Peter Barrett
About Peter Barrett
Peter Barrett, Ph.D. is 73 and serves as Chairman of the Board at Synlogic (SYBX). He has been Chairman since Synlogic’s merger closing on August 28, 2017, and previously chaired the private Synlogic board since March 2014. Barrett is independent under Nasdaq rules, a partner at Atlas Venture, and currently serves on the boards of Revvity and Obsidian Therapeutics. He holds a B.S. in chemistry (UMass Lowell), a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry (Northeastern University), and completed Harvard Business School’s Management Development Program .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celera Genomics | Co-founder, EVP & Chief Business Officer | Not disclosed | Led strategic alliances, acquisitions, business strategy; helped launch as public company in 1999 |
| Applera | Vice President, Corporate Planning & Business Development | Not disclosed | Ran several businesses; expanded life science via licensing, partnerships, acquisitions |
| Atlas Venture | Partner | Not disclosed | Involved in creation of therapeutic and platform companies |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revvity | Director | Not disclosed | Current public company directorship |
| Obsidian Therapeutics | Director | Not disclosed | Current company directorship |
Board Governance
- Board structure: 4 directors across three classes; Barrett’s term ends at the 2027 annual meeting .
- Independence: Barrett is independent under Nasdaq standards; Board separates Chairman and Principal Executive Officer roles, with an independent outside director as Chair .
- Committees:
- Audit Committee: Member; committee met 4 times in 2024; all members independent; Audit Committee report lists members Richard P. Shea (Chairman), Peter Barrett, and James Flynn .
- Nominating & Governance Committee: Chairman; committee met once in 2024; both members independent .
- Attendance: In 2024 the Board met 29 times; all directors attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings; the annual meeting was held December 4, 2024, and one director attended .
- Policies:
- Insider Trading Policy: Prohibits short sales, margin or other loans secured by company securities, hedging (straddles/collars), and trading in publicly traded options; includes blackouts and preclearance requirements .
- Clawback: Adopted September 20, 2023; recovers excess incentive compensation from covered officers after required restatements .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Component | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $81,500 | Under Non-Employee Director Compensation Policy; Barrett elected to receive 2024 compensation as a stock grant; 56,044 options outstanding at 12/31/2024 |
| 2025 (Amended Policy, effective April 26, 2025) | Annual Equity Grant | 15,000 restricted shares | Vests on December 15 of grant year; no cash compensation for non-employee directors; 100% acceleration upon Change in Control |
Performance Compensation
| Award Type | Grant/Terms | Vesting | Performance Metrics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted Stock (Directors, 2025 Policy) | 15,000 shares annually on grant date set by Board | Vests on December 15 of grant year; dividends not paid before vesting; acceleration to 100% upon Change in Control | None disclosed for director awards; plan prohibits paying dividends before vesting |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Person/Entity | Relationship | Potential Interlock/Exposure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Barrett (Atlas Venture) | Partner | Atlas Venture Fund IX holds 176,798 SYBX shares; Barrett disclaims Section 16 beneficial ownership except to extent of pecuniary interest | Highlights venture investor representation on Board; independence affirmed by Board |
| Edward Mathers (NEA) | Director; NEA partner | NEA 14 is a 24.98% holder; separate VC representation on Board (Mathers), not directly tied to Barrett; underscores investor presence | NEA holding per Schedule 13D; Mathers is independent director |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Life sciences leadership and company creation experience; executive and managerial background across multiple start-ups and platforms .
- Strategic alliances, M&A, and public company launch experience at Celera Genomics; business development leadership at Applera .
- Academic credentials: Ph.D. in analytical chemistry; management training at HBS .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Owned | Type/Detail | % Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peter Barrett, Ph.D. | 232,842 | 176,798 shares owned by Atlas Venture Fund IX; 56,044 shares via options exercisable within 60 days of Oct 31, 2025; Barrett disclaims Section 16 beneficial ownership of Atlas IX except to extent of pecuniary interest | 1.98% (based on 11,698,919 shares outstanding) |
- Options outstanding (director disclosure): Barrett had 56,044 option awards outstanding at December 31, 2024 .
- Hedging/pledging: Company policy prohibits short-term speculative transactions, margin/loans, and option transactions; aligns director behavior with long-term shareholder interests .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths:
- Independent Chairman with deep life sciences and transaction experience; clear separation of Chair and PEO roles .
- Active committee leadership: Audit Committee member; Chair of Nominating & Governance; committee independence affirmed .
- Shift to equity-only director compensation in 2025 (15,000 RS per year, vesting within year), reducing cash outlay and heightening alignment; no dividends pre-vesting; anti-repricing provisions in new plan .
- Robust insider trading and clawback policies .
- Watch items / potential conflicts:
- Venture fund affiliation: Atlas Venture Fund IX is a shareholder; Barrett (Atlas partner) disclaims beneficial ownership except to pecuniary interest—investor representation on the Board warrants continued related-party oversight via Audit Committee .
- Change-in-control acceleration for director equity may be viewed as shareholder-unfriendly by some investors; ensure alignment through disclosure and limited grant sizes (annual director cap) .
- Attendance: While all directors met the 75% threshold, only one director attended the 2024 annual meeting—monitor engagement optics around shareholder-facing events .