David Bonita
About David Bonita
David Bonita, M.D. (age 49) is an independent director of Repare Therapeutics (RPTX), serving since September 2019; he resides in Connecticut (USA) and is a Member at OrbiMed Advisors LLC. He holds a B.A. in Biology from Harvard University and an M.D./M.B.A. from Columbia University . He is up for re‑election as a Class II director at the June 17, 2025 annual meeting, with the term extending to 2028 if elected .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan Stanley; UBS | Corporate finance analyst, healthcare investment banking | Prior to OrbiMed (dates not specified) | Investment banking experience in healthcare |
| IMARA Inc.; Tricida, Inc. | Public company director (prior) | Prior service (dates not specified) | Prior governance experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| OrbiMed Advisors LLC | Member | Current | Healthcare investment firm partner-level role |
| Acutus Medical, Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Ikena Oncology, Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Prelude Therapeutics Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Third Harmonic Bio, Inc. | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
| Several private companies | Director | Current | Not disclosed |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Dr. Bonita is “independent” under Nasdaq listing standards .
- Board/Committee roles: Member, Compensation Committee; Member, Science & Technology Committee; not a committee chair .
- Meetings/attendance: The Board met 7 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings. Notably, “Dr. Bonita has attended every meeting of the board, compensation committee and science & technology committee over the past three years,” signaling strong engagement .
- Leadership structure: Independent Board Chair (Thomas Civik); independent committee-only composition; seven executive sessions of non‑management directors in 2024 .
- Overboarding consideration: He serves on four other public company boards in addition to RPTX; the Board states he is actively engaged and within its guideline cap (≤5 boards). Attendance and preparation cited as strong .
Fixed Compensation (Non‑Employee Director)
| Component | Amount/Structure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $40,000 for Board service; plus applicable committee retainers (Audit chair: $15,000; member: $7,500; Compensation chair: $10,000; member: $5,000; Nominating chair: $8,000; member: $4,000; Science & Tech chair: $8,000; member: $4,000) | |
| 2024 cash actually paid | $46,708 | |
| Other cash (tax advisory reimbursements) | None disclosed for Dr. Bonita (0) |
Performance Compensation (Non‑Employee Director)
| Equity Element | Grant Mechanics | 2024 Value/Grants | Vesting | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual stock option | Options to purchase 27,200 shares at each AGM for continuing directors | 2024 grant fair value: $72,352 | Monthly over 12 months post‑AGM | |
| Initial stock option (for new directors) | One‑time 54,400 options upon joining | Not applicable (joined 2019) | 1/3 on first anniversary; remainder monthly to 3 years | |
| Outstanding options (12/31/2024) | 124,400 options | N/A | Standard 10‑year term; 9‑month post‑service exercise window |
Notes:
- Director equity is time‑based; no performance metrics apply to director awards .
- Options are granted at fair market value and vest subject to continued service; acceleration occurs upon change in control for outstanding director awards immediately prior to closing .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- OrbiMed affiliation: OrbiMed‑affiliated funds are significant RPTX shareholders (7.7%); Dr. Bonita is a member of OrbiMed Advisors and OrbiMed Capital. His beneficial ownership line (8.0%) aggregates OrbiMed positions and his exercisable options (see Equity Ownership) .
- Director commitments: Four other public boards in addition to RPTX; Board asserts he meets internal policy and is fully engaged (see Governance) .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Healthcare investment and capital markets expertise (OrbiMed, prior investment banking at Morgan Stanley and UBS) .
- Advanced education: Harvard (BA Biology), Columbia (MD/MBA) .
- Board believes his extensive investment and board experience qualifies him for service .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares/Derivatives | % of Shares Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entities affiliated with OrbiMed | 3,322,488 common shares | 7.7% | OPI VII: 3,177,041; BIOG: 49,257; OPM: 96,190 |
| David Bonita, M.D. (beneficial line) | 3,444,621 | 8.0% | Includes 122,133 options exercisable within 60 days, plus OrbiMed‑affiliated holdings attributed in footnote; address: 601 Lexington Ave, NY |
Alignment and Policies:
- Anti‑hedging and anti‑pledging: Company policy prohibits hedging, short selling, trading in derivatives, margin purchases, and pledging of company shares by directors .
- Stock ownership guidelines for directors: Not disclosed in the proxy.
Governance Assessment
Key findings
-
Strengths:
- Independent director, with explicit Board independence determination despite significant shareholder affiliation through OrbiMed .
- High engagement and attendance; explicitly “attended every meeting” across Board, Compensation, and Science & Technology committees for three years .
- Balanced director pay structure; majority at‑risk via equity options with standard vesting; overall 2024 total compensation of $119,060 (cash $46,708; equity grant FV $72,352) .
- Independent Board chair and fully independent committees with regular executive sessions; 7 Board meetings in 2024 .
-
Potential conflicts/watch items:
- OrbiMed affiliation and OrbiMed‑managed funds’ 7.7% ownership could present perceived conflicts in capital allocation, BD/M&A, or investor‑related decisions; the proxy discloses related‑party review policy and Board independence decision. Management states none of these relationships impair independence .
- Director commitments: Serves on four other public company boards; the Board reviewed overboarding risk and attests to his full participation and compliance with its guidelines (≤5 boards) .
-
Red flags observed:
- None disclosed regarding related‑party transactions since January 1, 2023; section covers indemnification and the related‑person transaction policy with no specific transactions listed .
- No hedging/pledging permitted under insider trading policy, reducing alignment risk .
- No option repricing, tax gross‑ups for directors, or low say‑on‑pay signal; 2024 say‑on‑pay for NEOs garnered >99.9% approval (context for governance climate) .
Implications for investors
- Governance quality appears solid with strong engagement and independence controls; however, investors should monitor decisions where OrbiMed’s shareholder role could intersect with Board deliberations, ensuring continued robust recusals and audit committee oversight under the related‑party policy .
- Attendance and committee workload indicate high availability despite multiple board seats, but overboarding sentiment at some institutions warrants ongoing monitoring, especially if additional outside roles are added .
Board Governance (Detail)
| Committee | Member | Chair? | 2024 Meetings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation | Yes | No | 7 |
| Science & Technology | Yes | No | 6 |
| Audit | No | — | 4 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | No | — | 5 |
Additional Board practices:
- Independent chair (Thomas Civik); separation of Chair and CEO roles enhances oversight .
- Executive sessions: non‑management directors met 7 times in 2024 .
Director Compensation (Detail)
| Metric (FY2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned in Cash ($) | $46,708 |
| Option Awards ($) (grant date FV) | $72,352 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | $0 |
| Total ($) | $119,060 |
| Options Outstanding at 12/31/2024 (#) | 124,400 |
Policies & Controls Relevant to Conflicts
- Related‑person transactions: Audit Committee oversight; formal policy specifying identification, review, and approval/ratification procedures, including recusal where appropriate .
- Code of Business Conduct and Ethics; Insider Trading Policy filed as exhibit to 2024 10‑K .
- Anti‑hedging/anti‑pledging: Comprehensive prohibitions applicable to directors .
Attendance & Engagement
- Board met 7 times in 2024; each director met the 75% attendance threshold .
- Specific to Dr. Bonita: “attended every meeting of the board, compensation committee and science & technology committee over the past three years,” indicating consistently high engagement .
Say‑on‑Pay & Shareholder Feedback (Context)
- Prior year say‑on‑pay (2024) approval exceeded 99.9%, signaling high investor support for compensation governance at RPTX .
Related‑Party Transactions
- No specific related‑person transactions disclosed for 2023–2024 beyond standard indemnification agreements; the policy framework is detailed, with Audit Committee oversight .
Committee Assignments, Chair Roles, Expertise
- Assignments: Compensation (member); Science & Technology (member). Not a chair .
- Expertise: Healthcare investing, capital markets, and biopharma board experience across multiple public companies .
Risk Indicators
- Legal/SEC investigations: None disclosed.
- Hedging/pledging: Prohibited by policy .
- Overboarding: Present but mitigated by Board’s guideline compliance and attendance record .
Overall, Dr. Bonita brings deep healthcare investing and board experience, strong attendance and engagement, and material ownership alignment via OrbiMed‑affiliated holdings; investors should monitor potential conflicts inherent in the OrbiMed affiliation and ongoing board load, though the company’s independence determinations and related‑party policy provide mitigating controls .