Gerhard F. Burbach
About Gerhard F. Burbach
Gerhard F. Burbach (age 63) was appointed as an independent Class II director of Sight Sciences (SGHT) on April 21, 2025; he brings 30+ years of medtech leadership, including prior service as President and CEO of Thoratec and current public board experience at BWX Technologies (Compensation Committee Chair). He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thoratec Corporation | President, CEO, Director | 2006–2014 | Led proprietary circulatory support device company; company later acquired by St. Jude Medical (now Abbott) . |
| Digirad Corporation | Executive leadership roles | Pre-2006 | Executive roles prior to Thoratec tenure . |
| Philips Medical Systems | Executive leadership roles | Pre-2006 | Executive roles prior to Thoratec tenure . |
| ADAC Laboratories | Executive leadership roles | Pre-2006 | Executive roles prior to Thoratec tenure . |
| McKinsey & Company | Consultant (healthcare practice) | 6 years | Focused primarily on healthcare; strategy/operations exposure . |
External Roles
| Company/Organization | Status | Role | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BWX Technologies (NYSE: BWXT) | Public (current) | Director | Chair, Compensation Committee . |
| Procyrion Inc. | Private (current) | Chairman | Medical device company (chronic heart failure) . |
| Standard Bio Tools (Fluidigm) (Nasdaq: LAB) | Public (prior) | Director | Board service 2013–2023 . |
| Artelon, Inc. | Private (prior) | Director | Board service 2020–2024 . |
| Vascular Dynamics, Inc. | Private (prior) | Director | Board service 2017–2024 . |
Board Governance
- Independence: The board determined Burbach is independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Class/Term: Class II director; Class II terms expire at the 2026 annual meeting .
- Committee assignments: None at appointment; the board expects to adjust committee membership to reflect his addition .
- Executive sessions: Independent directors meet regularly in executive session, chaired by the independent Board Chair .
- Attendance baseline: In 2024 (before Burbach joined), the board held six meetings and each then-serving director attended at least 75% of board and committee meetings; Burbach was not on the board in 2024 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Detail |
|---|---|
| Annual cash retainer | $45,000 for non-employee directors (paid quarterly; pro-rated as applicable) . |
| Board chair retainer | $40,000 for non-executive chair . |
| Committee chair fees | Audit $20,000; Compensation $15,000; Nominating & Governance $10,000; Commercial Strategy $12,000 . |
| Committee member fees (non-chair) | Audit $10,000; Compensation $7,500; Nominating & Governance $5,000; Commercial Strategy $6,000 . |
| Initial equity grant | RSUs valued at $240,000 upon initial election/appointment; vests in three equal annual installments . |
| Annual equity grant | RSUs valued at $130,000 at each annual meeting (if ≥6 months service); vests by next annual meeting or first anniversary, whichever earlier . |
| Change in control | All unvested director RSUs vest in full upon a change in control . |
Performance Compensation
- Non-employee directors at SGHT do not receive performance-based cash bonuses; director equity consists of time-vested RSUs (no performance conditions). Vesting schedules and grant mechanics are shown below .
| Equity Element | Grant Value | Vesting | Performance Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial RSU grant | $240,000 | Three equal annual installments | None (time-based) . |
| Annual RSU grant | $130,000 | Single installment on earlier of next annual meeting or first anniversary | None (time-based) . |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public directorships: BWX Technologies (Compensation Committee Chair) .
- Private board leadership: Chairman, Procyrion Inc. .
- Interlocks with SGHT ecosystem: No interlocks with SGHT’s disclosed directors or named executive officers are evident from the proxy disclosures reviewed .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Medtech operating track record: Former CEO of Thoratec; executive roles at Philips Medical Systems, ADAC, and Digirad .
- Strategy and governance: Six years at McKinsey (healthcare focus); Compensation Committee Chair experience at BWXT .
- Education: B.S. Industrial Engineering (Stanford); M.B.A. (Harvard) .
- Board skills matrix: SGHT’s skills matrix indicates a high proportion of independent directors with public board and executive leadership experience; Burbach is counted among independent directors with public company leadership and risk/financial oversight skills .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gerhard F. Burbach | 20,000 | <1% | As of April 9, 2025; appointment noted April 21, 2025 . |
- Ownership alignment policies:
- Stock ownership guideline for directors: 5x annual cash retainer; up to 5 years to comply .
- Anti-hedging/anti-pledging: Hedging and pledging of company securities prohibited (except certain pre-IPO pledges) .
Governance Assessment
-
Positives
- Independent director with deep medtech operating experience and governance expertise (Comp Committee Chair at BWXT), supporting board effectiveness and compensation oversight rigor .
- Strong alignment policies (director ownership guidelines; anti-hedging/pledging; independent chair structure; regular executive sessions) bolster investor confidence .
- Initial SGHT equity holdings plus standard pro-rated director pay structure align with shareholder value, without performance-inappropriate incentives for directors .
-
Watch items
- Committee seat pending: As of the 2025 proxy, Burbach had not yet been assigned to SGHT committees; investors should monitor committee placement for optimal skill-to-committee alignment (e.g., Compensation or Audit) .
- Time commitments: Multiple board roles (BWXT, Procyrion; prior multi-board experience) merit routine evaluation for overboarding concerns, though no specific issues are disclosed by SGHT .
-
Conflicts/related-party exposure
- SGHT discloses a formal Related Person Transaction Policy overseen by the Audit Committee; the reviewed proxy sections do not identify any related-person transactions involving Burbach .
-
Attendance/engagement
- 2024 attendance rates were strong across then-serving directors; Burbach joined in April 2025, so his personal attendance will be assessable in future proxies .
RED FLAGS: None disclosed regarding pledging, hedging, related-party transactions, option repricing, or legal proceedings pertaining to Burbach in the materials reviewed .