Michel Vounatsos has been the CEO of Biogen since January 2017, leading the company in biotechnology and focusing on innovative therapies, especially in neurology. Born in 1964, he has a solid background but his education details aren't publicly known. Over...

Michel Vounatsos has been the CEO of Biogen since January 2017, leading the company in biotechnology and focusing on innovative therapies, especially in neurology. Born in 1964, he has a solid background but his education details aren't publicly known. Over the years, Vounatsos has faced ups and downs in executive compensation due to company performance and his own termination before the end of certain performance periods. For example, his total compensation was significantly high in 2021 at around $17.17 million, which included a combination of salary, bonuses, and vested stock. His salary for 2022 was $1.54 million, and he didn’t receive bonuses due to company performance issues leading up to his departure. Interestingly, he has had notable insider trading activity, with his holdings in Biogen fluctuating significantly, peaking at over $30 million. This implies he had substantial skin in the game and potentially shared in the company’s fortunes or misfortunes through stock performance.

Quick Links

1. Rivals

2. Holdings

3. Insider Trading

4. Compensation History

5. Other Biogen CEOs

B

Michel Vounatsos

Ex-CEO of Biogen

Education

N/A

Field of Expertise

Healthcare & Life Sciences - Biotechnology

Sector of Economy

Healthcare

Born

January 1, 1964 - 61 years ago

CEO of Biogen for

6 years 4 months (Jul 2016 - Nov 2022)

Previous Experience

Chief Executive Officer of Biogen

Rivals

Competitors/colleagues of Michel Vounatsos

G

Daniel O'Day

CEO of Gilead Sciences

2023 Compensation

Stock

$16.51M

Salary

$1.74M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$1.22M

Total Holdings

$103.20M

M

Stéphane Bancel

CEO of Moderna

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.58M

Bonus

$1.91M

Other

$1.07M

Total Holdings

$491.74M

B

Christopher Boerner

CEO of Bristol-Myers Squibb

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.50M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$311.64K

Total Holdings

$22.05M

V

Reshma Kewalramani

CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals

2022 Compensation

Stock

$10.64M

Salary

$1.40M

Bonus

$3.78M

Other

$43.06K

Total Holdings

$54.25M

A

Robert A. Bradway

CEO of Amgen

2023 Compensation

Stock

$0.00

Salary

$1.79M

Bonus

$0.00

Other

$680.46K

Total Holdings

$182.86M

I

Brett P. Monia, Ph.D.

Founder and CEO of Ionis Pharmaceuticals

2023 Compensation

Stock

$430.00K

Salary

$650.00K

Bonus

$300.00K

Other

$50.00K

Total Holdings

$5.97M

Holdings

See how much did Michel Vounatsos make over time.

During his time as CEO, Michel Vounatsos's stock holdings in Biogen saw significant fluctuations. He started with substantial investments, which peaked at around $30.81 million around May 2023. However, this value has seen ups and downs over the months, with...

During his time as CEO, Michel Vounatsos's stock holdings in Biogen saw significant fluctuations. He started with substantial investments, which peaked at around $30.81 million around May 2023. However, this value has seen ups and downs over the months, with notable amounts like $28.10 million in April and $24.92 million in December 2024. These holdings represent a major part of his net worth, highlighting how closely his financial fate was tied to Biogen's stock performance. This connection is not uncommon for executives, but given the volatility of biotech stocks, it adds an intriguing layer to his tenure at Biogen. At one point, his holdings represented a massive portion of his overall wealth, reflecting the high stakes involved in biotech.

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Insider Trading

See recent insider trades of Michel Vounatsos.

No insider trades found for this CEO.

Compensation History

See how much did Michel Vounatsos make over time.

Over the years, Michel Vounatsos experienced a varied compensation package while leading Biogen. In 2021, he earned a total of about $17.17 million, with a combination of base salary, bonuses, and stock awards. However, his compensation declined the following year to approximately $7.98 million due to performance metrics not being met, which led to no bonuses being paid in 2022. On top of his $1.54 million salary in 2022, over 35,000 restricted stock units vested, showing that performance-driven pay is a key part of his compensation structure. Vounatsos's compensation strategy was designed to link his pay closely with the company's success and shareholder interests, but the nature of his leadership and the company's challenges has created a rollercoaster of financial gain and loss during his tenure.

Year

2022

Total Compensation

$7.88M

Salary

$153.85K

Board Justification

The compensation philosophy emphasizes alignment with stockholder interests and performance-based rewards.

Bonus

$0.00

Board Justification

No bonus was paid for 2022 due to termination before the end of the performance period.

Other

$0.00

Board Justification

No additional compensation was reported for 2022.

Restricted Stock

$7.73M(35.69K RSU)

Board Justification

35,687 shares of RSUs vested in 2022, based on the prorated vesting agreement following termination.

Performance Metrics

Performance metrics for 2022 included financial performance goals that were not achieved due to the CEO's termination.

Other Biogen CEOs

Here are other CEOs of Biogen

George A. Scangos

Ex-CEO of Biogen

July 2010 - July 2016

Christopher A. Viehbacher

CEO of Biogen

November 2022 - Present