Richard Kollender
About Richard Kollender
Richard Kollender (age 55) is an independent Class II director of Rapid Micro Biosystems (RPID), serving since 2009 with a gap from Feb 2017 to Oct 2018; he is designated an audit committee financial expert and was reaffirmed independent under Nasdaq rules in Feb 2025 . He is currently CEO and a director of Reaction Biology Corporation (since Apr 2024) and a Partner/Executive Manager at Quaker Partners Management (since 2011); previously served as RPID’s Chief Business Officer and CFO (Aug 2016–Sep 2018) and held senior roles at Strongbridge Biopharma (2019–2022). He holds a B.A. in accounting (Franklin & Marshall) and an MBA + certificate in health administration and policy (University of Chicago) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid Micro Biosystems (RPID) | Chief Business Officer & Chief Financial Officer | Aug 2016 – Sep 2018 | Transitioned finance and BD leadership pre/post IPO |
| Strongbridge Biopharma plc | COO → President & CFO | Sep 2019 – Mar 2022 | Led operations and finance through acquisition by Xeris (remained through Mar 2022) |
| Quaker Partners Management, LP | Partner & Executive Manager | Jan 2011 – Present | Healthcare investment leadership |
| Reaction Biology Corporation | CFO & CBO → CEO & Director | Apr 2022 – Dec 2024; CEO since Apr 2024 | Executive leadership; CEO appointment Apr 2024 |
| Celator Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Director (past) | Prior | Board role; company later a subsidiary of Jazz Pharma |
| Nupathe, Inc. | Director (past) | Prior | Board role |
| Insmed, Inc. | Director (past) | Prior | Board role |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reaction Biology Corporation | CEO & Director | Since Apr 2024 | Private | Former CFO/CBO (Apr 2022–Dec 2024) |
| Ocugenix Corporation | Director | Since 2019 | Private | Clinical-stage ophthalmology |
| Celator Pharmaceuticals (Jazz Pharma subsidiary) | Director (past) | Prior | Public (subsidiary) | Past board |
| Nupathe, Inc. | Director (past) | Prior | Public (historic) | Past board |
| Insmed, Inc. | Director (past) | Prior | Public | Past board |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member; not a committee chair .
- Independence: Affirmed independent by the Board under Nasdaq in Feb 2025 .
- Financial expertise: Designated “audit committee financial expert” by the Board .
- Attendance: Board met 5 times in FY2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet in regular executive sessions; Board chaired by independent director (Kirk D. Malloy, Ph.D.) .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | FY2024 Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Cash Fees | $55,000 | Comprised of $40,000 director retainer + $10,000 Audit member + $5,000 Nominating/Gov member per program |
| Committee Chair Fees | $0 | Not a chair |
| Meeting Fees | $0 | Program does not include meeting fees |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Quantity | Fair Value (USD) | Vesting | Change-in-Control |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Options | May 23, 2024 | 28,650 shares | $12,320 | Vests in full on earlier of 1-year or next annual meeting | Vests in full on CIC |
| RSUs | May 23, 2024 | 14,300 units | $11,726 | Vests in full on earlier of 1-year or next annual meeting | Vests in full on CIC |
The non-employee director program was amended Feb 6, 2024 to add RSUs (14,300) and increase annual option grants to 28,650—shifting mix toward full-value equity and retention orientation .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Affiliation | Type | Potential Interlock/Conflict |
|---|---|---|
| Quaker Partners Management, LP | Investment firm (Partner/Exec Manager) | Not listed among RPID major holders; no related-party transactions disclosed involving Quaker Partners . |
| Major RPID holders (Bain Life Sciences, Kennedy Lewis, Longitude, Endeavour) | Investors | Director Jeffrey Schwartz is affiliated with Bain; Kollender not identified with those holders in related-party tables . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Finance and audit: Former CFO; audit committee financial expert designation; deep financial literacy for audit oversight .
- Life sciences operations and BD: Executive roles at Strongbridge and Reaction Biology indicate sector executive depth .
- Governance: Prior board service across multiple biopharma companies; current independent governance role at RPID .
- Education: B.A. Accounting (Franklin & Marshall); MBA and health administration/policy certificate (University of Chicago) .
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Amount | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (Class A) | 364,253 shares; <1% | As of Apr 7, 2025 |
| Composition (within 60 days of Apr 7, 2025) | 82,418 common; 14,300 RSUs; 253,235 options exercisable | Breakdown per proxy |
| Outstanding Unvested Awards (12/31/2024) | 28,650 options unvested (scheduled to vest by May 23, 2025); 14,300 RSUs scheduled to vest by May 23, 2025 | Director award schedule (2) |
| Pledging/Hedging | Hedging prohibited by Insider Trading Policy; no pledging disclosure | Policy prohibits hedging transactions |
Insider Trades
| Date/Event | Filing | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2022 option grant; late Form 4 filed Jun 10, 2022 | Section 16(a) compliance note | Late Form 4 due to administrative oversight; includes multiple directors, including Kollender |
| FY2023 compliance | Section 16(a) compliance note | FY2023 filings complied per proxy disclosure |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths
- Independent director with audit committee financial expert designation; brings CFO experience and investment acumen to audit risk oversight .
- Attendance threshold met; engaged on Audit and Nominating/Gov committees; Board maintains independent chair and regular executive sessions .
- Director compensation prudent; cash retainer modest; equity awards time-based with CIC vesting; program updated to include RSUs, aligning interests via full-value equity .
-
Potential Risks / RED FLAGS
- Late Form 4 in 2022 (administrative oversight) indicates a minor compliance lapse; monitor ongoing Section 16 timeliness .
- Multiple external leadership roles (CEO at Reaction Biology, partner at Quaker) increase time-commitment risk; however, no related-party transactions disclosed with RPID .
- CIC vesting on director equity can be seen as entrenchment risk; balanced by standard market practice .
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Policies supporting investor alignment
- Anti-hedging policy and SEC/Nasdaq-compliant clawback policy are in place; reduce misalignment and promote accountability .