Annalisa Jenkins
About Annalisa Jenkins
Annalisa Jenkins, MBBS, FRCP, is an independent director of Skye Bioscience, appointed on February 29, 2024; she serves as Audit Committee Chair and has been designated the Board’s “audit committee financial expert,” reflecting deep financial and biopharma operating experience . She is 59 years old, trained in cardiovascular medicine after graduating from St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, University of London, and previously served nine years as a Medical Officer in the British Royal Navy, attaining the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant Commander . Her tenure on SKYE’s board began in 2024, following senior executive roles at Merck Serono and Bristol‑Myers Squibb, and CEO roles at Dimension Therapeutics and PlaqueTec .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PlaqueTec Ltd. | Chief Executive Officer | Nov 2017 – Apr 2019 | Led development strategy in coronary artery disease |
| Dimension Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: DMTX) | Chief Executive Officer & Director | Sep 2014 – Nov 2017 (sold to Ultragenyx) | Led gene therapy program and sale to Ultragenyx (Nasdaq: RARE) |
| Merck Serono Pharmaceuticals | EVP, Head of Global R&D; EVP, Global Development & Medical | Oct 2013 – Mar 2014; Sep 2011 – Oct 2013 | Member of executive committee; oversaw global development |
| Bristol‑Myers Squibb Company | Senior Vice President, Head Global Medical Affairs | Jul 2009 – Jun 2011 | Global medical affairs leadership |
| British Royal Navy | Medical Officer (Surgeon Lieutenant Commander) | 9 years; Gulf Conflict service | Military medical leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affimed GmbH (Nasdaq: AFMD) | Director | Current | Biotech; hematology/oncology |
| Mereo BioPharma Group plc (Nasdaq: MREO) | Director | Current | Biopharma |
| Compass Pathways PLC (Nasdaq: CMPS) | Director | Current | Mental health therapeutics |
| Genomics England | Non-executive director | Current | National genomics program |
| Ardelyx, Inc. (Nasdaq: ARDX) | Director | Prior (past 5 yrs) | Prior public board |
| AgeX Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: AGE) | Director | Prior (past 5 yrs) | Prior public board |
| Avrobio, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVRO) | Director | Prior (past 5 yrs) | Prior public board |
| Oncimmune Holdings plc (LSE: ONC) | Director | Prior (past 5 yrs) | Prior public board |
| Multiple private life sciences boards/fund platforms | Director | Current | Four privately listed European fund platforms investing in life sciences |
Board Governance
- Committees and roles: Audit Committee Chair and “financial expert” (members: Jenkins, Smith, Grayson; all independent per SEC/Nasdaq); Compensation Committee member (Chair: Smith; members: Jenkins, Grayson; all independent); Jenkins was initially appointed to Nominating & Corporate Governance and Compensation Committees upon joining the Board .
- Meetings and attendance: Board met 7 times in 2024; Audit Committee met 5 times; Compensation Committee met 5 times; each director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings during 2024 .
- Risk oversight: Audit oversees financial, liquidity, internal controls and cybersecurity; Compensation reviews risk in pay programs; Nominating & Corporate Governance manages independence, disclosure, and conflicts .
- Director election support (2025 Annual Meeting): Jenkins received 19,597,696 “For” vs 266,498 “Withhold” votes; broker non-votes 5,608,698—indicating strong shareholder support .
| 2025 Director Election (SKYE) | For | Withhold | Broker Non-Votes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annalisa Jenkins | 19,597,696 | 266,498 | 5,608,698 |
Fixed Compensation
- Program (as of Oct 2024 changes): Annual Board cash retainer $50,000 (raised from $40,000); Chair of Board (if non-employee) $50,000; Audit Chair $20,000; Audit Member $10,000; Compensation Chair $15,000 (raised from $10,000); Compensation Member $7,500 (raised from $3,500); Nominating & Corporate Governance Chair $10,000 (raised from $5,000); Nominating & Corporate Governance Member $5,000 (raised from $2,500); chairs do not receive additional member fees .
| Cash Fee Component | Amount (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Board member retainer | $50,000 | Increased Oct 2024 from $40,000 |
| Board chair (non-employee) | $50,000 | If applicable |
| Audit Committee chair | $20,000 | Chair only |
| Audit Committee member | $10,000 | Non-chair members |
| Compensation Committee chair | $15,000 | Increased Oct 2024 from $10,000 |
| Compensation Committee member | $7,500 | Increased Oct 2024 from $3,500 |
| Nominating & Governance chair | $10,000 | Increased Oct 2024 from $5,000 |
| Nominating & Governance member | $5,000 | Increased Oct 2024 from $2,500 |
- Jenkins actual 2024 cash fees: $50,427 .
| Director | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Annalisa Jenkins | $50,427 | 2024 |
Performance Compensation
- Equity program: Initial option award of 40,000 options vesting in 12 equal monthly installments; annual option award of 35,000 options vesting monthly; Oct 2024 retention option award of 70,000 options vesting monthly over one year; all options have exercise price at grant-date fair market value and up to 10-year term; director equity accelerates fully upon Change in Control .
- Jenkins actual 2024 option award grant-date fair value: $699,316; no stock awards or other equity; options outstanding (as of Dec 31, 2024): 110,000 .
| Director | Stock Awards ($) | Option Awards ($) | Options Outstanding (12/31/24) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annalisa Jenkins | — | $699,316 | 110,000 |
Performance metrics (director awards):
| Metric/Condition | Applies to Jenkins? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Performance-based vesting (e.g., revenue/EBITDA/TSR) | No | Director awards are time-based monthly vesting; no performance metrics disclosed for Jenkins |
| Change-in-control acceleration | Yes | Full acceleration of outstanding director equity immediately prior to consummation of a Change in Control |
| Option strike price/term | Yes | Exercise price equals fair market value on grant date; maximum term 10 years |
| Initial equity on appointment | Yes | 40,000 options vesting in 12 equal monthly installments |
| Annual director option grant | Yes | 35,000 options vesting in 12 equal monthly installments |
| Retention equity grant (Oct 2024) | Yes | 70,000 options vesting monthly over one year |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public boards: Affimed (AFMD), Mereo BioPharma (MREO), Compass Pathways (CMPS); non-executive director at Genomics England .
- Recent public boards (last 5 years): Ardelyx (ARDX), AgeX Therapeutics (AGE), Avrobio (AVRO), Oncimmune Holdings (ONC) .
- Related-party transactions: Upon appointment, Jenkins was not party to any transaction requiring disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S‑K; no appointment arrangements or understandings were disclosed .
| Company | Ticker/Exchange | Role | Interlock/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affimed GmbH | Nasdaq: AFMD | Director | None disclosed with SKYE |
| Mereo BioPharma Group plc | Nasdaq: MREO | Director | None disclosed with SKYE |
| Compass Pathways PLC | Nasdaq: CMPS | Director | None disclosed with SKYE |
| Genomics England | — | Non-executive director | Public sector genomics |
| Ardelyx, AgeX, Avrobio, Oncimmune | Various | Prior Director | Past 5 years |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit committee financial expert designation per SEC rules; financial sophistication per Nasdaq .
- Extensive biopharma R&D and global development leadership across Merck Serono and BMS; CEO experience in gene therapy and cardiovascular biotech .
- Medical training and Royal Navy service demonstrate clinical and leadership credentials .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annalisa Jenkins | 89,583 | <1% | Includes options exercisable or becoming exercisable within 60 days of April 18, 2025 |
Additional detail:
- Exercisable within 60 days: 89,583 options (beneficial ownership reflects options) .
- Options outstanding at 12/31/24: 110,000 .
- Pledging/hedging: Policy topics are referenced in the proxy; no pledging by Jenkins disclosed in provided sections .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Serves as Audit Committee Chair and SEC-designated financial expert; committees comprised of independent directors; strong shareholder support in 2025 election (19.6M “For” vs 0.27M “Withhold”) . Board and committee engagement met minimum thresholds (≥75% attendance), with active committee work (Audit and Compensation each met 5 times in 2024) .
- Alignment: Director pay tilts to equity via options (initial, annual, and retention awards), creating upside alignment; beneficial ownership includes exercisable options, though absolute ownership percentage is <1% .
- Conflicts: No related-party transactions for Jenkins disclosed; initial appointment carried standard indemnification agreement; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee oversees conflict risk .
- Risk considerations: Change-in-control acceleration of director equity is shareholder-sensitive; broadened external board commitments may raise time-commitment risk but also enhance industry network and oversight expertise .
RED FLAGS: None identified in disclosures for Jenkins—no related-party transactions, no pledging, and independent committee service .