Inese Lowenstein
Director at RPID
Board
About Inese Lowenstein
Inese Lowenstein, age 52, has served as an independent director of Rapid Micro Biosystems (RPID) since December 2021. She brings over 20 years of leadership experience in life sciences and diagnostics, including President of SCIEX (Danaher) and senior roles at Merck KGaA/EMD Millipore; she holds a Bachelor of Economics, Engineering Science from Riga Technical University and an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danaher Corporation | Senior Talent Advisor (part-time) | Apr 2021–Mar 2022 | Senior advisory capacity to a large life sciences conglomerate |
| SCIEX (Danaher) | President | Sep 2017–Mar 2021 | Led global mass spectrometry business; P&L and operational leadership |
| SCIEX (Danaher) | SVP, Global Sales & Service | Aug 2016–Sep 2017 | Commercial execution and global customer operations |
| Merck KGaA / EMD Millipore | Executive Vice President, Head of Display Materials BU | Prior to 2016 | Business unit leadership in high-tech materials |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerkinElmer Limited | Director | Since Aug 2023 | Board service; enhances industry network and oversight experience |
Board Governance
- Board independence: The Board determined in Feb 2025 that Lowenstein is independent under Nasdaq rules; the CEO is not independent .
- Committee assignments (2024): Audit Committee member; Compensation Committee member .
- Committee leadership: Audit Committee chaired by Melinda Litherland; Compensation Committee chaired by Kirk D. Malloy, Ph.D. .
- Board leadership: Independent Chair (Kirk D. Malloy, Ph.D.); no lead director needed due to independent chair .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in regular executive sessions .
- Attendance: The Board met 5 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings; Lowenstein attended the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders .
| Committee | Role | 2024 Meetings | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit | Member | 5 meetings in 2024 | All members independent; committee oversees financial reporting and cybersecurity risk |
| Compensation | Member | 4 meetings in 2024 | All members independent; oversees exec/director pay and clawback policy |
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | 57,500 | Consistent with program: $40,000 annual director fee + $10,000 Audit member + $7,500 Compensation member |
| Stock Awards ($) | 11,726 | Aggregate grant date fair value under ASC 718 |
| Option Awards ($) | 12,320 | Aggregate grant date fair value under ASC 718 |
| Total ($) | 81,546 | Sum of cash and equity grant-date fair values |
Non-Employee Director Program (amended Feb 6, 2024):
- Cash fees: $40,000 annual director fee; Audit Committee member $10,000; Compensation Committee member $7,500; Chairs receive higher fees (not applicable to Lowenstein) .
- Equity grants (Subsequent Awards): Option to purchase 28,650 shares and 14,300 RSUs granted at the annual meeting; vest on earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; full vesting upon change in control .
| Grant Type | Units/Terms | Grant Timing | Vesting | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Option (Subsequent Award) | 28,650 shares | May 23, 2024 | Vests on earlier of May 23, 2025 or day prior to 2025 AGM | Exercise price at FMV on grant date; full vesting upon change of control |
| RSU (Subsequent Award) | 14,300 units | May 23, 2024 | Same as above | Full vesting upon change of control |
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based metrics are described for director compensation; the program specifies fixed cash fees and time-based equity awards (options and RSUs) for non-employee directors .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Role | Interlocks/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PerkinElmer Limited | External | Director | Additional board service; no related-party transaction disclosures tied to this role |
- Compensation Committee interlocks: In 2024, Lowenstein served on RPID’s Compensation Committee; no interlocks or insider participation were disclosed for the year .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Cross-industry and international leadership across life sciences, diagnostics, and high-tech materials; former President of SCIEX and executive at Merck KGaA/EMD Millipore .
- Education: Bachelor of Economics, Engineering Science (Riga Technical University); MBA (UC Berkeley Haas) .
- Board rationale: The Board cites her extensive business and leadership experience as qualifications to serve .
Equity Ownership
| Ownership Metric | Amount | Status/Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership (Class A) | 117,250 shares; less than 1% | As of Apr 7, 2025 |
| Direct Shares Owned | 10,000 | Held directly |
| RSUs (will vest within 60 days) | 14,300 | RSUs scheduled to vest by the 2025 AGM |
| Options Exercisable within 60 days | 78,650 | 50,000 vested; 28,650 scheduled to vest by 2025 AGM |
| Anti-hedging | Prohibited | Directors may not hedge company stock per Insider Trading Compliance Policy |
Outstanding awards at 12/31/2024:
- RSUs outstanding: 14,300; scheduled to vest on earlier of May 23, 2025 or day prior to 2025 AGM; full vesting upon change in control .
- Options outstanding: 78,650; 50,000 vested; 28,650 scheduled to vest on earlier of May 23, 2025 or day prior to 2025 AGM; full vesting upon change in control .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status affirmed (Feb 2025); dual committee service (Audit, Compensation); independent Board chair; regular executive sessions; adequate meeting attendance; anti-hedging and SEC/Nasdaq-compliant clawback policies; transparent director fee schedule and time-based equity grants .
- Alignment: Holds direct shares and equity awards; beneficial ownership disclosed; no pledging disclosed; time-based vesting with change-of-control protections typical for directors .
- Conflicts/Related Parties: No related-party transactions involving Lowenstein disclosed; company has a formal related person transaction policy with Audit Committee oversight .
- RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding hedging/pledging, attendance shortfalls, related-party transactions, or pay anomalies for directors in 2024 .