Meet Marianne De Backer, Ph.D., MBA, the current CEO of Vir Biotechnology, Inc. She took on this role in April 2023, succeeding George Scangos after a comprehensive selection process that highlighted her extensive background in biotechnology. Marianne has over 30...

Meet Marianne De Backer, Ph.D., MBA, the current CEO of Vir Biotechnology, Inc. She took on this role in April 2023, succeeding George Scangos after a comprehensive selection process that highlighted her extensive background in biotechnology. Marianne has over 30 years of international experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including significant leadership positions at Bayer and Johnson & Johnson. Her education is impressive: she holds a Master’s in Molecular Biology, a Ph.D. in Biotechnology, and an MBA from Erasmus University. Since stepping into the CEO position, she is focused on driving innovation and business strategy at Vir. Her leadership comes at an interesting time for the company, which faces industry challenges while progressing in its mission to transform healthcare. An interesting point is her total compensation for 2023, which includes a significant one-time sign-on bonus of $5 million and considerable stock options—showing confidence in her abilities to boost Vir’s performance. In her spare time, she serves on the boards of various non-profit and biotech organizations, which showcases her commitment to both professional growth and community involvement.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Vir Biotechnology, Inc. CEOs

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Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA

CEO of Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

Education

MSc in Molecular Biology, Ph.D. in Biotechnology, and MBA from Erasmus University.

Field of Expertise

Healthcare & Life Sciences - Biotechnology

Sector of Economy

Healthcare

Born

January 1, 1968 - 57 years ago

CEO of Vir Biotechnology, Inc. for

2 years 0 months (Apr 2023 - Present)

Previous Experience

Executive Vice President at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and held various roles at Johnson & Johnson.

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA

Holdings

See how much did Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA make over time.

As of now, Marianne De Backer owns 456,357 shares of common stock in Vir Biotechnology, which is currently valued at approximately $11.5 million. Her stockholding reflects her confidence in the company's future and aligns her interests with that of the...

As of now, Marianne De Backer owns 456,357 shares of common stock in Vir Biotechnology, which is currently valued at approximately $11.5 million. Her stockholding reflects her confidence in the company's future and aligns her interests with that of the shareholders. Notably, she received a substantial equity award during her appointment, totaling over 1.7 million shares in stock options and restricted stock units, which will vest over the next few years. The value of these holdings and options can fluctuate based on company performance and market conditions. With an initial stock grant at her CEO appointment and her ongoing investment, her financial future is tied closely to the success of Vir Biotechnology, highlighting a strong alignment with shareholder interests.

Mar 18, 2025

A

shares

ARWR @ $15.10

V

shares

VIR @ $6.93

Total Stock Sold

$1.47M

ARWR

$762.42K

9,500 ARWR shares

VIR

$707.32K

72,995 VIR shares

What if they kept their stock?

If Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA didn't sell their stock, today they would have:
Extra ARWR9,500 shares worth $321.77K and VIR72,995 shares worth $2.15M.
This is 68.41% and $1.01M more than what they got when they sold the stock.

Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA.

VIR

$690.36K

VIR at $9.46/share

Apr 3, 2024

Sale

VIR

175,000 shares

VIR

Feb 22, 2024

Received

VIR

576,452 shares

VIR

Apr 3, 2023

Received

ARWR

7,867 shares

ARWR

Jan 10, 2023

Received

ARWR

6,400 shares

ARWR

Jan 7, 2022

Received

ARWR

$293.27K

ARWR at $65.17/share

Jan 3, 2022

Sale

ARWR

$449.25K

ARWR at $89.85/share

Jun 24, 2021

Sale

ARWR

9,000 shares

ARWR

Jan 1, 2021

Received

ARWR

$50.47K

ARWR at $50.47/share

Oct 8, 2020

Purchase

ARWR

$134.24K

ARWR at $33.56/share

Jan 13, 2020

Purchase

Compensation History

See how much did Marianne De Backer, MSc, Ph.D., MBA make over time.

Marianne De Backer's total compensation for 2023 was approximately $39.5 million, which includes her base salary of $675,000 and an impressive bonus of $855,360 based on performance metrics. This bonus exceeded the target due to her effective leadership through a challenging year for Vir. Additionally, she received significant stock awards, with 576,452 restricted stock units and 1,152,904 stock options that will vest over several years, indicating the company's commitment to her long-term success. It's clear that her compensation package is designed to motivate her to achieve major goals for Vir, reflecting the company's engagement with its performance-based pay structure.

Year

2023

Total Compensation

$7.77M

Salary

$675.00K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy is designed to attract, motivate, and retain top executive talent, aligning their interests with those of stockholders through a significant portion of at-risk equity compensation.

Bonus

$855.36K

Board Justification

The bonus is based on the achievement of corporate and individual performance goals, with a target of 80% of base salary and an actual payout of 108% of target for 2023.

Other

$437.18K

Board Justification

Other compensation includes reimbursement of expenses related to relocation to the San Francisco area, including a tax gross-up.

Restricted Stock

$5.80M(576.45K RSU)

Board Justification

The stock awards consist of 576,452 RSUs that vest in four equal installments beginning April 3, 2024, until fully vested on April 3, 2027.

Performance Metrics

The performance metrics for 2023 included corporate scorecard goals related to product development, financial performance, and operational excellence.

Other Vir Biotechnology, Inc. CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

George Scangos, Ph.D.

Ex-CEO of Vir Biotechnology, Inc.

January 2020 - April 2023