Alexis Borisy
About Alexis Borisy
Alexis Borisy, age 53, is Chairperson of Relay Therapeutics’ Board and has served as a director since the company’s founding in April 2015; he was interim CEO from January 2016 to February 2017. He holds an A.B. in Chemistry (University of Chicago) and an A.M. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Harvard University), and brings extensive biotech company-building and venture experience . The Board has determined he is independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules (all directors except the CEO are independent) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relay Therapeutics | Chairperson of the Board; Interim CEO | Chair since 2015; Interim CEO Jan 2016–Feb 2017 | Board leadership separate from CEO enhances oversight |
| EQRx, Inc. | CEO; Chairman | CEO Jun 2019–Aug 2021; Chairman Jun 2019–Nov 2023 | Led pricing-disruption biotech; board governance experience |
| Third Rock Ventures | Partner | 2010–Jun 2019 | Company creation across life sciences |
| Blueprint Medicines | Interim CEO; Director | Interim CEO 2013–2014; Director since 2011 | Co‑founder; long-term board service |
| Foundation Medicine | Interim CEO; Director | Interim CEO 2009–2011; Director 2009–Jul 2018 | Company acquired by Roche, demonstrating successful exit |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since/Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curie.Bio | Co‑founder & Chairman | Current | VC firm launching therapeutics companies |
| Revolution Medicines | Director | Past 5 years (listed) | Public biopharma board experience |
| Magenta Therapeutics | Director | Past 5 years (listed) | Public biopharma board experience |
| Tango Therapeutics | Director | Past 5 years (listed) | Public biopharma board experience |
| Boston Museum of Science | Chairman, Board of Trustees | Current | Non-profit governance leadership |
| National Venture Capital Association | Chairman (prior) | Past | Industry leadership |
Board Governance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Independence | Independent director per Board determination (all non-CEO directors independent) |
| Board leadership | Chair role separated from CEO (CEO: Dr. Patel; Chair: Borisy) |
| Committees | Audit (member); Compensation (member) |
| Committee chairs | Audit: Jami Rubin; Compensation: Douglas Ingram; Nominating: Linda Hill; R&D: Mark Murcko |
| Meeting attendance | Board met 6 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended 2024 AGM |
| Committee activity | FY2024 meetings: Audit (4), Compensation (5), Nominating (3), R&D (3) |
| ESG oversight | Joint oversight by Audit and Nominating committees |
| Trading policies | Prohibits hedging and pledging; special blackout windows; no short sales or margin pledging |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (2024) | Amount (USD) | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual retainer | $45,000 | Non-employee director policy (amended June 1, 2023) |
| Board Chair additional fee | $30,000 | Policy |
| Audit Committee member fee | $10,000 | Policy |
| Compensation Committee member fee | $7,500 | Policy |
| Total cash fees (paid) | $92,500 | Matches reported director cash fees for Borisy |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Award Type | Grant-Date Fair Value | Vesting Terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual director option | 2024 (at annual meeting cycle) | Stock Options | $488,636 | Vests in full upon earlier of 1-year anniversary or next annual meeting |
Performance metrics: None disclosed for director equity awards; director option grants are time-based and not tied to TSR or operational KPIs .
Insider Trades
| Transaction Date | Form Type | Transaction Type | Shares | Strike/Price | Post-Transaction Options Owned | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-06 | Form 4 | A — Stock Option Award | 136,681 | $3.36 | 136,681 | |
| 2024-06-03 | Form 4 | A — Stock Option Award | 102,225 | $6.79 | 102,225 |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Committee | Interlocks/Conflicts |
|---|---|
| Compensation Committee | No interlocks with other companies’ execs; none of the committee members are company officers; no insider participation |
| Related-party transactions (Company-wide) | None >$120,000 since Jan 1, 2024 involving directors/5% holders/family members |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep biotech venture formation and operating experience; co-founded Blueprint Medicines and Foundation Medicine (latter acquired by Roche), indicating strong track record in value creation .
- Chemistry education (University of Chicago; Harvard) and governance roles (NVCA Chair; Museum of Science Chair), supporting strategic oversight and stakeholder engagement .
Equity Ownership
| Component | Amount | Percent of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common stock held | 234,175 | <1% | Direct holdings |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 268,119 | — | Unexercised options as of 12/31/2024 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 502,294 | <1% | Based on 170,488,817 shares outstanding |
| Pledging/Hedging | Prohibited | — | Company policy bans hedging and pledging |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent Chair separate from CEO, with active roles on Audit and Compensation committees; robust committee activity and ≥75% attendance standard achieved by all directors .
- Clear anti-hedging/anti-pledging policy for alignment with shareholders; no related-party transactions reported .
- Transparent director pay structure; cash fees align precisely with policy; equity in options with short vest horizon tied to annual meeting — simple, time-based, and shareholder-aligned .
-
Watch items:
- Multiple external board and venture roles may pose time-commitment considerations; however, no conflicts or related-party transactions disclosed .
- Company’s 2024 say-on-pay approval for executives was 59.9%, below typical biotech norms, prompting reductions to 2025 executive equity grants; while not director pay, it signals investor scrutiny of compensation practices .
Overall, Borisy’s independent chairmanship and committee participation support board effectiveness; compensation is modest in cash with standard option grants; policies reduce alignment risks, and filings show no conflicts or pledging.