Daniel Bradbury
About Daniel Bradbury
Daniel Bradbury (age 63) is an independent director of Vivani Medical (VANI) who joined the Board in 2024. He is Managing Member of BioBrit, Executive Chairman and Co‑Founder of Equillium, and formerly served as President/CEO/Director of Amylin Pharmaceuticals (CEO from March 2007 until its August 2012 sale to Bristol‑Myers Squibb). He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Nottingham University and a Diploma in Management Studies from the University of West London.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amylin Pharmaceuticals | President, CEO, and Director | CEO: Mar 2007–Aug 2012 (company acquired by BMS) | Led biopharma focused on serious metabolic diseases |
| SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals | Marketing and sales roles | 10 years (dates not specified) | Commercial leadership experience |
External Roles
| Organization | Ticker | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equillium, Inc. | NASDAQ: EQ | Executive Chairman and Co‑Founder; formerly CEO until Jan 2020 | Autoimmune/inflammatory disorders focus |
| Castle Biosciences, Inc. | NASDAQ: CSTL | Director | Public company board service |
| BioBrit, LLC | — | Managing Member | Life sciences consulting and investment firm |
| Several private companies and philanthropic organizations | — | Director/Advisor | Not individually specified in VANI proxy |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Audit Committee member (Audit chaired by Dean Baker; other members Alexandra Popoff and Bradbury). Not a member of the Compensation Committee or the Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee.
- Independence: Board determined all directors except CEO Adam Mendelsohn and director Aaron Mendelsohn are independent under Nasdaq rules; Bradbury is independent.
- Attendance and engagement: In 2024, the Board met 4 times; Audit 4; Compensation 5; Nominating & Corporate Governance 1. Each director attended at least 75% of applicable meetings.
- Audit oversight scope: Audit Committee oversees financial reporting, internal controls, auditor selection/independence, and cybersecurity risk. The 2024 Audit Committee report was signed by Dean Baker (Chair), Alexandra Popoff, and Daniel Bradbury.
- Board leadership: Gregg Williams is Independent Chairman of the Board. No Lead Independent Director disclosed.
Fixed Compensation
| Component | Amount/Policy | 2024 Detail for Bradbury |
|---|---|---|
| Board annual cash retainer | $35,000 per non‑employee director (paid quarterly, pro‑rated for partial year) | Bradbury’s disclosed “Fees Earned or Paid in Cash” shows $37,500, but he elected to receive stock options in lieu of cash (see footnote); the $37,500 reflects cash retainers forgone and converted to options. |
| Audit Committee member retainer | $10,000 (Chair: $20,000) | Member (not Chair). Included in his retainer mix; specific cash timing pro‑rated based on service start. |
| Compensation Committee member retainer | $6,000 (Chair: $12,000) | Not a member. |
| Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee member retainer | $4,000 (Chair: $8,000) | Not a member. |
Notes:
- Non‑employee directors may elect to receive options in lieu of cash retainers if elected by Dec 31 of the prior year (or within 30 days of appointment for new directors). Options granted in lieu of cash vest one‑quarter per calendar quarter.
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | Policy/Terms | 2024 Detail for Bradbury |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Director Option Grant | Option with grant date fair value equal to annual board retainer (ex‑committee fees); vests fully by next annual meeting or first anniversary, subject to service | Option awards (aggregate grant-date fair value) of $35,000. Number of shares not disclosed by director; value reported under ASC 718. |
| Initial Director Option Grant (upon joining) | One‑time option with value equal to annual retainer; vests monthly over 3 years | If applicable to his 2024 appointment; specific grant sizing not itemized per director in proxy. |
| Acceleration (Change in Control) | Non‑employee director equity vests 100% upon a Sale Event as defined in the 2022 Plan | Applies to director awards broadly. |
- 2024 Non‑Employee Director Compensation for Bradbury:
- Fees elected into options: $37,500 (cash forgone in exchange for options per policy)
- Option awards (ASC 718 fair value): $35,000
- Total 2024 director compensation: $72,500
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Ticker | Role | Potential Interlock/Conflict with VANI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equillium, Inc. | NASDAQ: EQ | Executive Chairman, Co‑Founder; Director | No related‑party transactions with VANI disclosed involving Bradbury; standard independence affirmed by VANI Board. |
| Castle Biosciences, Inc. | NASDAQ: CSTL | Director | No VANI‑disclosed interlocks or related‑party arrangements involving Bradbury. |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Long‑tenured biopharma operator with CEO experience in metabolic diseases (Amylin), commercial leadership at SmithKline Beecham, and current governance/executive role at Equillium.
- Education: Bachelor of Pharmacy (Nottingham University), Diploma in Management Studies (University of West London).
- Board‑relevant skills: Audit Committee member; contributes to financial reporting oversight and risk (including cybersecurity) given committee scope. Not designated as the Audit Committee financial expert (that designation is held by Dean Baker).
Equity Ownership
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 204,714 (includes options exercisable within 60 days) |
| Percent of shares outstanding | Less than 1% (denoted “*”) |
| Options exercisable within 60 days (included above) | 203,502 |
| Total outstanding options held (as of 12/31/2024) | 264,972 (aggregate outstanding options per director options table) |
| Pledging/hedging | Company policy prohibits pledging, short sales, and hedging by directors and covered persons. |
Governance Assessment
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Positives:
- Independent director with direct biopharma CEO experience; serves on Audit Committee overseeing financial controls, auditor independence, and cybersecurity risk.
- Attendance standard met (≥75% of applicable meetings); Board/committees convened regularly in 2024.
- Elected to take options in lieu of cash retainers, modest absolute director pay, and alignment via annual director option grants sized to the retainer.
- Insider policy bans pledging/hedging—reduces misalignment risk.
- No Section 16 filing issues noted for Bradbury; the 2025 proxy lists other individuals with administrative filing errors.
- No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Bradbury.
-
Watch items:
- Multi‑board/operating load: Active as Executive Chairman/Co‑Founder at Equillium and director at Castle Biosciences—monitor bandwidth and potential sector overlaps; VANI Board has affirmed his independence and disclosed no related‑party dealings.
- Not designated as Audit Committee financial expert (role held by Dean Baker); however, Bradbury contributes operating/industry expertise on Audit.
-
Overall implication for investor confidence:
- Bradbury brings relevant metabolic/biopharma and commercial experience to VANI’s Audit Committee with equity‑aligned director pay and independence confirmed by the Board, with no disclosed conflicts or attendance concerns—supportive for board effectiveness and governance quality.