Robert More
About Robert More
Robert More (age 57) is Chairman of the Board at Tyra Biosciences, serving since March 2019 and a director since November 2018. He is an independent director under Nasdaq rules with deep venture capital and governance expertise, holding a B.S. in Biology from Middlebury College and an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business . Tyra separates the CEO and Chairman roles; More leads the Board while the CEO runs operations .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alta Partners | Managing Director | Nov 2016–present | Venture leadership in life sciences |
| Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | Senior Advisor; led Global Health Venture Initiative | Jul 2013–May 2015 | Strategic venture initiatives in global health |
| Frazier Healthcare Ventures | General Partner | Sep 2008–Jun 2013 | VC leadership |
| Domain Associates | General Partner | Jun 1996–Jul 2008 | VC leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (public) | Director | Current | Audit Committee member; Chair of Compensation Committee |
| Amplitude Therapeutics (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| eGenesis Bio (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| Kelonia Therapeutics (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| MBrace Therapeutics (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| SciThera (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| Variant Bio, Inc. (private) | Director | Current | Board oversight |
| Kauffman Fellows Program | Founding Board Member (prior) | — | Governance/program development |
| One Revolution; Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics | Prior Board roles | — | Governance |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments at TYRA: Audit Committee member; Chair of Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee .
- Independence: Board determined More (and all directors except CEO) are independent under Nasdaq rules .
- Attendance: Board met six times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings .
- Annual meeting engagement: With one exception, all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Leadership structure: Separate Chairman (Robert More) and CEO; Board reviews structure periodically .
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount/Detail |
|---|---|
| 2024 Fees Earned (Cash) | $83,833 |
| 2024 Option Awards (Grant-date fair value) | $221,855 |
| Total 2024 Director Compensation | $305,689 |
| Policy change (May 2024): Annual director cash retainer | Increased from $35,000 to $40,000 |
| Policy: Chair/committee retainers (pre-amendment structure retained) | Board Chair +$30,000; Audit Chair +$15,000; Compensation Chair +$10,000; Nominating Chair +$8,000; Science & Tech Chair +$10,000; Members: Audit +$7,500; Compensation +$5,000; Nominating +$4,000; Science & Tech +$5,000 |
Performance Compensation
| Item | Quantity/Terms |
|---|---|
| Options outstanding at FY2024-end (More) | 47,600 options |
| Annual director option grant size (post May 2024 policy) | 18,600 options (time-based vesting monthly over 12 months) |
| Initial director option grant size (post May 2024 policy) | 37,200 options (time-based vesting over 3 years) |
| Performance linkage | None disclosed; director equity awards are time-based, not tied to financial/ESG metrics |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Relationship | Detail |
|---|---|
| Major holders with board representation | RA Capital affiliates (Jake Simson, TYRA director) ; Nextech VI Oncology SCSp affiliates (Melissa McCracken, TYRA director) |
| Board changes relevant to investor ties | Boxer Capital-affiliated director Siddarth Subramony resigned Oct 24, 2024 |
| Financing interlocks | 2024 private placement participants included RA Capital, Nextech VI, FMR, BVF, Boxer; shows active investor presence around the boardroom |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Life sciences venture capital and board governance across public and private companies; compensation committee leadership experience at Vir Biotechnology .
- Financial literacy; serves on TYRA Audit Committee and supports oversight of financial reporting and risk management .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair overseeing board composition, independence, ESG governance, and board evaluations .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Shares Beneficially Owned | % Outstanding | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert More | 4,127,896 | 7.8% | Includes 47,600 options exercisable within 60 days of Mar 31, 2025 |
| Alta Partners NextGen Fund II, L.P. (affiliated) | 4,080,296 | 7.7% | More is a managing member of the GP with shared voting/investment authority |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Prohibits pledging and hedging of company stock by directors |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent Chairman with separation from CEO; chairs Nominating & Corporate Governance and serves on Audit, indicating strong governance involvement; documented high attendance; robust insider trading policy prohibiting pledging/hedging; formal related-party approval processes and audit oversight .
- Alignment: Significant beneficial ownership (7.8%) plus standard director equity grants support skin-in-the-game; options vest time-based, aligning tenure with company progress .
- Potential conflicts (monitor): Affiliation with Alta Partners NextGen Fund II, a 7.7% holder, combined with chairing Nominating & Corporate Governance and Audit membership, may raise perceived conflicts in board composition and transactional oversight; however, Board has determined independence under Nasdaq rules and maintains a related-party transactions policy overseen by the Audit Committee .
- Signals to investors: Active investor interlocks at TYRA (RA Capital, Nextech) underscore sophisticated capital support but warrant continued transparency on committee decision-making and recusal practices when relevant .