Samuel Rubinstein
About Samuel Rubinstein
Shmuel (Samuel) Rubinstein (age 86) is an independent director of STRATA Skin Sciences (SSKN), serving on the Board since May 2018. He brings decades of operating leadership in pharmaceuticals and medical devices, including 20+ years as CEO/GM of Taro Pharmaceuticals, where he oversaw its sale to Sun Pharma; he also completed an International Marketing course at Wharton. We believe the company cites his qualifications as deep industry and transaction experience relevant to dermatology and life sciences.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taro Pharmaceuticals Industries | CEO & General Manager | 20+ years (dates not specified) | Oversaw successful acquisition by Sun Pharma |
| Exalenz (acquired by VIVO) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service prior to sale |
| Kamada (KMDA) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Clal Biotechnology Industries (CBI) | Director (prior) | Not disclosed | Board service |
| Sol-Gel Pharma | Consultant | Not disclosed | Advisory role |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Public/Private | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediwound Ltd. | Director | Not disclosed | Current public company directorship listed by SSKN |
| Medison Biotech | Director | Not disclosed | Current board role |
| Trima Pharma | Chairman | Not disclosed | Current chair role |
| KSDG | Director | Not disclosed | Current board role |
| Medical Research Fund near Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center | Director | Not disclosed | Non-profit/academic affiliation |
| The National Authority for Yiddish Culture | Director | Not disclosed | Non-profit/cultural affiliation |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Rubinstein is independent under NASDAQ listing standards.
- Committee assignments:
- Compensation/Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee: Chair (Rubinstein serves as Chair; committee also oversees director compensation, succession planning, governance principles, cybersecurity programs).
- Audit Committee: Member (Audit Chair and “financial expert” is Christina Allgeier; all members, including Rubinstein, meet NASDAQ/SEC independence and financial expertise requirements).
- Board and committee activity/attendance:
- Board met 12 times; Audit Committee met 7 times; Compensation/Nominating & Governance met 4 times during the last fiscal year. All directors attended at least 75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings during their service.
| Committee | Role | Key Oversight Areas | Meeting Activity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compensation/Nominating & Corporate Governance | Chair | Executive and director pay; equity plan admin; director nominations and assignments; CEO/exec succession; governance principles; independence monitoring; cybersecurity oversight; director education | 4 meetings; ≥75% attendance for all directors |
| Audit | Member | External auditor appointment/oversight; financial reporting and internal controls; related-person transactions approval; complaint procedures; annual proxy audit report | 7 meetings; ≥75% attendance for all directors |
Fixed Compensation
| Director | Year (per latest proxy) | Fees Earned (Cash) | Stock Awards | All Other Comp | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Rubinstein | Most recent fiscal year | $59,937 | $0 | — | $59,937 |
- The proxy does not itemize annual retainer vs. committee chair/membership fees; Rubinstein received cash fees and no equity award in the most recent year.
Performance Compensation
| Item | Disclosure |
|---|---|
| Performance-based director compensation metrics (TSR, revenue/EBITDA goals, etc.) | None disclosed for directors; no stock awards to Rubinstein for the most recent year. |
| Equity plan provisions affecting directors | Company’s omnibus plan includes change-in-control acceleration (options/RSUs/performance awards) and clawback/repayment provisions (Board/committee policy and applicable law). |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company/Entity | Role | Potential Interlock Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Mediwound Ltd.; Medison Biotech; Trima Pharma (Chairman); KSDG | Director/Chair | Additional life science board roles increase network breadth; the SSKN Audit Committee must pre-approve any related-person transactions; no specific transactions involving Rubinstein are disclosed in the reviewed proxy sections. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- 20+ years leading Taro Pharmaceuticals; recipient of the 2003 Exceptional Industrialist award.
- M&A leadership: Oversaw Taro’s acquisition by Sun Pharma.
- Education: International Marketing course at Wharton (University of Pennsylvania).
- Governance/board experience: Current and prior board roles across pharma/biotech and medical research/cultural organizations.
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % of Outstanding | Footnote/Composition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Rubinstein | 19,860 | <1% | Includes vested RSUs and common stock options (per footnote 8). |
- Ownership table as of March 31, 2025; percentage based on 4,171,161 shares outstanding.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent director with substantial operating and transaction experience in life sciences; chairs the Compensation/Nominating & Governance Committee and serves on Audit, signaling board trust in his oversight of pay, nominations, governance, and financial reporting.
- Board and committee cadence is active; all directors met ≥75% attendance threshold.
- Equity plan includes clawback and change-in-control protections, aligning with governance best practices.
- Watch items / potential investor signals:
- Alignment: Rubinstein held 19,860 shares (<1%); given no director equity grant in the most recent year, ownership alignment appears modest relative to typical director stock ownership guidelines (SSKN’s specific guideline or compliance status was not disclosed in reviewed sections).
- Workload/refreshment: Multiple external directorships plus chair duties may raise time-commitment considerations; age 86 underscores succession and board refresh planning importance (note: SSKN’s committee oversees director education and succession policies).
- Related-party oversight: Audit Committee retains explicit authority over related-person transactions; no specific transactions involving Rubinstein were identified in the reviewed proxy sections. Continued monitoring is appropriate.
No say-on-pay results, hedging/pledging policy, or director ownership guideline details specific to Rubinstein were identified in the reviewed proxy excerpts. Further review of the full proxy and prior years’ proxies may provide additional trend context.