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.

Vir Biotechnology, Inc.April 2023 - Present

Current Market Cap

$1.03B

Number of Employees

587

Total Compensation

2023 - 2023

Trending up by 0.00% last year

Showing total compensation for the last 2023 - 2023

Stock

Up by 0.00% last year

Salary

Up by 0.00% last year

Bonus

Up by 0.00% last year

Other

Up by 0.00% last year

2023

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.

SEC Filing

From April 19, 2024

View SEC Filing

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

Born

January 1, 1968 - 56 years ago

Is Founder?

Current Tenure

1 year 5 months (Apr 2023 - Present)

Previous Experience

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

Predecessor

George Scangos, Ph.D.

January 2020 - April 2023

Successor

None