Robert Abel
About Robert Abel
Robert Abel, Ph.D., age 43, is Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Platform at Schrödinger (since January 2024). He has been with the company since 2009, progressing through senior scientific and leadership roles across modeling R&D and structure-based science; he holds a B.S. in Chemistry (University of Florida) and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics (Columbia University), and was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow and DHS Research Fellow, including work at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2005 . Company performance context during his recent tenure includes Total Shareholder Return of 60.43 in 2024 and 112.16 in 2023, with total revenue of $207,539k in 2024 and $216,666k in 2023, framing the incentive environment for executive pay outcomes .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schrödinger | EVP & Chief Scientific Officer, Platform | Jan 2024–present | Platform leadership; recognized for critical role in computational platform development |
| Schrödinger | Chief Computational Scientist; Head of Modeling R&D | Mar 2021–Jan 2024 | Led modeling R&D function |
| Schrödinger | EVP, Science | Jan 2020–Mar 2021 | Senior scientific leadership |
| Schrödinger | SVP, Science | Apr 2017–Dec 2019 | Advanced science leadership |
| Schrödinger | VP, Scientific Development | Jan 2014–Apr 2017 | Scientific development oversight |
| Schrödinger | Director, Structure-based Science | Jan 2011–Dec 2013 | Led structure-based science group |
| Schrödinger | Senior Principal Scientist & Product Manager | Jan 2010–Dec 2010 | Senior technical/product role |
| Schrödinger | Senior Scientist | Mar 2009–Dec 2009 | Scientific contributor |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Alamos National Laboratory | Research Fellow (DHS Fellowship) | May–Aug 2005 | Work under DHS Research Fellowship |
| National Science Foundation | Graduate Research Fellow | Graduate studies | NSF Graduate Research Fellow |
| Department of Homeland Security | Research Fellow | Graduate studies | DHS Research Fellow |
| University of Florida | B.S., Chemistry | — | Education |
| Columbia University | Ph.D., Chemical Physics | — | Education |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary ($) | Target Bonus % | Target Bonus ($) | Actual Bonus Paid ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 (current per employment agreement) | 500,000 | — | — | — | Current base per agreement |
| 2024 | 460,020 | 50% | 230,010 | 264,512 | Paid at 115% of target |
| 2023 | 410,000 | — | — | 147,600 | — |
| 2022 | 374,000 | — | — | 143,616 | — |
| Base Salary Change | 2023 Base ($) | 2024 Base ($) | Increase (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merit/market adjustment | 410,000 | 460,020 | 12.2% |
Performance Compensation
Annual Incentive (2024)
| Metric Category | Weighting at Target | Assessment (% Achieved) | Payout Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial & Operational goals (incl. software revenue growth vs 2023; op-ex reduction; drug discovery revenue) | 58% | 60% | Contributed to 115% overall payout |
| Drug discovery & development goals (proprietary programs, clinical progress, external initiatives) | 42% | 55% | Contributed to 115% overall payout |
| Overall corporate achievement | — | — | 115% of target for all NEOs, including Abel |
PRSUs (2024 Grants)
| Grant Date | Metric | Weighting | Payout Curve | Measurement Period | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2024 | Software performance | Evenly weighted across three metrics | Threshold 50%; Target 100%; Max 150% | Ends Dec 31, 2025 | Following filing of FY2026 Form 10‑K, subject to certification |
| Mar 4, 2024 | Schrödinger therapeutics group performance | Evenly weighted across three metrics | Linear interpolation between thresholds; subject to specified exceptions | Ends Dec 31, 2025 | Post FY2026 10‑K certification |
| Mar 4, 2024 | Operating performance | Evenly weighted across three metrics | Linear interpolation (software/operating metrics) | Ends Dec 31, 2025 | Post FY2026 10‑K certification |
| Abel 2024 Equity Awards | Options (#) | PRSUs Target (#) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 4, 2024 | 60,000 at $25.24 | 10,000 target (5,000 threshold; 15,000 max) | Options: 25% vested Mar 4, 2025; monthly to Mar 4, 2028 |
| Mar 21, 2024 | 30,000 at $27.51 | 5,000 target (2,500 threshold; 7,500 max) | Same monthly vest cadence through Mar 2028 |
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (Apr 1, 2025) | 307,460 common shares (includes 304,618 options exercisable within 60 days + 2,842 shares held) |
| Ownership % of common | Less than 1% (“*”) |
| Shares pledged as collateral | None disclosed for Abel (pledge disclosed for another insider; Abel’s footnote shows shares/options only) |
| RSUs unvested (12/31/2024) | 7,909 RSUs; market value $152,565 |
| PRSUs outstanding (2024 awards) | Target 10,000 (Mar 4) + 5,000 (Mar 21); threshold shown in tables; measurement ongoing; not yet certified |
| 2024 vesting activity | 2,636 shares vested from stock awards; $71,699 value; no option exercises |
| Stock ownership guidelines | EVP requirement: 2.0x base salary; measured annually (June 30) |
| Compliance status | As of Apr 21, 2025, all executives except Porges and Dugan meet ownership guidelines; Abel meets |
| Hedging/pledging policy context | Hedging prohibited; pledged shares excluded from guideline calculations |
Notable Outstanding Equity Awards (as of 12/31/2024)
| Type | Shares Exercisable | Shares Unexercisable | Exercise Price ($) | Expiration | Vesting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock option | 11,148 | — | 4.34 | 11/29/2028 | Fully vested |
| Stock option | 94,756 | — | 17.00 | 2/5/2030 | Fully vested |
| Stock option | 76,666 | 3,334 | 102.48 | 2/27/2031 | 25% vested 2/27/2022; monthly to 2/27/2025 |
| Stock option | 49,583 | 20,417 | 27.76 | 2/9/2032 | 25% vested 2/9/2023; monthly to 2/9/2026 |
| Stock option | 28,998 | 34,272 | 23.29 | 2/9/2033 | 25% vested 2/9/2024; monthly to 2/9/2027 |
| Stock option | — | 60,000 | 25.24 | 3/4/2034 | 25% vested 3/4/2025; monthly to 3/4/2028 |
| Stock option | — | 30,000 | 27.51 | 3/21/2034 | Monthly vest as above |
Employment Terms
| Item | Key Terms |
|---|---|
| Employment agreement | Dated March 9, 2009; at-will; terminable by either party anytime with 30 days’ notice |
| Immediate termination without 30 days’ notice | Continued payment of then-current base salary and continued benefit coverage for 30 days |
| Current base salary per agreement | $500,000 |
| Severance (no CIC; termination without cause) | 9 months base salary + COBRA up to 12 months + discretionary unpaid annual bonus for completed period |
| Severance (within 12 months post-CIC; good reason or without cause) | Lump sum 100% of base salary + 100% of target bonus + COBRA up to 12 months + unpaid earned bonus; accelerates time-based unvested equity |
| 280G/4999 treatment | Best-net approach (full or cut-back for highest after-tax) |
| Conditions | Release of claims; compliance with proprietary info, non-compete, non-solicit agreements |
| Clawback policy | Adopted Oct 2, 2023; recovery of erroneously awarded incentive-based comp per Nasdaq Rule 5608; up to 100% of non-salary comp in cases of intentional misconduct/fraud |
| Program guardrails | No hedging; no tax gross-ups on change-of-control; double-trigger on CIC; no option repricing without shareholder approval; no perquisites |
Potential Payments (Hypothetical; Dec 31, 2024 assumptions)
| Scenario | Severance ($) | Bonus ($) | COBRA ($) | Market Value of Stock Vesting ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CIC without termination | — | — | — | — | — |
| Good reason resignation or termination without cause within 12 months post-CIC | 460,020 | 230,010 | 19,048 | 152,565 | 861,643 |
| Termination without cause prior to or >12 months post-CIC | 345,015 | — | 19,048 | — | 364,063 |
Multi‑Year Compensation (Summary Compensation Table)
| Year | Salary ($) | Bonus ($) | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Non‑Equity Incentive ($) | All Other ($) | Total ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 460,020 | — | — | 1,395,052 | 264,512 | 12,307 | 2,131,891 |
| 2023 | 410,000 | — | 245,593 | 882,663 | 147,600 | 11,848 | 1,697,704 |
| 2022 | 374,000 | — | — | 936,813 | 143,616 | 10,751 | 1,465,180 |
Investment Implications
- Compensation alignment: Abel’s cash incentive payout was formulaic (115% of target) based on corporate scorecards, with PRSUs tied to software, therapeutics, and operating metrics through 2025 and vesting post‑FY2026, reinforcing multi‑year execution alignment .
- Retention and selling pressure: Significant time‑based option tranches vest monthly through 2028 with 25% cliffs already vesting in March 2025; RSUs vest annually and PRSUs are performance‑contingent, moderating near‑term selling pressure (no 2024 option exercises; modest RSU vesting) .
- Ownership and governance: Abel meets 2x salary ownership guidelines; no pledging disclosed; hedging prohibited; double‑trigger CIC and a robust clawback policy reduce governance risk and support shareholder alignment .
- Execution signal: The compensation committee increased Abel’s 2024 equity awards (additional options and PRSUs) citing his critical role in the computational platform—an affirmative signal on his strategic importance to software/platform performance that drives value creation .