Francoise de Craecker
X4 PharmaceuticalsAbout Francoise de Craecker
Francoise de Craecker, age 63, has served as an independent director of X4 Pharmaceuticals since October 14, 2021; she holds a Master’s in Nutrition Science from the Faculty of Medicine, University of Leuven, and brings over two decades of European rare-disease commercialization leadership at Shire/TKT, Raptor (later Horizon/Chiesi), and AveXis/Novartis Gene Therapies . She also currently serves as an independent director at GenSight Biologics and as a non-executive director at Kyowa Kirin International, adding external market perspective in gene therapies and specialty pharma .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| AveXis (Novartis Gene Therapies) | General Manager, EMEA | Jan 2018 – Aug 2019 | Led EMEA commercialization for gene therapy in rare neurological disorders |
| Raptor Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Horizon; later Chiesi) | SVP & GM, EMEA | Aug 2014 – Dec 2017 | Regional P&L leadership in rare diseases |
| Shire Human Genetics (formerly Transkaryotic Therapies) | VP & GM Europe; VP & GM Northern Europe; Senior Director European Mid-Sized; Global Fabry Franchise Lead | Oct 2000 – Mar 2014 | Multi-country leadership and franchise strategy in rare disease |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Start Date | Notes/Interlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| GenSight Biologics S.A. | Independent Director | May 2021 | Interlock: XFOR Chairman Michael S. Wyzga is GenSight Chair (Euronext-listed) |
| Kyowa Kirin International (subsidiary of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.) | Non-Executive Director | Apr 2024 | Specialty pharma subsidiary board exposure |
Board Governance
- Independence: The Board affirmatively determined Ms. de Craecker is independent under Nasdaq rules (majority-independent board) .
- Committee assignments: Member, Compensation Committee (effective January 1, 2024; Chair is Dr. Stewart; members are de Craecker and Wyzga) .
- Attendance: Board met 5 times in 2024; all incumbent directors attended ≥75% of aggregate Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Board leadership: Independent Chairman (Michael S. Wyzga), with agenda-setting authority and separate CEO role to reinforce oversight .
- Compensation Committee engagement: Committee met 8 times in 2024 and oversees CEO/NEO pay, equity plans, director compensation, and clawback policy administration .
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2024) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees Earned or Paid in Cash | $58,000 |
| Annual Board Retainer (Policy as of Feb 13, 2024) | $40,000 for members; $75,000 for Chair |
| Committee Retainers (Policy as of Feb 13, 2024) | Audit: $10,000 member/$20,000 chair; Compensation: $6,000/$12,000; Nominating & Corporate Governance: $5,000/$10,000 |
Note: Cash fees reflect actual service mix/time in role across prior and updated fee schedules in 2024; XFOR does not pay meeting fees .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Element | FY2024 Grant/Fair Value | Outstanding Units/Options | Vesting & Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Director RSU (Annual) | $46,800 (aggregate grant-date fair value) | 45,000 RSUs outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) | Annual RSU grants vest in full on first anniversary; initial director grant 90,000 RSUs vests over 3 years; 100% acceleration upon change in control |
| Stock Options (Legacy grants) | — | 12,250 options outstanding (as of 12/31/2024) | Service-based vesting per historical awards |
Clawback: XFOR adopted an Incentive Compensation Recoupment Policy effective Oct 2, 2023 to recover executive incentive-based pay after restatements; Compensation Committee administers recovery policy. The policy applies to executive officers; director RSUs are service-based and not tied to financial metrics .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Overlap/Interlock | Governance Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| GenSight Biologics S.A. | Shared board service with XFOR Chair (Wyzga is Chair at GenSight; de Craecker independent director at GenSight) | Potential information-flow interlock; monitor for related-party transactions (none disclosed involving de Craecker) |
Expertise & Qualifications
- European rare-disease commercialization and multi-country P&L leadership; global franchise strategy (Fabry) .
- Gene therapy market experience (AveXis/Novartis Gene Therapies; GenSight) .
- Academic credentials in nutrition science (Medical Faculty, University of Leuven) supporting scientific literacy in therapeutic areas .
Equity Ownership
| As of | Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | Ownership % | Direct Common | Options (exercisable within 60 days) | RSUs (vested/vesting within 60 days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 31, 2025 | 108,917 | <1%* | 51,667 | 12,250 | 45,000 |
- Less than one percent; based on 173,662,376 shares outstanding as of Mar 31, 2025 .
- Hedging/pledging: Insider Trading Policy prohibits hedging, short sales, margin purchases, and pledging company shares by directors/officers/employees .
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent status; active Compensation Committee member; robust committee cadence (8 meetings in 2024); Board uses independent chair structure, and directors met attendance thresholds and annual meeting participation—signals engagement and oversight .
- Alignment: Mix of cash ($58k) plus annual RSUs ($46.8k) aligns director incentives with shareholder outcomes; service-based vesting avoids payout without continued service .
- Controls: Clawback policy for executives and strict insider trading/anti-pledging provisions reduce misalignment and risk; Audit Committee oversees related-party transactions .
- Potential RED FLAG to monitor: Board interlock at GenSight Biologics with XFOR Chairman—no related-person transactions disclosed for de Craecker; continue monitoring for any business dealings or consulting involving that company or affiliates .
- No related-party transactions disclosed for de Craecker: Related-person section lists agreements with Bridger and Stewart; no entry for de Craecker, reducing conflict risk .