shares at the annual meeting; vesting occurs at the earlier of the next annual meeting or one-year anniversary, subject to service, with change-in-control acceleration .
| Year | Grant Type | Shares Granted | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Stock option (Annual Grant) | 23,500 | $92,034 | Vests at earlier of next annual meeting or 1-year anniversary; service requirement; CIC acceleration |
| 2024 | Stock option (Annual Grant) | 23,500 | $65,319 | Vests at earlier of next annual meeting or 1-year anniversary; service requirement; CIC acceleration |
Performance metrics: No director-specific performance metrics are tied to these equity grants; they are time-based awards .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Overlap/Interlock | Potential Conflict Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| 89bio Inc.; Sardona Therapeutics Inc.; BIO | Babler serves as director/board member | No PRLD related-party transactions >$120,000 in the disclosed period; Audit Committee reviews related-party transactions . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Industry expertise: Decades of biopharma commercial leadership and CEO experience; Board cites biotech, finance, and accounting experience as qualifications .
- Education: Swiss Federal Diploma in pharmacy; Kellogg Executive Development Program .
- Financial oversight: Serves on PRLD Audit Committee; committee members are financially literate .
Equity Ownership
| As-of Date | Beneficial Ownership (Voting Common) | % of Voting Common | Non-Voting Common | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2025 | 91,193 shares (options exercisable within 60 days) | <1% | — | As of Dec 31, 2024, held options to purchase 114,693 shares . |
| Mar 31, 2024 | 65,671 shares (options exercisable within 60 days) | <1% | — | As of Dec 31, 2023, held options to purchase 91,193 shares . |
Additional alignment policies:
- Anti-hedging: Directors prohibited from hedging or monetization transactions in PRLD stock .
- Related-party safeguards: No related-party transactions >$120,000; formal policy requires committee approval for any such transactions .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent status and Audit Committee membership support effective oversight of reporting, controls, and related-party transactions .
- Attendance met Board standards; no directors below 75% in 2024 .
- Director equity is time-based and subject to change-of-control acceleration, aligning interests with shareholders without short-term metric gaming .
-
Pay and alignment
- Cash director retainer structure is modest; Babler’s cash fees rose slightly YoY ($42,500→$45,659) while option grant fair value declined ($92,034→$65,319), reflecting equity valuation dynamics rather than guaranteed pay escalation .
- Beneficial ownership is small (<1%); however, the company prohibits hedging and has related-party controls via the Audit Committee .
-
Potential conflicts and RED FLAGS
- Multiple external roles (CEO at Alumis; director at 89bio and Sardona; BIO governance) may pose time-commitment considerations; PRLD’s Corporate Governance Guidelines explicitly consider the number of other boards when evaluating nominees .
- No transactions with entities where Babler has interests were disclosed; company reports no related-party transactions >$120,000 during the period .
-
Committee quality and independence
- Audit and Compensation Committees comprised of independent directors; Compensation Committee uses independent consultant Compensia and reported no conflicts of interest .
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Additional context
- PRLD is an Emerging Growth Company and Smaller Reporting Company; reduced executive compensation disclosures and no advisory say-on-pay vote are required under current rules .