Ahmed Sabet
PrecipioAbout Ahmed Sabet
Ahmed Zaki Sabet is Chief Operating Officer at Precipio, Inc. and a co‑founder of the company (2011). He is 40 years old and holds a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, with 17+ years of laboratory management experience focused on cancer diagnostics . He has served as a consultant with the College of American Pathologists and several diagnostic companies, helping set up specialized cancer testing operations . Public filings do not disclose TSR, revenue growth, or EBITDA growth specific to his tenure.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Precipio, Inc. | Co‑Founder; Chief Operating Officer | 2011–present | Leads reference laboratory operations and cancer diagnostics execution |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of American Pathologists (CAP) | Consultant | Not disclosed | Set up specialized cancer testing operations |
| Various diagnostic companies | Consultant | Not disclosed | Set up specialized cancer testing operations |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | 200,000 | 200,000 |
| Bonus ($) | — | 150,000 (subject to performance; paid over 3 years) |
| Option Awards ($) (ASC 718 FV) | 44,513 | 27,180 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | 20,823 | 21,876 |
| Total ($) | 265,336 | 399,056 |
Performance Compensation
| Incentive | Metric | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Cash Bonus | Minimum cash balance and Adjusted EBITDA thresholds | Maintain ≥$1.5M quarterly cash; meet cumulative quarterly Adjusted EBITDA thresholds through Q4’27 | Not disclosed | $150,000 pro‑rated quarterly over 3 years starting Q1’25; forfeiture if thresholds not met (except termination without cause) | Time‑based payout contingent each quarter through Q4’27 |
| 2024 Stock Options | Time‑vested options | N/A | N/A | 6,000 options granted (grant‑date FV $27,180) | 4‑year vest; 25% at year 1, then 36 equal monthly installments |
| 2025 Performance‑Vesting Options | 10‑day VWAP ≥ $30.30; exercise price $6.06 | $30.30 VWAP (5× exercise price) | Not disclosed | 6,000 options; vest only if price hurdle met; expires Jan 14, 2035 | No time‑based vesting; single cliff on price hurdle |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 21,954 (1.4% of common) |
| Shares Outstanding (Record Date) | 1,516,296 common; 47 Series B preferred |
| Directly Owned Shares | 939 |
| Options Exercisable/within 60 days | 21,015 |
| 2024 Option Repricing | Outstanding options with exercise price >$6.56 repriced to $6.56 on Aug 31, 2024; original price applies for exercises during a one‑year retention period |
| 2024 Option Exercises | None by named executive officers |
Outstanding Equity Awards (as of Dec 31, 2024)
| Grant Date | Exercisable (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02/16/2018 | 916 | — | 6.56 | 02/16/2028 |
| 03/18/2019 | 833 | — | 6.56 | 03/18/2029 |
| 01/16/2020 | 1,500 | — | 6.56 | 01/16/2030 |
| 07/02/2020 | 250 | — | 6.56 | 07/02/2030 |
| 01/04/2021 | 3,240 | 60 | 6.56 | 01/04/2031 |
| 07/08/2021 | 8,561 | 1,439 | 6.56 | 07/08/2031 |
| 01/11/2022 | 1,821 | 679 | 6.56 | 01/11/2032 |
| 01/06/2023 | 1,800 | 1,950 | 12.40 | 01/06/2033 |
| 06/21/2024 | — | 6,000 | 4.98 | 06/21/2034 |
2025 Grant Details
| Grant Date | Options (#) | Exercise Price ($) | Vesting Condition | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/14/2025 | 6,000 | 6.06 | 10‑day VWAP ≥ $30.30; no time‑based vesting | 01/14/2035 |
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Agreement Date | Revised employment agreement effective August 7, 2018 |
| Eligibility | Annual base salary; annual bonus per Compensation Committee; participation in health and benefits; eligibility for stock options/equity awards |
| Restrictive Covenants | Confidentiality; 12‑month non‑competition and non‑solicitation |
| Clawback | 280G clawback included |
| Severance (No Cause / Good Reason) | 9 months continued base salary at rate in effect at termination; 9 months COBRA contribution equivalent; accelerated vesting of all unvested equity |
| Change‑of‑Control (within 12 months post‑sale event) | 12 months base salary (lump sum); 12 months bonus at 100% of plan; 12 months COBRA contribution equivalent; accelerated vesting of all unvested equity |
| Standard Option Vesting | Four‑year schedule; 25% at first anniversary, remaining 75% in 36 equal monthly installments; 100% accelerated upon termination without cause or resignation for good reason per agreement |
Investment Implications
- Pay‑for‑performance tilt strengthened in 2025: senior management (including Sabet) elected performance‑vesting options with a stringent 10‑day VWAP hurdle of $30.30 (5× exercise price), eliminating time‑based vesting and aligning equity value realization with price appreciation .
- Near‑term insider selling pressure appears limited: 2025 grants do not vest absent the price hurdle, and no named executive option exercises occurred in FY2024; however, substantial previously granted options remain outstanding .
- Governance red flag: 2024 one‑time option repricing to $6.56 (with a one‑year retention period applying original prices) reduces strike levels and may be viewed as pay protection, partially offset by the adoption of price‑hurdle vesting in 2025 .
- Retention and change‑of‑control economics: severance provides 9 months salary and COBRA coverage plus full equity acceleration; sale‑event termination within 12 months increases to 12 months salary and 12 months bonus at 100% of plan with accelerated vesting—robust protection that reduces departure risk but raises cost in a sale scenario .
- Ownership alignment: Sabet beneficially owns 21,954 shares (1.4% of common), with most exposure via options, reinforcing incentive leverage to equity performance but concentrating value in option‑based awards .