Company: ZVRA
Filing Date: 2025-04-21
Form Type: DEFC14A
Source: 0001193125-25-086293
Chunk: 34

Company: ZEVRA THERAPEUTICS, INC.
Filing Date: 2025-04-21
Form: DEFC14A
Chunk 34
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. Mr. McFarlane, our President and Chief Executive Officer, is not an independent director by virtue of his employment with the Company.

FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

BOARD LEADERSHIP STRUCTURE

Based on the Company’s present circumstances, the Board believes that the Company and its stockholders are best served by having Ms. Favorito serve as its

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Board Chair and Mr. McFarlane serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Our current leadership structure permits Mr. McFarlane to focus his attention on managing our business, while Ms. Favorito manages the Board and oversees the Company’s strategy and corporate governance. We believe that this governance structure best reinforces the independence of the Board from management. In addition, we believe the Board Chair is well-positioned to act as a bridge between management and the independent directors, facilitating the regular flow of information. Among other duties, the Board Chair may represent the Board in communications with stockholders and other stakeholders and provide input on the structure and composition of the Board. Accordingly, we believe our current leadership structure is the optimal structure for us at this time.

However, our Board will continue periodically to review our leadership structure and may make such changes in the future as it deems appropriate. During its routine review of the Board’s leadership structure, the Board and the Company regularly consider the circumstances under which the roles of Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer could most effectively serve the Company’s and its stockholders’ interests if combined. The Company proactively engages with stockholders from time to time throughout the year to learn their perspectives on significant issues, and intends to continue to do so, including with respect to gathering stockholder perspectives on Board leadership structure. If, in the future, the Board Chair is a member of management or does not otherwise qualify as independent, the Board may in its discretion consider the appointment of a lead independent director. If appointed, the lead independent director’s responsibilities would include, but would not be limited to, presiding over all meetings of the Board at which the Board Chair is not present, including any executive sessions of the independent directors, approving the Board’s meeting schedules and agendas, and acting as liaison between the independent directors of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer and the Board Chair.

Based on voluntary self-identification by our directors, our Board consists of two female and six male directors. Six of our directors identify as white, one director identifies as Asian, and