Neil Graham
About Neil Graham
Neil Graham, 66, is an independent director of Zura Bio with deep expertise in immunology and inflammation, spanning over 30 years in global drug development and commercialization across dermatology, allergy, rheumatology, virology, and pulmonology; he joined the Zura board in March 2023 after serving with Legacy Zura since January 2023 and holds MBBS, MD, and MPH degrees from the University of Adelaide . The board has affirmatively determined Dr. Graham is independent under Nasdaq listing standards .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiziana Life Sciences LTD | Chief Medical Officer | Feb 2021 – Jan 2022 | Led clinical strategy as CMO |
| Regeneron Pharmaceuticals | VP, Strategic Program Direction & Immunology | Apr 2010 – Jan 2020 | Led immunology programs; development/commercialization focus |
| Vertex, Inc. | Senior Vice President – Program & Portfolio | Apr 2007 – Nov 2009 | Portfolio/program leadership |
| Trimeris, Inc. | SVP – Program & Portfolio Management | Jun 2005 – Feb 2007 | Program/portfolio management |
| XTL Biopharmaceuticals Ltd. | Chief Operating Officer | Jan 2002 – Jun 2005 | Operations leadership |
| Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health | Associate Professor | Oct 1989 – Mar 1997 | Academic leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASLAN Pharmaceuticals | Director | Since Dec 2020 | Current public company directorship |
| Pharmaxis Ltd. | Director | May 2020 – Oct 2023 | Former directorship |
Board Governance
- Independence: Board determined Graham is independent; independent director meetings are regularly scheduled, typically at each regular Board meeting .
- Committee assignments: Chair, Nominating and Governance Committee (effective Apr 22, 2025); member, Nominating and Governance Committee; Chair, Research & Development Committee; R&D Committee members include Graham, Kulkarni, and Ploos van Amstel .
- Attendance: Board met 5 times in FY2024; Audit, Compensation, and Nominating & Governance each met 4 times; each then‑serving director attended at least 75% of Board and committee meetings .
- Board leadership: Chair of the Board is Amit Munshi (independent, non-employee); roles of Chair and CEO are separated to reinforce oversight .
- Insider trading policy: Prohibits hedging, short selling, derivatives, margin purchases, and pledging of shares .
- Clawback policy: Adopted in 2023 for incentive compensation tied to financial reporting measures; applies upon required accounting restatements (Dodd-Frank/Nasdaq compliance) .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Cash fees earned | $54,125 |
| Option awards (grant-date fair value) | $251,082 |
| Total director compensation | $305,207 |
- Director cash retainer structure in 2024: Annual cash retainer $50,000 (reduced to $40,000 effective Oct 23, 2024); committee member retainers $8,000 (Audit), $6,000 (Compensation), $6,000 (Nominating & Governance); chair premiums $16,000 (Audit), $12,000 (Compensation), $10,000 (Nominating & Governance) .
Performance Compensation
| Program Element | 2024 Program | 2025 Program |
|---|---|---|
| Initial director option grant | 48,149 shares; vest over three years or until next AGM | Option to purchase ≤51,000 shares or ≤$200,000 value; vests monthly over one year; any remaining unvested portion vests immediately before next AGM |
| Annual director option grant | 117,000 shares on AGM date; vest over one year | Option to purchase ≤51,000 shares or ≤$200,000 value; vests monthly over one year; prorated for tenure <1 year |
| Cash retainers | As noted above; reduction to $40,000 effective Oct 23, 2024 | Annual cash retainer $40,000; chair premium $25,000; committee member/chair retainers unchanged vs 2024 reduction |
Other Directorships & Interlocks
- Current public board: ASLAN Pharmaceuticals (since Dec 2020) .
- No related‑party transactions disclosed involving Dr. Graham in the company’s “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” section, which details Lilly licenses, Stone Peach/BAFFX17 arrangements, PIPE financings, and warrant exchanges, but does not list Graham as a participant .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Domain expertise: Immunology and inflammation with leadership across clinical development and commercialization in dermatology, allergy, rheumatology, virology, and pulmonology .
- Education: MBBS, MD, MPH (University of Adelaide) .
- Board qualifications: Scientific and operational experience; previously CMO and senior program/portfolio leadership roles at leading biopharma companies .
Equity Ownership
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 82,809; represents options exercisable within 60 days of Apr 1, 2025 |
| Ownership % of outstanding shares | Less than 1% (indicated as “*”) |
| Options outstanding at 12/31/2024 | 137,406 |
| Hedging/pledging policy | Company policy prohibits hedging, short selling, derivatives, margin purchases, and pledging |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths: Independent status; chairs Nominating & Governance and R&D committees, enhancing oversight of board composition, governance processes, and scientific strategy; attendance met thresholds; separation of Chair and CEO supports board independence; prohibition on hedging/pledging aligns director incentives with shareholders .
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Compensation alignment: Director pay is primarily equity‑based via options with standardized cash retainers; 2025 program introduces value‑capped grants (≤$200,000) and maintains reduced cash retainer ($40,000), signaling disciplined governance on director compensation .
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Related‑party/Conflicts: No related‑party transactions disclosed for Graham; external board at ASLAN noted without identified interlocks with Zura’s disclosed counterparties .
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Attendance and engagement: Board and committee meetings were regular, with each director meeting at least 75% attendance; independent executive sessions held regularly .
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RED FLAGS: None disclosed specific to Dr. Graham. Company-level Section 16 filing delinquencies did not list Graham; hedging/pledging banned; no director‑level tax gross‑ups or related‑party transactions involving Graham identified .