Daniella Beckman
About Daniella Beckman
Independent director at Upstream Bio (UPB) since October 2024; Class III term through the 2027 annual meeting. Age 46. Career finance executive in biopharma; currently CFO of Tango Therapeutics (CFO since Sept 2019; previously interim CFO Oct 2016–Sept 2019), with prior leadership roles at Idenix Pharmaceuticals (CFO 2011–2014; Corporate Controller 2008–2011). Holds a B.S. from Boston University. Designated UPB audit committee financial expert and serves as Audit Committee Chair.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jun 2011 – Aug 2014 | Led finance through M&A; overlapped with UPB Chair Ronald Renaud’s senior leadership at Idenix |
| Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Corporate Controller | Mar 2008 – Jun 2011 | Financial reporting leadership |
| Various early-stage biotech companies | Consulting & Interim CFO services | Nov 2015 – Sept 2019 | Finance build-outs pre- and post-company formation |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tango Therapeutics, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer (current); previously Interim CFO | CFO since Sept 2019; Interim Oct 2016 – Sept 2019 | Public-company CFO experience; capital markets oversight |
| Blueprint Medicines Corporation | Director | Since Dec 2021 (current) | Public company board experience |
| Vor Biopharma Inc. | Director | Since Jul 2020 (current) | Public company board experience |
| 5:01 Acquisition Corp. | Director (former) | Oct 2020 – Oct 2022 | SPAC governance experience |
| Translate Bio, Inc. | Director (former) | Oct 2017 – Sept 2021 | Overlapped with UPB Chair Ronald Renaud (Translate Bio CEO 2014–2021), indicating prior working relationship |
Board Governance
- Independence: UPB board determined all directors other than the CEO are independent; includes Ms. Beckman.
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee Chair; members include Beckman, Fleming, Ratcliffe; Beckman designated “audit committee financial expert.” Audit Committee met 3 times in 2024.
- Other committees: Not listed on Compensation or Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees.
- Attendance: Board met 7 times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of board and applicable committee meetings.
- Tenure: Director since Oct 2024; Class III; term ends at 2027 annual meeting.
- Trading and Clawback Policies: Company bans short sales and derivative/hedging transactions in UPB stock; Rule 10b5-1 plans permitted; executive clawback policy consistent with SEC/Nasdaq rules (applies to executive officers’ incentive comp).
Fixed Compensation
| Item | Amount/Policy | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Cash Fees (actual) | $12,106 | Prorated given Oct 2024 appointment; includes board/committee cash retainers |
| Board Annual Cash Retainer (policy) | $40,000 | Payable quarterly, prorated for partial year |
| Additional Retainer – Non-Executive Chair (policy) | $30,000 | Applies to chair, not Beckman |
| Audit Committee Member (policy) | $15,000 | Additional for members (other than chair) |
| Audit Committee Chair Add’l (policy) | $7,500 | Incremental retainer for chair role |
| Compensation Committee Member/Chair (policy) | $12,000 / $6,000 | Not applicable to Beckman in 2024 |
| Nominating & Corp Gov Member/Chair (policy) | $10,000 / $5,000 | Not applicable to Beckman in 2024 |
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Shares/Value | Vesting/Terms | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Director Stock Option Grant | 34,681 shares | Vests in equal monthly installments over 3 years from grant; 10-year term; exercise price = FMV on grant date | Granted upon Oct 2024 appointment; held 34,681 options at 12/31/2024 |
| 2024 Director Option Award (accounting fair value) | $446,876 | Aggregate grant date fair value under ASC 718 | Reported as 2024 option award value |
| Annual Director Option Grant (policy) | 17,096 shares | Vests in full at next annual meeting or 1-year anniversary; exercise price = FMV on grant date | Applies to non-initial cycles; immediate vesting on next annual cycle |
Note: Non-employee director equity is option-based; no disclosed performance (financial/TSR/ESG) metrics for director pay.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Current Public Boards | Blueprint Medicines (since Dec 2021); Vor Biopharma (since Jul 2020) |
| Prior Public Boards | Translate Bio (2017–2021); 5:01 Acquisition Corp. (2020–2022) |
| Interlocks/Prior Relationships | Worked with UPB Chair Ronald Renaud at Translate Bio (he was CEO 2014–2021) and at Idenix (Renaud CFO/Chief Business Officer/CEO 2007–2014; Beckman CFO 2011–2014), indicating longstanding professional ties that may influence board dynamics. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Audit/Finance: Audit Committee Chair; designated “audit committee financial expert.” Public-company CFO since 2019; extensive SEC reporting and capital markets experience.
- Biopharma Industry: Senior finance roles across multiple biotechs (Tango, Idenix) and board service at sector peers.
- Education: B.S., Boston University.
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Beneficial Ownership | 7,706 shares (via options exercisable within 60 days of 4/14/2025) | “Less than 1%” of outstanding shares |
| Outstanding Shares (Record Date) | 53,688,703 shares outstanding as of Apr 14, 2025 | Company-wide context for ownership % |
| Director Equity Held | Options to purchase 34,681 shares as of Dec 31, 2024 | Initial grant from Oct 2024 appointment |
| Hedging/Pledging Policy | Short sales and derivative/hedging transactions prohibited for directors; 10b5-1 plans permitted | Alignment policy; no specific pledging by Beckman disclosed |
Governance Assessment
Key positives
- Independence and oversight: Independent director; Audit Committee Chair and SEC-designated financial expert; audit committee met three times in 2024; board attendance threshold met. Supports financial reporting oversight and investor confidence.
- Pay structure: Director compensation leans toward equity (stock options) versus cash, aligning with shareholder value creation; cash fees were modest in 2024 due to prorated service.
- Policy framework: Robust insider trading/anti-hedging provisions and a compliant clawback policy (for executive officers) signal sound governance infrastructure.
Watch items / potential red flags
- Interlocks and prior affiliations: Multiple prior working relationships with the current Chair (Translate Bio; Idenix). While she is classified as independent, these longstanding ties can influence board dynamics and should be monitored for potential perceived conflicts.
- Ownership alignment: Beneficial ownership remains de minimis (<1%), typical for new appointees but worth tracking for progress toward meaningful ownership via vesting over time.
- Related-party environment: UPB’s shareholder base includes significant venture/strategic investors with board representation (e.g., OrbiMed, Access/AI Upstream). Although no related-party transactions involve Beckman directly, this context heightens the importance of vigilant audit committee oversight.
No specific related-party transactions, loans, or other conflicts were disclosed involving Ms. Beckman.
Director Compensation (detail)
| Category | 2024 Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $12,106 |
| Option Awards (Grant Date Fair Value) | $446,876 |
| Total | $458,982 |
Committee Assignments
| Committee | Role | Meetings (2024) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audit Committee | Chair; Member | 3 | Designated audit committee financial expert |
| Compensation Committee | Not a member | 3 | Chaired by Ronald Renaud |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance | Not a member | 1 | Chaired by Marcella Ruddy |
Attendance & Engagement
- Board meetings: 7 in 2024; all directors met at least 75% attendance requirements.
- As a 2024 appointee, cash fees reflect prorated service.
Independence
- Board determined Ms. Beckman to be independent under Nasdaq and SEC rules (all non-CEO directors are independent).