Dafni Bika
Director at RPID
Board
About Dafni Bika
Dafni Bika, age 60, was elected as a Class I independent director of Rapid Micro Biosystems (RPID) on May 22, 2025, with her term running until the 2028 Annual Meeting . She brings 25+ years in pharmaceutical development and manufacturing technology, currently serving as Senior Vice President and Global Head of Pharmaceutical Technology and Development at AstraZeneca (since April 2016); prior roles include Vice President of Global Drug Product Manufacturing Science and Technology at Bristol-Myers Squibb (2012–2016) and Director of Global Pharmaceutical Commercialization at Merck (1999–2009). She holds a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering (University of Pennsylvania), an M.S. (University of Rochester), and a Diploma in Chemical Engineering (National Technical University of Athens) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca plc | SVP & Global Head, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development | Apr 2016–present | Leads global scientists/engineers to transform synthetic molecules into approved medicines |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | VP, Global Drug Product Manufacturing Science & Technology; prior Exec Director roles | Jul 2012–Apr 2016; Sep 2009–Jul 2012 | Manufacturing technology, packaging, device operations |
| Merck & Co., Inc. | Director, Global Pharmaceutical Commercialization | Apr 1999–Aug 2009 | Commercialization of pharmaceutical products |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca plc (Nasdaq: AZN) | SVP & Global Head, Pharmaceutical Technology & Development | Apr 2016–present | Operating executive role; no other public company directorships disclosed |
Board Governance
- Election and mandate:
- Elected Class I Director at Annual Meeting May 22, 2025; term through 2028 .
- Votes: 25,376,131 For; 352,154 Withheld; 9,193,239 Broker non-votes (strong support) .
- Committee assignments: Not disclosed in the 2025 proxy (she was a nominee) and not specified in post-meeting filings; the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair resigned (Jeffrey Schwartz) on May 22, 2025, indicating potential committee reconstitution post-election .
- Independence: Board determined independence for existing directors in Feb 2025; as a 2025 nominee, Bika’s independence status was not listed in that determination. She serves as a non-employee director; no related-person transactions involving her were disclosed .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met five times in 2024; each then-serving director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings. Bika was not yet on the Board in 2024 .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors hold regularly scheduled executive sessions; the Chair is independent (Kirk D. Malloy, Ph.D.) .
Election Snapshot
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Class | Class I |
| Term End | 2028 Annual Meeting |
| Election Date | May 22, 2025 |
| Votes For | 25,376,131 |
| Votes Withheld | 352,154 |
| Broker Non-Votes | 9,193,239 |
| Committee Assignments | Not disclosed as of proxy/8-K |
Fixed Compensation
Non-Employee Director Compensation Program (as amended Feb 6, 2024; applicable framework for 2025):
| Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Cash Retainer | $40,000 | Paid quarterly, prorated as applicable |
| Chair of Board / Lead Director | $45,000 | Additional annual fee |
| Audit Committee Chair | $20,000 | Additional annual fee |
| Audit Committee Member | $10,000 | Additional annual fee |
| Compensation Committee Chair | $15,000 | Additional annual fee |
| Compensation Committee Member | $7,500 | Additional annual fee |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair | $10,000 | Additional annual fee |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Member | $5,000 | Additional annual fee |
Anti-hedging: Directors are prohibited from hedging company stock under the Insider Trading Compliance Policy .
Performance Compensation
Equity awards under the Non-Employee Director Compensation Program:
| Award Type | Quantity | Vesting | Change-in-Control Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Stock Option (upon first appointment/election) | 50,000 shares | 36 equal monthly installments over 3 years, subject to continued service | Vests in full upon change in control |
| Annual Subsequent Stock Option | 28,650 shares (since Feb 6, 2024) | Vests in full on earlier of first anniversary or next Annual Meeting, subject to continued service | Vests in full upon change in control |
| Annual RSU Grant | 14,300 units (since Feb 6, 2024) | Vests in full on earlier of first anniversary or next Annual Meeting, subject to continued service | Vests in full upon change in control |
Note: The proxy details program terms; specific 2025 grants to Bika were not individually disclosed in the filings reviewed .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Other public company boards: None disclosed for Bika in the proxy .
- Interlocks/conflicts: No related-person transactions involving Bika or AstraZeneca disclosed. Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing related-person transactions under a written policy .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technical expertise: Deep experience in pharmaceutical development, manufacturing science/technology, and device operations .
- Education: Ph.D. (Materials Science, University of Pennsylvania); M.S. (University of Rochester); Diploma in Chemical Engineering (National Technical University of Athens) .
- Industry experience: Senior leadership across AstraZeneca, BMS, Merck; global scale, commercialization and manufacturing focus .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned (Class A) | % of Class A Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Dafni Bika | — | — |
- As of April 7, 2025 record date, no beneficial ownership reported for Bika; director RSUs/options for other directors vest around May 23, 2025 under program, but Bika’s holdings as of the record date were zero .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Bika adds domain depth in pharma development and manufacturing, relevant to RPID’s customer base and product adoption; her election received strong support (over 25.3M votes for) signaling investor confidence .
- Independence/conflicts: While independence for 2025 nominees was not enumerated, no related-person transactions were disclosed involving Bika; monitor any commercial interactions with AstraZeneca given potential customer overlap, with Audit Committee oversight in place .
- Compensation alignment: Director pay mixes modest cash retainer with equity (options and RSUs); however, single-trigger accelerated vesting upon change-in-control for director awards is a governance caution, potentially misaligning incentives in sale scenarios .
- Engagement: Committee assignments for Bika were not disclosed post-election; given resignation of the Nominating & Governance Chair at the Annual Meeting, expect reconstitution and monitor Bika’s committee placements and meeting attendance going forward .
- Policies: Anti-hedging policy is in place; no pledging policy was disclosed. Compensation Recovery Policy focuses on executive officers and financial restatements, not directors .