Alexander Vos
About Alexander Vos
Independent Class III director at Alpha Teknova (age 62), serving since June 2021; current term expires at the 2027 annual meeting . Chair of the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee and member of the Audit Committee . Background spans CEO and operating roles across cell/gene therapy, biotech manufacturing, and pharma services; education includes a master’s in Pharmacology (University of Amsterdam) and an MBA (Stanford Graduate School of Business) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| VectorY Therapeutics BV | Chief Executive Officer | May 2021 – Nov 2022 | Led developer of novel gene therapies |
| VarmX BV | Chief Executive Officer | Oct 2018 – May 2021 | Manufacturer of therapeutic proteins |
| Symeres BV (formerly Mercachem-Syncom) | Chairman of the Board | Sept 2018 – May 2021 | Oversaw CRO offering innovative chemistry solutions |
| PharmaCell B.V. (acquired by Lonza AG) | Chief Executive Officer | Nov 2009 – Dec 2017 | European CMO focused on cell and gene therapy |
| PAION AG (Frankfurt: PA8) | Deputy-CEO & COO | 2004 – 2009 | Hospital-based sedation/anesthesia/critical care drugs |
| MediService AG | Chief Executive Officer | 2000 – 2004 | Specialty pharmacy services, sold to Galenica AG |
| Genzyme Europe B.V. | Executive roles | 1994 – 1999 | Biotech manufacturing/development |
| McKinsey & Company | Pharmaceutical Practice | 1989 – 1994 | Strategy/operations consulting in pharma |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| CiMaas BV | Supervisory Board Member | Sept 2018 – present | Cellular immunotherapy in oncology |
| Innocore Pharmaceuticals | Chairman of the Board | Current | Polymer-based sustained release for biologics |
| Scenic Biotech BV | Chairman of the Board | Current | Platform for genetic disease modifiers |
| Roslin Cell Therapy | Board Member | Current | Cell and gene therapy CDMO |
| Alliance for Regenerative Medicine | Board Member | Oct 2015 – May 2018 | Global advocate for advanced therapies |
Board Governance
- Independence: Determined independent under SEC and Nasdaq rules .
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (chair: M. Demski) ; Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair .
- Board structure: Controlled company under Nasdaq rules due to THP majority control; Teknova utilizes certain controlled company exemptions (nominating and compensation committees not entirely independent) .
- Attendance: Board held 9 meetings in FY2024; each director attended at least 75% of combined board and served-committee meetings . Audit Committee held 5 meetings; Nominating & Corporate Governance held 4; Compensation held 10 .
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer | $40,000 |
| Audit Committee member fee | $10,000 |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee chair fee | $10,000 |
| Total cash fees earned | $60,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Type | Grant/Outstanding | Vesting | 2024 Accounting Value (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU grant | 20,000 shares outstanding as of 12/31/2024 | Annual RSUs vest in full on first anniversary of grant | $25,800 (grant-date fair value) |
| Stock options | 44,251 options outstanding as of 12/31/2024 | Initial director options: one‑third vests at 1‑year, remainder monthly over 24 months | $0 option value recognized for 2024 (— in table) |
| Total director compensation | Cash $60,000; Equity $25,800; Total $85,800 | — | — |
Notes: Director equity awards are time-based; no performance (PSU/TSR) metrics are disclosed for director compensation. RSU grant sizing for 2024 was a fixed 20,000 shares per independent director; option grant sizing for new directors uses a 0.20% of shares outstanding formula (Black-Scholes conversion) per policy .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Teknova board interlocks | Several non-independent directors affiliated with Telegraph Hill Partners (Grossman, Herzick, Mackowski) sit on the board; Vos is independent and chairs Nominating |
| Controlled company status | THP controls a majority of common stock; Teknova uses Nasdaq controlled company exemptions (committees not fully independent) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep operating and CEO experience in cell/gene therapy, pharma services, and biotech manufacturing (PharmaCell, PAION, MediService, Genzyme) .
- Academic credentials: master’s in Pharmacology (University of Amsterdam) and MBA (Stanford GSB) .
- Governance and industry roles: multiple chairmanships and supervisory board experience in biotech and advanced therapies .
Equity Ownership
| Category | Shares | Percent of Outstanding |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (common stock) | 72,423 | <1% |
| Options outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) | 44,251 | — |
| RSUs outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) | 20,000 | — |
- Hedging/pledging: Company insider trading policy prohibits short sales, options, hedging transactions, margin accounts, and pledging of Teknova securities by directors and employees .
- Section 16 compliance: Company reports timely filings for FY2024, except one director (Robertson) voluntary late report unrelated to Vos .
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent director with chair role on Nominating & Corporate Governance; brings significant life sciences operating breadth .
- Active Audit Committee member; board identifies all audit members as financial experts; audit oversight engagement documented .
- Director compensation modest and primarily time-based equity, aligning with shareholder interests without aggressive guarantees .
-
Risks/RED FLAGS:
- Controlled company exemptions: Nominating & Corporate Governance and Compensation Committees are not composed entirely of independent directors; potential influence from controlling stockholder (THP) .
- Auditor transition in 2024 (EY to Grant Thornton) following prior going-concern explanatory paragraph and remediation of a material weakness (remediated subsequently), indicating heightened audit oversight needs; Audit Committee reports engagement, but investors may scrutinize governance rigor .
- Related-party activity exists at the company level (capital raises involving controlling holder and certain executives; historical lease with entity controlled by directors’ family), though no transactions disclosed involving Vos specifically .
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Independence and attendance:
- Vos is independent and met at least the 75% attendance threshold for Board and committees served in FY2024 .
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Ownership alignment:
- Beneficial ownership is <1%; equity alignment via outstanding RSUs and options; company policy bans hedging/pledging, supporting alignment .