Christy Oliger
About Christy Oliger
Christy Oliger, 55, joined Vera Therapeutics’ Board in June 2024. She spent ~20 years at Genentech, most recently as Senior Vice President, Oncology Business Unit Head (2017–2020), also holding senior commercial roles across oncology, neurology, rare disease, respiratory, dermatology, and immunology, and senior R&D roles including leading Roche’s global portfolio management function. She holds a BA in Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genentech (Roche) | SVP, Oncology Business Unit Head; senior commercial leadership across multiple therapeutic areas; senior R&D leadership | SVP role 2017–2020; ~20-year tenure | Led Roche global portfolio management; extensive commercial and R&D leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI) | Director | Since Aug 2020 | Public biopharma board |
| Replimune Group (REPL) | Director | Since Dec 2021 | Public biotech board |
| LAVA Therapeutics (LVTX) | Director | Since Mar 2023 | Public biopharma board |
| Sierra Oncology | Director | Jun 2021 – Jul 2022 | Company acquired by GSK in Jul 2022 |
| Reata Pharmaceuticals | Director | Apr 2021 – Jun 2023 | Company acquired by Biogen in Jun 2023 |
| RayzeBio | Director | Aug 2023 – Feb 2024 | Company acquired by BMS in Feb 2024 |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmed Ms. Oliger as independent under Nasdaq rules; no material or disqualifying relationship with the Company .
- Committee assignments: Member, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (appointed June 2024); not a chair. Committee meetings in 2024: Audit 3, Compensation 4, Nominating 1 .
- Attendance: Board met five times in 2024; each director attended at least 75% of Board and applicable committee meetings. Independent directors held five executive sessions in 2024 .
- Board leadership: Chair is Dr. Michael Morrissey; roles of Board Chair and CEO are separated. Chairs lead each committee and report to the Board .
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($) | Committee Cash Policy (as of 1/1/24) | Policy Updates (effective 1/1/25) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 25,467 | Annual cash retainer $40,000; Committee member retainers: Audit $10,000, Compensation $6,000, Nominating $5,000; Committee chair retainers: Audit $10,000, Compensation $6,000, Nominating $5,000 | Chair retainer increased to $35,000; Compensation Committee member retainer to $7,500; Compensation Committee chair retainer to $7,500 |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Grant Date | Shares/Units | Exercise Price ($/sh) | Grant-Date Fair Value ($) | Vesting / Terms | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Director Stock Option | 2024-06-07 | 25,000 | 38.50 | 634,928 (aggregate option award value in 2024) | Initial grants vest monthly over 3 years; 10-year term; change-in-control accelerates vesting; granted under 2021 Plan | |
| Annual Director Stock Option | 2025-05-14 | 14,000 | 21.19 | N/A (not disclosed) | Annual grants vest to the earlier of first anniversary or next annual meeting; 10-year term; change-in-control accelerates vesting; granted under 2021 Plan | |
| RSUs (Consulting Services) | 2024 (date not specified) | 2,987 | N/A | 115,000 | RSUs granted for consulting services; vesting not specified for director RSUs; awarded under 2021 Plan |
- Director equity grant sizing policy changes (May 2, 2024): Initial option grant reduced to lesser of 25,000 shares or $700,000 fair value; annual option grant reduced to lesser of 14,000 shares or $400,000 fair value .
- No director-specific performance metrics disclosed (director pay comprises retainer and time-based equity; no TSR or operational performance conditions for director equity) .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Relationship | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Current external public boards | KPTI (since Aug 2020), REPL (since Dec 2021), LVTX (since Mar 2023) | Multiple concurrent biotech boards may affect time demands; no interlocks with Vera’s key counterparties disclosed |
| Prior external boards | Sierra Oncology (to Jul 2022), Reata (to Jun 2023), RayzeBio (to Feb 2024) | All exited via acquisitions |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Deep biopharma commercial and R&D leadership, including oncology BU head at Genentech and Roche global portfolio management .
- Broad therapeutic area experience (oncology, neurology, rare disease, respiratory, dermatology, immunology) .
- BA in Economics (UCSB) .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Total beneficial ownership (shares) | 10,625 | Less than 1% of outstanding shares |
| Shares outstanding reference | 63,771,720 | Record date basis |
| Directly held shares | 2,987 | Also reflected as RSUs held by Ms. Oliger |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 7,638 | Portion of 25,000 initial grant |
| Outstanding options (total) | 25,000 | Initial grant per director compensation policy as amended |
| RSUs held (director) | 2,987 | Granted for consulting services |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Hedging, short selling and pledging prohibited for directors |
Insider Trades (Form 3/4)
| Filing Date | Transaction Date | Form | Type | Security | Shares | Price ($) | Post-Transaction Ownership | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06-11 | 2024-06-07 | 4 | A (Award) | Stock Option (right to buy) | 25,000 | 38.50 | 25,000 options | |
| 2024-06-11 | N/A | 3 | Initial | Class A Common Stock | 2,987 | 0.00 | 2,987 shares | |
| 2025-05-16 | 2025-05-14 | 4 | A (Award) | Stock Option (right to buy) | 14,000 | 21.19 | 14,000 options |
Governance Assessment
- Strengths
- Independence affirmed; separation of Chair and CEO roles; regular executive sessions of independent directors (five in 2024), supporting robust oversight .
- Relevant domain expertise from senior commercial and R&D roles at Genentech and portfolio leadership at Roche; service on multiple public biopharma boards enhances market awareness .
- Committee participation on Nominating & Corporate Governance adds value to board composition and governance processes .
- Alignment and incentives
- Director compensation incorporates equity; initial option grant (25,000) and annual option grant (14,000) with time-based vesting and 10-year terms. Policy caps fair value to manage dilution ($700k initial, $400k annual) .
- Beneficial ownership is modest (<1%); options provide upside alignment, but direct share ownership is relatively low vs. outstanding shares .
- Potential red flags and monitoring points
- Consulting RSUs ($115,000; 2,987 units) granted in 2024 for consulting services while serving as director could present optics risk around independence, though the Board explicitly determined independence under Nasdaq rules; monitor future consulting arrangements and disclosures .
- Multi-board commitments (KPTI, REPL, LVTX) may pose time-allocation risks; track attendance (Board reported ≥75% in 2024) and any changes in committee responsibilities .
- No director-specific stock ownership guidelines disclosed; hedging/pledging prohibited by policy, which mitigates alignment concerns .
Overall signal: Independence and governance processes appear sound; equity-linked director compensation and active committee service support alignment and engagement. The 2024 consulting RSU grant warrants ongoing monitoring for potential perceived conflicts and continued adherence to independence standards .