Margaret McLoughlin
About Margaret A. McLoughlin, Ph.D.
Independent director of Quince Therapeutics (QNCX) since December 2015; age 62 as of the April 16, 2025 record date. Background spans >20 years in biopharma business development and venture investing at Pfizer (Executive Director, Worldwide Business Development; Partner, Pfizer Ventures) with earlier roles at Yale Office of Cooperative Research and Mallinckrodt Medical; B.S. Chemistry (UC Irvine) and Ph.D. Chemistry (UC Santa Barbara). Classified as independent under Nasdaq rules; currently serves on the Compensation Committee and the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure (per disclosure) | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pfizer Inc. | Executive Director, Worldwide Business Development (venture investments) | Jan 2014 – Apr 2019 | Venture investing focus aligned to Pfizer’s strategic areas |
| Pfizer Ventures (Pfizer Inc.) | Partner | Jun 2018 – Apr 2019 | Venture capital arm; board exposure to portfolio companies |
| Pfizer Inc. | Business Development roles (increasing responsibility) | Joined 2001 (dates not further specified) | Led transactions with biotech, academia, and large pharma |
| Yale University | Director, Office of Cooperative Research | Two years (dates not specified) | Academic tech transfer and licensing |
| Mallinckrodt Medical | Discovery Research; Technology Planning | 1992 – 1999 | R&D and strategic planning |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Dates (if disclosed) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4D Molecular Therapeutics | Director | Public | Not specified (served as director) |
| System1 Biosciences | Director | Private | Not specified (served as director) |
| Adapsyn Biosciences | Director | Private | Not specified (served as director) |
Board Governance
- Independence and tenure: Independent director; on Board since Dec 2015 (Class I; term continuing to 2026 annual meeting).
- Committee assignments: Compensation Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member.
- Committee chairs: Compensation Committee chaired by David A. Lamond; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chaired by David A. Lamond; Audit Committee chaired by Christopher J. Senner.
- Attendance: In 2024, Board met 4x; Audit 4x; Compensation 3x; Nominating 2x; every director attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during their service period.
- Executive sessions and leadership: Una Ryan is Lead Independent Director; independent directors meet in executive session and lead directs those sessions.
- Conflicts screening: Audit Committee reviews/approves related-party transactions; no family relationships among directors and executive officers.
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging and pledging of company securities by directors, officers, employees, and consultants.
Fixed Compensation
Director fee schedule (effective policy)
| Element | Member Annual Cash Retainer ($) | Lead/Chair Annual Cash ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Board of Directors | 38,000 | 52,500 |
| Audit Committee | 7,500 | 15,000 |
| Compensation Committee | 5,500 | 11,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee | 4,000 | 8,000 |
Director compensation – Margaret A. McLoughlin
| Metric | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | 47,500 | 47,500 |
| Stock Option Awards (Grant Date Fair Value, $) | 34,560 | 22,140 |
| Total ($) | 82,060 | 69,640 |
Notes:
- From Jan 1, 2025, directors may elect to receive all or part of their annual cash retainer in the form of a stock option vesting quarterly.
Performance Compensation
- Equity structure for non-employee directors: Initial option grant of 54,000 shares at board appointment (vests 1/3 annually over 3 years); annual option grant of 27,000 shares (if >6 months service before annual meeting) vesting fully on the one-year anniversary; accelerated vesting in full immediately prior to, and contingent upon, a change in control.
- 2024 individual equity comp: McLoughlin received stock options with grant date fair value of $22,140; she held 187,969 options outstanding as of Dec 31, 2024.
- No director performance metrics (e.g., TSR, EBITDA) are tied to director pay; equity awards are time-vested per policy.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Relationship to QNCX | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| 4D Molecular Therapeutics | Former or current director per bio; no QNCX disclosed transactions | None disclosed |
| System1 Biosciences | Former director per bio; no QNCX disclosed transactions | None disclosed |
| Adapsyn Biosciences | Former director per bio; no QNCX disclosed transactions | None disclosed |
- Related-party transactions: Proxy discloses only a consulting arrangement with a former director’s family member; no transactions involving Dr. McLoughlin.
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Biopharma business development, venture investing, and transaction execution across biotech, academia, and large pharma ecosystems.
- Education: B.S. Chemistry (UC Irvine); Ph.D. Chemistry (UC Santa Barbara).
- Board skills: Governance, BD/partnerships, capital allocation and portfolio oversight aligned with Compensation and Nominating committee mandates.
Equity Ownership
Beneficial ownership (as of Mar 31, 2025 unless noted)
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Common Shares Owned | 8,000 shares |
| Options Exercisable within 60 Days | 168,872 shares |
| Aggregate Beneficial Ownership | 176,872 shares |
| Ownership % of Outstanding Shares | <1% (denoted “*”) |
| Options Outstanding (12/31/2024) | 187,969 shares |
| Hedging/Pledging | Prohibited by policy |
Governance Assessment
-
Strengths:
- Independent, long-serving director with deep biopharma BD/venture background; aligned committee assignments (Compensation; Nominating & Corporate Governance).
- Solid attendance culture (≥75% for all directors in 2024); defined committee charters with independent composition.
- Conservative trading policy (no hedging/pledging) and formal related-party review; no RPTs involving McLoughlin disclosed.
- Director equity is time-vested with CIC acceleration; optional equity in lieu of cash retainers from 2025 increases alignment potential.
-
Watch items:
- Absolute equity stake is small (<1% ownership), typical for small-cap biotech but provides limited direct financial alignment via common stock; most alignment via options.
- Not a committee chair; influence is through membership rather than chair leadership (Compensation and Nominating chairs are David A. Lamond).
