DEF 14A 1 def14a0622_gamidacell.htm DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

________________________________

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

________________________________

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. )

Filed by the Registrant		☒
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant		☐

Check the appropriate box:

☐		Preliminary Proxy Statement
☐		Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
☒		Definitive Proxy Statement
☐		Definitive Additional Materials
☐		Soliciting Material under § 240.14a-12

Gamida Cell Ltd.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check all boxes that apply):
☒		No fee required.
☐		Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
☐		Fee computed on table in exhibit required by Item 25(b) per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

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116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116

June 22, 2022

Dear Shareholder,

You are cordially invited to attend an annual general meeting of the shareholders (the “Meeting”) of Gamida Cell Ltd. (the “Company”), to be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, beginning at 5:00 p.m., Israel time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time), at 12 Leshem Street, Kiryat Gat, 8258412, Israel.

At the time of printing, we expect that ordinary shareholders will be able to attend our Meeting in person. We will continue to monitor the situation, including Israeli government guidance, and will continue to do so in the lead up to the Meeting. Should regulations or government guidance change between now and the date of the Meeting, we will provide an update on our website (https://investors.gamida-cell.com) and ordinary shareholders are encouraged to check for any updates.

Please register for the live webcast of the Meeting at https://register.vevent.com/register/BId23b038712324e98b2ab1bfc6d155d41. Once registered, you will be provided with a personalized dial-in number and PIN. A replay of the webcast will be available for approximately seven days after the Meeting. No voting will be allowed during the webcast.

The Company’s notice of the Meeting, as published on Wednesday, June 22, 2022, and the proxy statement (“Proxy Statement”) included within the following pages, describe in detail the matters to be acted upon at the Meeting. This notice and the accompanying proxy statement and proxy card are being first mailed to shareholders on or about June 22, 2022.

The Company has fixed the close of business on Tuesday, June 17, 2022 as the record date for the determination of shareholders entitled to notice of, and to vote on the matters proposed at, the Meeting and any adjournment or postponement thereof. The Company’s board of directors unanimously recommends a vote “FOR” each matter set forth in the notice.

YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT. Whether or not you plan to attend the Meeting, it is important that your shares be represented and voted at the Meeting. Accordingly, after reading the enclosed Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and accompanying Proxy Statement, please sign, date and mail the enclosed proxy card by means of the envelope provided, or otherwise vote by telephone or over the internet in accordance with the instructions given in your proxy card. Please note, however, that if your shares are held of record by a broker, bank or other nominee and you wish to vote at the Meeting, you may need to obtain a proxy issued in your name from that record holder. Please contact your broker, bank or other nominee for information about specific requirements if you would like to vote your shares at the Meeting.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials
for the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders
to Be Held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022 at 5:00 p.m., Israel Time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time).

Register for the Annual General Meeting
via https://conference.vevent.com/join/PI0304c2c9695c4c059cdd566aaf56d72f?pwd=437538.

The proxy statement and annual report to shareholders
are available at www.proxyvote.com.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as can attend the Meeting.

		Very truly yours,

		Robert I. Blum
		Chairman of the Board of Directors

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		Page
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS		ii
PROXY STATEMENT		1
BACKGROUND REGARDING BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE		6
Independence of The Board of Directors		6
Information Regarding Committees of the Board of Directors		7
Audit Committee		7
Compensation and Talent Committee		8
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee		8
Science and Technology Committee		9
Compliance Committee		9
Shareholder Communications with The Board Of Directors		9
Code of Ethics		9
Hedging Policy		9
PROPOSAL 1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS		10
PROPOSAL 2 AMENDING THE TERMS OF OFFICE AND EMPLOYMENT OF THE COMPANY’S CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER		13
PROPOSAL 3 APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY’S AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION		15
PROPOSAL 4 RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM		17
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS		19
EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND DIRECTOR COMPENSATION		20
BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT		34
DELINQUENT SECTION 16(A) REPORTS		36
TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS AND INDEMNIFICATION		37
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS		39
OTHER MATTERS		40
ANNEX A		A-1

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GAMIDA CELL LTD.

116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts
Tel: (713) 400-6400

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

To be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Notice is hereby given to the holders of ordinary shares, nominal value NIS 0.01 per share, of Gamida Cell Ltd. (the “Company”) in connection with the solicitation by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) of proxies for use at the annual general meeting of shareholders (the “Meeting”) to be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Israel time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time), at 12 Leshem Street, Kiryat Gat, 8258412, Israel.

The Meeting is being called for the following purposes:

(1) to elect each of Ms. Shawn Tomasello and Mr. Stephen Wills to serve as a Class I director of the Company, and to hold office until the close of business of the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2025 and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or until such individual’s earlier resignation or retirement;

(2) to approve an amendment of the terms of office and employment of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (and a member of the Board), Dr. Julian Adams;

(3) to approve amendments to the Company’s amended and restated articles of association (the “Current Articles”), primarily to require an affirmative vote of (i) two-thirds (2/3) of the directors in order to approve certain transactions which may have a significant effect on the Company’s structure, assets or business, (ii) two-thirds (2/3) of the directors in order to approve certain business combinations with any shareholder (and its affiliates) who holds (beneficially or of record) 20% or more of the voting power in the Company, and (iii) a majority of the directors to amend the Company’s Current Articles as they may be amended from time to time; and

(4) to approve the re-appointment of Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and its service until the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2023.

The Board recommends that the shareholders vote in favor of each of the above proposals, which will be described in a proxy statement to be made available to the Company’s shareholders.

In addition, shareholders attending the Meeting will have an opportunity to review and ask questions regarding the financial statements of the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

We are currently not aware of any other matters that will come before the Meeting. If any other matters are presented properly at the Meeting, it is intended that the persons designated as proxies will vote upon such matters in accordance with their best judgment and the interest of the Company.

In accordance with the Israeli Companies Law 5759-1999, and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Companies Law”), any shareholder of the Company holding at least 1% of the outstanding voting rights of the Company for the Meeting may submit to the Company a proposed additional agenda item for the Meeting, no later than June 29, 2022. To the extent that there are any additional agenda items that the Board determines to add as a result of any such submission, the Company will publish an updated agenda and proxy card with respect to the Meeting, no later than July 6, 2022.

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The presence (in person or by proxy) of any two or more shareholders holding, in the aggregate, at least 33-⅓% of the voting power of the Company, constitutes a quorum for purposes of the Meeting. In the absence of the requisite quorum of shareholders within half an hour from the time appointed for the Meeting, the Meeting will be adjourned to Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at the same time and place, unless otherwise determined at the Meeting in accordance with the Company’s Current Articles. At such adjourned meeting the presence of one or more shareholders in person or by proxy within a half an hour from the time appointed for the adjourned meeting holding in the aggregate at least 33-⅓% of the voting power of the Company will constitute a quorum.

Only shareholders of record at the close of business on Friday, June 17, 2022, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting, or at any adjournment or postponement thereof.

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy and voting on a proposal, is necessary for the approval of each of the proposals.

A proxy statement describing the various matters to be voted upon at the Meeting along with a proxy card enabling the shareholders to indicate their vote on each matter will be mailed on or about June 22, 2022 to all shareholders entitled to participate in and vote at the Meeting. This proxy statement, Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and the accompanying proxy card are available on the Company’s website at https://investors.gamida-cell.com/financials-filings/sec-filings. Proxies must be submitted to the Company or to its transfer agent no later than midnight on the night prior to the Meeting. Proxies delivered to the Company or to its transfer agent after such time will be presented to the chairperson of the Meeting and, at his discretion, may be voted as specified in the instructions included in such proxies. If your ordinary shares in the Company are held in “street name” (meaning held through a bank, broker or other nominee), you will be able to either direct the record holder of your shares on how to vote your shares or obtain a legal proxy from the record holder that enables you to participate in and to vote your shares at the Meeting (or to appoint a proxy to do so).

In accordance with the Companies Law, any shareholder of the Company may submit to the Company a position statement on behalf of itself, expressing its position on any, some or all agenda items for the Meeting, either via mail to the Company’s offices at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Josh Patterson, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, or by e-mail to legalnotices@gamida-cell.com, no later than July 17, 2022.

		BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
June 22, 2022		/s/ Robert I. Blum
		Robert I. Blum
		Chairman of the Board of Directors

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GAMIDA CELL LTD.

116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116
Tel: (713) 400-6400

PROXY STATEMENT
FOR THE 2022 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THESE PROXY MATERIALS AND VOTING

Why am I receiving these materials?

We have sent you these proxy materials because the board of directors (the “Board”) of Gamida Cell Ltd., an Israeli company (the “Company”) is soliciting your proxy to vote at the 2022 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (the “Meeting”), or any adjournments or postponements of the Meeting. You are invited to attend the Meeting to vote on the proposals described in this Proxy Statement. However, you do not need to attend the Meeting to vote your shares. Instead, you may simply complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy card, or follow the instructions below to submit your proxy over the telephone or online.

We intend to mail these proxy materials on or about June 22, 2022 to all shareholders of record entitled to vote at the Meeting.

How do I attend the Meeting?

The Meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Israel time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Time), at 12 Leshem Street, Kiryat Gat, 8258412, Israel.

Attendance at the Meeting is limited to shareholders of the Company as of the record date (Friday, June 17, 2022). Each shareholder may appoint only one proxy holder or representative to attend the Meeting on his or her behalf.

If you attend the Meeting, you will be asked to present valid, government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license. If you are a holder of record, the top half of your proxy card or your notice is your admission ticket. If you hold your shares in street name, you will need proof of ownership to be admitted to the meeting. A recent brokerage statement or a letter from your bank or broker are examples of proof of ownership. If you want to vote your shares held in street name in person, you must get a legal proxy in your name from the broker, bank or other nominee that holds your shares, and submit it with your vote.

Who can vote at the Meeting?

Shareholders Entitled to Vote — Record Date

Shareholders of record who held ordinary shares at the close of business on Friday, June 17, 2022, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Meeting. In addition, shareholders who, as of the Record Date, held ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee which is a shareholder of record of the Company at the close of business on the Record Date, or which appears in the participant list of a securities depository on that date, are considered to be beneficial owners of shares held in “street name.” These proxy materials are being forwarded to beneficial owners by the bank, broker or other nominee that is considered the holder of record with respect to the Company’s ordinary shares. Beneficial owners have the right to direct how their shares should be voted and are also invited to attend the Meeting, but may not actually vote their shares in person at the Meeting unless they first obtain a signed proxy from the record holder (that is, their bank, broker or other nominee) giving them the right to vote the shares.

As of June 17, 2022 (being the last practicable date before the circulation of this proxy statement), there were 59,984,756 ordinary shares outstanding and entitled to vote at the Meeting.

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What am I voting on?

This Proxy Statement describes the proposals on which we would like you, as a shareholder, to vote at the Meeting. This Proxy Statement provides you with information on the proposals, as well as other information about us, so that you can make an informed decision as to whether and how to vote your shares.

At the Meeting, shareholders will act upon the following 4 proposals:

Proposal One		To elect each of Ms. Shawn Tomasello and Mr. Stephen Wills to serve as a Class I director of the Company, and to hold office until the close of business of the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2025 and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or until such individual’s earlier resignation or retirement.
Proposal Two		To approve an amendment of the terms of office and employment of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (and a member of the Board), Dr. Julian Adams.
Proposal Three		To approve amendments to the Company’s amended and restated articles of association (the “Current Articles”), primarily to require an affirmative vote of (i) two-thirds (2/3) of the directors in order to approve certain transactions which may have a significant effect on the Company’s structure, assets or business, (ii) two-thirds (2/3) of the directors in order to approve certain business combinations with any shareholder (and its affiliates) who holds (beneficially or of record) 20% or more of the voting power in the Company, and (iii) a majority of the directors to amend the Company’s Current Articles as may be amended from time to time.
Proposal Four		To approve the re-appointment of Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and its service until the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2023.

What if another matter is properly brought before the Meeting?

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, our Board knows of no other matters that will be presented for consideration at the Meeting. If any other matters are properly brought before the Meeting, it is the intention of your proxyholder (identified on your proxy card) to vote on those matters in accordance with their best judgment.

Can I change my vote after submitting my proxy?

A shareholder may revoke a proxy in one of the following ways: (i) by written notice of the revocation of the proxy delivered by mail to the Company at its offices at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Josh Patterson, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, or by e-mail to legalnotices@gamida-cell.com, or to its transfer agent, Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., by mail to 1717 Arch St., Suite 1300, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, before midnight on the night prior to the time of the Meeting, canceling the proxy or appointing a different proxy, (ii) by written notice of the revocation of the proxy delivered at the Meeting to the chairman of the Meeting or (iii) by attending and voting in person at the Meeting. Attendance at the Meeting will not in and of itself constitute revocation of a proxy. If your shares are held by your broker, bank or other nominee, you should follow the instructions provided by your broker, bank or other nominee.

What is the quorum requirement, and how many votes are needed to approve each proposal?

Pursuant to the Company’s Current Articles, the quorum required for the Meeting consists of at least one or more shareholders present, in person or by proxy, holding shares conferring in the aggregate at least 33-⅓% of the Company’s voting power. If a quorum is not present within half an hour from the time appointed for the Meeting, the Meeting will stand adjourned to August 3, 2022, at the same time and place, unless otherwise determined at the Meeting in accordance with the Company’s Current Articles (the “Adjourned Meeting”). At such Adjourned Meeting the presence of at least one or more shareholders, in person or by proxy, within half an hour from the time appointed for the Adjourned Meeting holding in the aggregate at least 33-⅓% of the Company’s voting power, will constitute a quorum.

Abstentions and “broker non-votes” are counted as present and entitled to vote for purposes of determining a quorum. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a bank, broker or other holder of record holding shares for a beneficial owner attends the Meeting but does not vote on a particular proposal because that holder does not have discretionary voting power for that particular item and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner. Brokers that hold

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shares in “street name” for clients typically have authority to vote on “routine” proposals even when they have not received instructions from beneficial owners. Absent specific instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares, however, brokers are not allowed to exercise their voting discretion with respect to any proposals that are considered non-routine. If you hold your shares in “street name” and do not provide your broker with specific instructions regarding how to vote on any proposal, your broker will not be permitted to vote your shares on the proposal, resulting in a “broker non-vote.” Therefore, it is important for a shareholder that holds ordinary shares through a bank or broker to instruct its bank or broker how to vote its shares, if the shareholder wants its shares to count for all proposals.

The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy and voting thereon is necessary for the approval of each proposal.

The Board recommends shareholders vote “FOR” each of the proposals set forth in the Proxy Statement.

Except for the purpose of determining a quorum, broker non-votes will not be counted as present and are not entitled to vote. Abstentions will not be treated as either a vote “FOR” or “AGAINST” a matter.

On each matter submitted to the shareholders for consideration at the Meeting, only ordinary shares that are voted on such matter will be counted toward determining whether shareholders approved the matter. Ordinary shares present at the Meeting that are not voted on a particular matter (including broker non-votes) will not be counted in determining whether such matter is approved by shareholders.

Each ordinary share is entitled to one vote on each proposal or item that comes before the Meeting. If two or more persons are registered as joint owners of any ordinary share, the right to vote at the Meeting and/or the right to be counted as part of the quorum thereat will be conferred exclusively upon the more senior among the joint owners attending the meeting in person or by proxy. For this purpose, seniority will be determined by the order in which the names appear in the Company’s Register of Shareholders.

How do I vote?

You can vote your shares by attending the Meeting. If you do not plan to attend the Meeting, the method of voting will differ for shares held as a record holder and shares held in “street name” (through a broker, trustee or nominee). Record holders of shares will receive proxy cards. Holders of shares in “street name” will receive either proxy cards or voting instruction cards directly from their bank, broker or nominee in order to instruct their banks, brokers or other nominees on how to vote.

Dr. Julian Adams, Mr. Joshua Patterson and Mr. Shai Lankry may be appointed as proxies by the shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting with respect to the matters to be voted upon at the Meeting.

All ordinary shares represented by properly executed proxies delivered to the Company by mail at its offices at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Josh Patterson, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, or by e-mail to legalnotices@gamida-cell.com, or to its transfer agent, Broadridge Corporate Issuer Solutions, Inc., by mail to 1717 Arch St., Suite 1300, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, will be voted as specified in the instructions indicated in such proxies. Proxies must be submitted to the Company or to its transfer agent no later than midnight on the night prior to the Meeting. Proxies delivered to the Company or to its transfer agent after such time will be presented to the chairperson of the Meeting and, at his discretion, may be voted as specified in the instructions included in such proxies. If you are a shareholder of record as of the record date for the Meeting, subject to applicable law and the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Market (“Nasdaq”), if no instructions are indicated in such proxies with respect to the proposal, the shares represented by properly executed and received proxies will be voted “FOR” each of the proposals. If you hold your shares in “street name” through a broker, bank or other nominee, you are considered, with respect to those shares, a beneficial owner. Absent specific instructions from the beneficial owner of the shares, brokers are not allowed to exercise their voting discretion with respect to any items presented at the Meeting, as described below.

Shareholders of Record

If you are a shareholder of record (that is, you hold a share certificate that is registered in your name or you are listed as a shareholder in the Company’s share register), you can submit your vote by completing, signing and submitting a proxy card, which has or will be sent to you and which will be accessible at the Investors & Media section of the Company’s website, as described below under “Availability of Proxy Materials.”

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Please follow the instructions on the proxy card. If you provide specific instructions (by marking a box) with regard to the proposals, your shares will be voted as you instruct. The persons named as proxies in the enclosed proxy card will furthermore vote in accordance with the recommendations of the Board on any other matters that may properly come before the Meeting.

Shareholders Holding in “Street Name”

If you hold ordinary shares in “street name,” that is, you are an underlying beneficial holder who holds ordinary shares through a bank, broker or other nominee, the voting process will be based on your directing the bank, broker or other nominee to vote the ordinary shares in accordance with the voting instructions on your voting instruction card. Because a beneficial owner is not a shareholder of record, you may not vote those shares directly at the Meeting unless you obtain a “legal proxy” from the bank, broker or nominee that holds your shares, giving you the right to vote the shares at the Meeting.

Please follow the instructions on the voting instruction card received from your bank, broker or nominee. You may also be able to submit voting instructions to a bank, broker or nominee by phone or via the Internet if your voting instruction card describes such voting methods. Please be certain to have your control number from your voting instruction card ready for use in providing your voting instructions.

It is important for a shareholder that holds ordinary shares through a bank or broker to instruct its bank or broker how to vote its shares if the shareholder wants its shares to count for the proposal.

When are shareholder proposals and director nominations due for next year’s annual meeting?

Any Shareholder or Shareholders of the Company holding at least 1% of the voting rights of the Company (the “Proposing Shareholder(s)”) may request, subject to the Companies Law, that the Board include a matter on the agenda of a general meeting to be held in the future, including to nominate a candidate to serve on the Board of the Company, provided that the Board determines that the matter is appropriate to be considered at a general meeting. In order for the Board to consider a shareholder proposal and whether to include the matter stated therein in the agenda of a general meeting, notice of the shareholder proposal must be timely delivered in accordance with the Companies Law and the regulations thereto and must comply with the requirements of the Current Articles and any applicable law and stock exchange rules and regulations. To be considered timely, a shareholder proposal must be delivered within seven days following the Company’s notice of convening a shareholders’ general meeting at which Directors are to be elected and certain other proposals are to be considered (or within three days of the Company’s notice in other instances). The proposal must be in writing, signed by all of the Proposing Shareholder(s) making such request, delivered, either in person or by certified mail, postage prepaid, and received by the Secretary of the Company (or, in the absence thereof by the Chief Executive Officer).

In addition to the eligibility requirements under applicable law, the Company’s Current Articles specify additional procedural requirements for shareholder proposals. Each such notice shall set forth: (i) the name, address, telephone number, fax number and email address of the Proposing Shareholder making the request (or each such Proposing Shareholder, as the case may be) and, if an entity, the name(s) of the person(s) that controls or manages such entity; (ii) the number of shares held by the Proposing Shareholder(s) making the request, directly or indirectly (and, if any of such ordinary shares are held indirectly, an explanation of how they are held and by whom), which shall be in such number no less than as is required to qualify as a Proposing Shareholder, accompanied by evidence satisfactory to the Company of the record holding of such ordinary shares by the Proposing Shareholder(s) as of the date of the proposal request, and a representation that the Proposing Shareholder(s) intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting; (iii) the matter requested to be included on the agenda of the general meeting, all information related to such matter, the reason that such matter is proposed to be brought before the general meeting, the complete text of the resolution that the Proposing Shareholder proposes to be voted upon at the general meeting and, if the Proposing Shareholder wishes to have a position statement in support of the proposal request, a copy of such position statement that complies with the requirement of any applicable law (if any); (iv) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the Proposing Shareholder(s) and any other person(s) (naming such person(s)) in connection with the matter that is requested to be included on the agenda and a declaration signed by all Proposing Shareholder(s) of whether any of them has a personal interest in the matter and, if so, a description in reasonable detail of such personal interest; (v) a description of all derivative transactions (as defined in the Current Articles) by each Proposing Shareholder(s) during the previous twelve (12) month period, including the date of the transactions and the class, series and number of

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securities involved in, and the material economic terms of, such derivative transactions; and (vi) a declaration that all of the information that is required under the Companies Law and any other applicable law and stock exchange rules and regulations to be provided to the Company in connection with such matter, if any, has been provided to the Company. Furthermore, the Board, may, in its discretion, to the extent it deems necessary, request that the Proposing Shareholder(s) provide additional information necessary so as to include a matter in the agenda of a general meeting, as the Board may reasonably require.

Shareholder proposals may also be submitted for inclusion in a proxy statement under Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Under Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, to be eligible for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials for the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, shareholder proposals must be received by the Company no later than February 23, 2023, which is 120 days prior to the 12-month anniversary of the date this proxy statement was first released to shareholders with respect to the 2022 Meeting. In addition, Rule 14a-8 proposals must otherwise comply with the requirements of the rule. To comply with the universal proxy rules (once effective), shareholders who intend to solicit proxies in support of director nominees other than the Company’s nominees must provide notice that sets forth the information required by Rule 14a-19 under the Exchange Act no later than May 30, 2023.

Additional requirements regarding shareholder proposals submitted for inclusion in the Company’s proxy materials for an annual general meeting can be found in the Current Articles, which are available as an exhibit to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, as filed on March 24, 2022 (the “Annual Report”). Proposals should be addressed to: at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Josh Patterson, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, or by e-mail to legalnotices@gamida-cell.com.

How can I find out the Meeting voting results?

The preliminary voting results will be announced at the Meeting. The final voting results will be tallied by the Company’s General Counsel based on the information provided by the Company’s transfer agent or otherwise and will be published following the Meeting on a Current Report on Form 8-K that we expect to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) within four business days after the Meeting. If voting results are not available to us in time to file a Current Report on Form 8-K within four business days after the Meeting, we intend to file a Current Report on Form 8-K to publish preliminary results and, within four business days after the final results are known to us, file an additional Report on Form 8-K to publish the final results.

Who is paying for this proxy solicitation?

The Company will bear the costs of solicitation of proxies for the Meeting, including the preparation, assembly, printing, mailing and distribution of the proxy materials. In addition to solicitation by mail, directors, officers and employees of the Company may solicit proxies from shareholders by telephone, personal interview or otherwise. Such directors, officers and employees will not receive additional compensation, but may be reimbursed for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in connection with such solicitation. Brokers, nominees, fiduciaries and other custodians have been requested to forward soliciting material to the beneficial owners of ordinary shares held of record by them, and such custodians will be reimbursed by the Company for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. The Company may also retain an independent contractor to assist in the solicitation of proxies. If retained for such services, the costs will be paid by the Company. Proxies must be submitted to the Company or to its transfer agent no later than midnight on the night prior to the Meeting. Proxies delivered to the Company or to its transfer agent after such time will be presented to the chairperson of the Meeting and, at his discretion, may be voted as specified in the instructions included in such proxies.

What proxy materials are available online?

Copies of the proxy card, the Notice of Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and this Proxy Statement are available at the Investors & Media section of our Company’s website at www.gamida-cell.com. The contents of that website are not a part of this Proxy Statement.

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INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Independence of the Board

Under the corporate governance standards of Nasdaq, a majority of our directors must meet the independence requirements specified in those rules. Following the Meeting, assuming the election of all nominees, our Board will consist of eight members, seven of whom will be independent under the rules of Nasdaq. Specifically, our Board has determined that Mr. Robert I. Blum, Mr. Kenneth I. Moch, Mr. Stephen Wills, Ms. Shawn Tomasello, Ms. Anat Cohen-Dayag, Ms. Naama Halevi Davidov and Dr. Ivan Borrello meet the independence standards under the rules of Nasdaq. In reaching this conclusion, the Board determined that none of these directors has a relationship that would preclude a finding of independence and any relationships that these directors have with us do not impair their independence. There are no family relationships among any of our directors or executive officers.

Under the Company’s Current Articles, the directors who are serving in office will be entitled to act even if a vacancy occurs on the Board. However, should the number of directors, at the time in question, become less than the minimum set forth in our Current Articles, the remaining director(s) will be entitled to act for the purpose of filling the vacancies which will have occurred on the Board or for convening a general meeting, but not for any other purpose.

Because our ordinary shares do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors, the holders of a majority of the voting power represented at a shareholders meeting have the power to elect all our directors up for election or re-election.

In addition, if a director’s office becomes vacant, the remaining serving directors may continue to act in any manner, provided that their number is not less than the minimum number specified in our Current Articles. If the number of serving directors is lower than five, then our Board may only act in an emergency or to fill the office of director which has become vacant up to a number equal to the minimum number provided for in our Current Articles, or in order to call a general meeting of the Company’s shareholders for the purpose of electing directors to fill any of our vacancies. In addition, the directors may appoint, immediately or of a future date, additional director(s) to serve until the annual general meeting of our shareholders at which the term of the applicable class to which such director was assigned expires, provided that the total number of directors in office shall not exceed 11 directors. The office of a director that was appointed by our Board to fill any vacancy shall only be for the remaining period of time during which the director whose service has ended and so filled would have held office.

Pursuant to the Companies Law and our Current Articles, a resolution proposed at any meeting of our Board at which a quorum is present is adopted if approved by a vote of a majority of the directors present and eligible to vote. A quorum of the Board requires at least a majority of the directors then in office who are lawfully entitled to participate in the meeting. At the Meeting shareholders will be requested to approve amendments to our Current Articles that will require that certain resolutions be approved by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then in office and entitled to vote thereon, as further described in Proposal No. 3 below.

Under the Companies Law, the chief executive officer of a public company may not serve as the chairman of the Board of the company unless approved by the holders of a majority of the shares of the company represented at the meeting in person or by proxy or written ballot, for a period that shall not exceed three years for each shareholder approval, provided that:

• at least a majority of the shares of non-controlling shareholders or shareholders that do not have a personal interest in the approval voted at the meeting are voted in favor (disregarding abstentions); or

• the total number of shares of non-controlling shareholders or shareholders that do not have a personal interest in the approval voted against the proposal does not exceed 2% of the aggregate voting rights in the company.

In addition, under the Companies Law, our Board must determine the minimum number of directors who are required to have financial and accounting expertise. Under applicable regulations, a director with financial and accounting expertise is a director who, by reason of his or her education, professional experience and skill, has a high level of proficiency in and understanding of business accounting matters and financial statements. He or she must be able to thoroughly comprehend the financial statements of the listed company and initiate debate regarding the manner in which financial information is presented. In determining the number of directors required to have such expertise,

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the Board must consider, among other things, the type and size of the company and the scope and complexity of its operations. Our Board has determined that we require at least one director with the requisite financial and accounting expertise. Robert Blum has such financial and accounting expertise.

Board Leadership Structure

Our Board has an independent Chairman, Robert Blum, who has authority, among other things, to preside over Board meetings, and shall have such powers and duties as prescribed by the Companies Law. Accordingly, the Chairman has substantial ability to shape the work of the Board. We believe that separation of the positions of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer reinforces the independence of the Board in its oversight of our business and affairs. In addition, we believe that having an independent Chairman creates an environment that is more conducive to objective evaluation and oversight of management’s performance, increasing management accountability and improving the ability of our Board to monitor whether management’s actions are in our best interests and those of our shareholders. As a result, we believe that having an independent Chairman can enhance the effectiveness of our Board as a whole.

Role of the Board in Risk Oversight

One of the key functions of our Board is informed oversight of our risk management process. Our Board has a standing Compliance Committee, which assists the Board in overseeing the Company’s development, operation and monitoring of a compliance program consistent with the Office of Inspector General’s compliance program guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers (and any foreign equivalent guidance provided by relevant authorities outside the United States), as well as the identification and evaluation of the Company’s principal legal and regulatory compliance risks attendant to operating in the health care and life sciences industry. The Board also administers the risk oversight function directly through the Board as a whole, as well as through various standing committees of our Board that address risks inherent in their respective areas of oversight. In particular, our Board is responsible for monitoring and assessing strategic risk exposure and our Audit Committee has the responsibility to consider and discuss our major financial risk exposures and the steps our management has taken to monitor and control these exposures, including guidelines and policies to govern the process by which risk assessment and management is undertaken. The Audit Committee also monitors compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

Meetings of the Board

The Board met 14 times during the last fiscal year. Each member of the Board attended 75% or more of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or she served, held during the portion of the last fiscal year for which he or she was a director or committee member.

Information Regarding Committees of the Board

Audit Committee

Under the Companies Law, the board of directors of any public company must appoint an audit committee. Our Audit Committee consists of Stephen Wills, Kenneth I. Moch and Naama Halevi Davidov. Mr. Wills serves as chairperson of the committee. Our Board affirmatively determined that Stephen Wills is an Audit Committee financial expert as defined by the SEC rules and has the requisite financial experience as defined by the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

The function of the Audit Committee is described in the approved charter of the committee and includes, among other things, (a) overseeing our accounting and financial reporting processes, the audit of our financial statements, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, systems of disclosure controls and procedures, the quality and integrity of our financial statements and reports, and prepare such reports as may be required of an audit committee under applicable rules and regulations, and the pre-approval of all audit, audit-related and all permitted non-audit services, if any, by our independent auditor, and the compensation therefor; (b) deciding whether to approve certain acts and transactions requiring the approval of the committee under the Companies Law; (c) assisting the Board in its oversight of (i) the integrity of our financial statements and other published financial information, (ii) our compliance with applicable financial and accounting related standards, rules and regulations and (iii) the selection, retention (subject to shareholder approval), and termination of our independent auditor; (d) determining whether there are delinquencies in our business management practices, inter alia, by consulting with our internal auditor or

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independent auditor, and to suggesting corrective measures to the Board; and (e) fulfilling any other duties of the committee as shall be required under the Companies Law, the applicable rules and regulations promulgated under the Exchange Act or applicable Nasdaq rules.

A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is available on the “Investors & Media — Corporate Governance — Documents & Charters” page of our website www.gamida-cell.com.

Report of the Audit Committee of the Board*

* The material in this report is not “soliciting material,” is not deemed “filed” with the SEC and is not to be incorporated by reference in any of our filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, whether made before or after the date hereof and irrespective of any general incorporation language in any such filing.

The Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 with management of the Company. The Audit Committee has discussed with the U.S. independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC. The Audit Committee has also received the written disclosures and the letter from the independent registered public accounting firm required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent accountants’ communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and has discussed with the U.S. independent registered public accounting firm the accounting firm’s independence. Based on the foregoing, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the audited financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021.

The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors

Stephen Wills
Kenneth I. Moch
Naama Halevi Davidov

Compensation and Talent Committee

Under the Companies Law, the board of directors of any public company must appoint a compensation committee. Our Compensation and Talent Committee, which consists of Stephen Wills, Kenneth Moch and Shawn Tomasello, assists our Board in determining compensation for our directors and officers. Mr. Moch serves as chairperson of the committee. Our Board has determined that each member of our Compensation and Talent Committee is independent under the Nasdaq Listing Rules, including the additional independence requirements applicable to the members of a compensation committee.

The function of the Compensation and Talent Committee is described in the approved charter of the committee and includes, among other things, (a) assisting the board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities with respect to our compensation policies, plans and programs, and to review and recommend to the board for approval the compensation to be paid to our executive officers and directors; (b) assisting the board in fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure processes and programs are in place to attract, motivate, reward and retain top talent to the our executive officer ranks; (c) preparing and reviewing, as applicable, certain reports and disclosures as required by applicable rules and regulations in effect from time to time; (d) assisting the board in fulfilling its responsibilities related to the compensation of directors, the chief executive officer and other “office holders” (as defined under the Companies Law); (e) assisting the Board in administering the Company’s equity incentive plans; and (f) making such other determinations in respect of compensation, compensation practices and related matters as may be required by a compensation committee under the rules of Nasdaq or the Companies Law.

A copy of the Compensation and Talent Committee Charter is available on the “Investors & Media — Corporate Governance — Documents & Charters” page of our website www.gamida-cell.com.

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

Our Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Robert Blum. Mr. Blum serves as chairperson of the committee. The function of the nominating and corporate governance committee is described in the approved charter of the committee and includes, among other things, (a) identifying, reviewing and evaluating candidates to

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serve as members of the Board, (b) recommending nominees for election as directors, and reviewing and evaluation of incumbent members of the Board; (b) making recommendations to the Board regarding corporate governance guidelines and matters; and (c) overseeing all aspects of the Company’s corporate governance functions and ethical conduct.

A copy of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee charter is available on the
“Investors & Media — Corporate Governance — Documents & Charters” page of our website www.gamida-cell.com.

Science and Technology Committee

In July 2020, the Board formed a Science and Technology Committee, which initially consisted of Michael Perry and Julian Adams. Dr. Perry served as chairperson of the committee until his resignation. Anat Cohen-Dayag was appointed to serve as chairperson of the Science and Technology Committee in January 2022. Ivan Borrello joined the Science and Technology Committee on June 9, 2022. The function of the Science and Technology Committee is described in the approved charter of the committee, and includes the review of Company matters relating to scientific and technologic capabilities and programs, reporting to the Board regarding such review to help facilitate the board of director’s oversight of the Company’s scientific strategic direction and investment in R&D and technology. The committee also discusses significant emerging trends and issues in science and technology and considers the potential impact thereof on the Company.

Compliance Committee

In August 2021, the Board formed a Compliance Committee, which consists of Shawn Tomasello and Robert Blum. Ms. Tomasello serves as chairperson of the committee. The function of the Compliance Committee is described in the approved charter of the committee and includes assisting the Board in overseeing the Company’s development, operation and monitoring of a compliance program consistent with the Office of Inspector General’s compliance program guidance for pharmaceutical manufacturers (and any foreign equivalent guidance provided by relevant authorities outside the United States), as well as the identification and evaluation of the Company’s principal legal and regulatory compliance risks attendant to operating in the health care and life sciences industry.

Shareholder Communications with the Board

The Board expects that the views of our shareholders will be heard by the Board, its committees or individual directors, as applicable, and that appropriate responses be provided to shareholders on a timely basis. Shareholders wishing to formally communicate with the Board, any committee of the Board, the independent directors as a group or any individual director may send communications directly to us at 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02116, Attention: Josh Patterson, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer, or by e-mail to legalnotices@gamida-cell.com. All clearly marked written communications, other than unsolicited advertising or promotional materials, are logged and copied, and forwarded to the director(s) to whom the communication was addressed. Please note that the foregoing communication procedure does not apply to (i) shareholder proposals pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 14a-8 and communications made in connection with such proposals or (ii) service of process or any other notice in a legal proceeding. The General Counsel will review all such communications but may disregard any communication that he or she believes is not related to the duties and responsibilities of the Board. If deemed an appropriate communication, the General Counsel will share the communication with the applicable director or directors.

Code of Ethics

We have adopted a written code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial and accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, known as the Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. The Code of Ethics and Business Conduct is available on our website at https://www.gamida-cell.com under the Corporate Governance section of our Investors & Media page. If we make any substantive amendments to, or grant any waivers from, the code of business conduct and ethics for any officer or director, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website or in a current report on Form 8-K.

Hedging Policy

As part of our Insider Trading Policy, no director, officer or other employee may engage in short sales, transactions in put or call options, hedging transactions, margin accounts or other inherently speculative transactions with respect to the Company’s securities at any time.

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PROPOSAL ONE

RE-ELECTION OF CLASS I DIRECTORS

Classified Board

Under our Current Articles, the number of directors on the Company’s Board is fixed at not less than five and not more than 11 members. The minimum and maximum number of directors who could be appointed may be changed, by a resolution adopted at a general meeting of shareholders, by a majority of 60% of the total voting power of the Company’s shareholders. Our Board is divided into three classes. Each class consists, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of directors, and each class has a three-year term.

The Board presently has eight members. There are two directors in the class whose term of office expires in 2022. Our Board has nominated for election, and our shareholders are being asked to re-elect at the Meeting, each of Mr. Stephen Wills and Ms. Shawn Tomasello to serve as a Class I director of the Company, such office to expire at the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2025.

Each of Mr. Stephen Wills and Ms. Shawn Tomasello has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and has informed us that he or she is willing to serve as a director if elected.

In accordance with the Companies Law, each of Mr. Stephen Wills and Ms. Shawn Tomasello has certified to us that he or she satisfies all of the requirements of the Companies Law to serve as a director of a public company. Such certifications will be available for inspection at the Meeting.

The following is a brief biography of each nominee and each director whose term will continue after the Meeting.

Class I Directors — Nominees for Election for a Three-year Term Expiring at the 2025 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

Shawn C. Tomasello, age 63, has served on our Board since June 2019. From 2015 to 2018, Ms. Tomasello as the Chief Commercial Officer of Kite Pharma. Prior to joining Kite Pharma, from 2014 to 2015, Ms. Tomasello served as the Chief Commercial Officer of Pharmacyclics Inc. (Nasdaq: PCYC), a pharmaceutical manufacturer acquired by Abbvie, Inc. From April 2005 to August 2014, Ms. Tomasello was employed at Celgene Corporation, most recently as President of the Americas, Hematology and Oncology, where she was responsible for all aspects of the commercial organization encompassing multiple brands spanning 11 indications. Ms. Tomasello serves on the board of directors of Mesoblast Limited (ASX: MSB), TCR2 Therapeutics (Nasdaq: TCRR), 4D Molecular Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FDMT) and AlloVir, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALVR) Ms. Tomasello earned her B.S. in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati and her M.B.A. from Murray State University, Kentucky.

Stephen T. Wills, age 65, has served on our Board since June 2019. Mr. Wills currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer (since 1997), and Chief Operating Officer (since 2011), of Palatin Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: PTN), a biopharmaceutical company developing targeted, receptor-specific peptide therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with significant unmet medical need and commercial potential. Mr. Wills also currently serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Cactus Acquisition Corp (Nasdaq: CCTS) (since 2021). Mr. Wills has served on the boards of directors of MediWound Ltd. (Nasdaq: MDWD), since April 2017, and as Chairman since January 2018, and of Amryt Pharma, plc (Nasdaq: AMYT), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and delivering treatments to help improve the lives of patients with rare and orphan diseases, since September 2019 (Chairman of audit committee and member of the finance committee). Mr. Wills also serves on the board of trustees and executive committee of The Hun School of Princeton, a college preparatory day and boarding school, since 2013, and its Chairman since June 2018. Mr. Wills served on the board of directors of Caliper Corporation, a psychological assessment and talent development company, since March 2016, and as Chairman from December 2016 to December 2019, when Caliper was acquired by PSI Corporation. Mr. Wills, a certified public accountant, earned a B.S. in accounting from West Chester University, and an M.S. in taxation from Temple University.

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Proposed Resolution

We are therefore proposing to adopt the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, to elect each of Mr. Stephen Wills and Ms. Shawn Tomasello to serve as a Class I director of the Company, and to hold office until the close of business of the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2025 and until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or until such individual’s earlier resignation or retirement.”

Required Vote

See “What is the quorum requirement, and how many votes are needed to approve each proposal?” above.

Board Recommendation

The Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposed resolution.

Class II Directors Continuing in Office Until the 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

Kenneth I. Moch, age 67, has served on our Board since July 2016. Mr. Moch has more than 35 years of experience in managing and financing biomedical technologies, and has played a key role in building five life science companies. He currently serves as president of Euclidean Life Science Advisors, LLC, where he provides management and advisory services for early-stage biotechnology companies. From 2016 to 2020, Mr. Moch served as the president and chief executive officer of Cognition Therapeutics, Inc., a company developing therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. He previously was the managing partner of The Salutramed Group, LLC, and serves as the chief executive officer of several life sciences companies, including of Chimerix, Inc., an antiviral therapeutics company focused on stem cell transplantation, and Biocyte Corporation, which pioneered the use of cord blood stem cell storage and transplantation. He began his career in biotech as a co-founder of The Liposome Company, the first lipid nanoparticle company. Mr. Moch also serves as a director of Zynerba Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ZYNE). In the public policy arena, Mr. Moch served for over 15 years as a member of the governing board of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, or BIO, including serving as Chair of BIO’s Bioethics Committee and is a previous Chairman of BioNJ. He is a Founding Member of the New York University Working Group on Compassionate Use and Pre-Approval Access, and a Faculty Affiliate of the Division of Medical Ethics, Department of Population Health, NYU School of Medicine. Mr. Moch holds an A.B. in Biochemistry from Princeton University and an M.B.A. with emphasis in Finance and Marketing from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Anat Cohen-Dayag, Ph.D., age 55, has served on our Board since January 2022. Dr. Cohen-Dayag has over 25 years of experience in the biotech industry, both in R&D and executive leadership roles. Since 2010, Dr. Cohen-Dayag has served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board of directors of Compugen Ltd. (Nasdaq: CGEN). Under her leadership, Compugen transformed from a service provider in the field of computational biology to a therapeutic discovery and development company advancing an innovative immuno-oncology pipeline originating from the company’s computational discovery platforms. Prior to Compugen, Dr. Cohen-Dayag served as Head of R&D and was a member of the executive management team of Mindsense Biosystems Ltd., a biotechnology company engaged in the development of biomarkers for mental disorders. She also serves on the board of Pyxis Diagnostics Ltd., an Israeli biotechnology company focused on developing a unique platform to identify predictive biomarkers in the field of immuno-oncology. Dr. Cohen-Dayag holds a B.Sc. in Biology from Ben-Gurion University, an M.Sc. in Chemical Immunology and a Ph.D. in Cellular Biology, both from the Weizmann Institute of Science.

Naama Halevi Davidov, Ph.D., age 50, has served on our Board since January 2022. Dr. Halevi Davidov has served as strategic financial advisor to Joytunes Ltd., a business-to-consumer wellbeing education app, since April 2021. She also served as a strategic financial advisor to Gloat Pty Ltd., a global talent marketplace platform, from March 2020 through November 2021, and to Healthy IO Ltd., a manufacturer and marketer of medical equipment from March 2019 through April 2021. Prior to that, Dr. Halevi Davidov was Chief Financial Officer of Kaltura, Inc. (Nasdaq: KLTR), a global software company, from November 2012 to August 2017. Dr. Halevi Davidov has served on the board of directors of Kaltura, Inc. since July 2021. Dr. Halevi Davidov is a Certified Public Accountant in Israel. She received a Ph.D. in Strategy, an M.B.A. and a B.A. in Accounting and Economics, all from Tel Aviv University.

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Class III Directors Continuing in Office Until the 2024 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders

Robert I. Blum, age 58, joined our Board as Chairman in September 2018. Since January 2007, Mr. Blum has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Cytokinetics, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYTK), a late stage biopharmaceutical company that develops potential treatments for people with diseases characterized by impaired muscle function which Mr. Blum helped to found. Prior to Cytokinetics, Mr. Blum served in senior business development and marketing positions at COR Therapeutics, Inc. (which was acquired by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and in various commercial and business planning roles at Marion Laboratories, Inc. (now part of Sanofi S.A.) and Syntex Corporation (now part of Roche Holding AG). Mr. Blum received B.A. degrees in Human Biology and Economics from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.

Julian Adams, Ph.D., age 67, joined our Board in August 2016 and has served as our Chief Executive Officer since November 2017. Dr. Adams has more than 35 years of experience in drug discovery and development. From 2003 to 2016, Dr. Adams held roles of increasing responsibility at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: INFI), where he built and led the company’s R&D efforts which ultimately led to the approval of duvelisib, also known as Copiktra®, for the treatment of certain leukemias and lymphomas. From 1999 to 2003, Dr. Adams served as a Senior Vice President at Millenium Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a subsidiary of the biopharmaceutical company Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited since 2008, where he led the development of bortezomib, also known as Velcade®, for the treatment of multiple myeloma. He has served on the boards of directors of numerous biotechnology companies, and currently serves as the Chairman of the board of directors of Elicio Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Adams received a B.S. from McGill University and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the field of synthetic organic chemistry.

Ivan Borrello, M.D., age 58, joined our Board in June 2022. Dr. Borrello has served as an Associate Professor of Oncology at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine since 2008. He is also an Attending Physician at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Director of the Cellular Therapeutics and Multiple Myeloma programs. Dr. Borrello is a co-founder of WindMIL Therapeutics where he has served as senior clinical advisor since 2014, and is a co-founder of Meridian Therapeutics where he has served as senior clinical advisor since 2021. From 2001 to 2008, he was an Assistant Professor of Immunotherapy and Hematopoiesis, Hematologic Malignancies at Johns Hopkins Oncology Center. Dr. Borrello received a B.A. in Biology from Catholic University and an M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia.

Board Diversity

The Board Diversity Matrix, below, provides the diversity statistics for our Board.

Board Diversity Matrix (As of March 15, 2022)
Total Number of Directors	8

	Female	Male	Non-Binary	Did not Disclose Gender
Part I: Gender Identity
Directors	3	5	—	—

Part II: Demographic Background	—	—	—	—
African American or Black	—	—	—	—
Alaskan Native or Native American	—	—	—	—
Asian	—	—	—	—
Hispanic or Latinx	—	—	—	—
White	3	5	—	—
Two or More Races or Ethnicities	—	—	—	—
LGBTQ+	—
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background	—

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PROPOSAL TWO

APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO THE EMPLOYMENT TERMS OF DR. JULIAN ADAMS

Background

Pursuant to the approval of shareholders obtained at the annual general meeting of shareholders held on November 17, 2021, Dr. Julian Adams, our director and chief executive officer, currently receives a gross monthly salary of $45,835, which is equivalent to a gross salary of $550,020 on an annualized basis (the “Base Salary”).

In addition, for each full calendar year of employment, Dr. Adams is eligible to receive a cash incentive target gross bonus equal to 40% of the annual gross Base Salary, which pursuant to the approval of shareholders obtained at the annual general meeting of shareholders held on November 17, 2021 was increased to 50% for the year 2021 (the “Target Bonus”). The Target Bonus is based on the attainment of performance goals and milestones that are determined by the Board. Further, under his terms of employment, Dr. Adams is entitled to reimbursement of business expenses, disability coverage and health insurance coverage in accordance with the Company’s health care plan.

Upon termination of his employment (other than for cause), Dr. Adams is entitled to receive the annual Target Bonus, pro-rated for the portion of that year until the last day of employment, and for up to eight months following the date on which his employment is terminated, a monthly payment equal to the sum of the base monthly salary and the cost of health insurance and disability benefit premiums as in effect on the date of termination of his employment.

In the event of a change of control of the Company, if Dr. Adams’ employment is terminated by the Company without cause, or if he resigns on account of good reason, each within 12 months following the change of control, then Dr. Adams will be entitled to a gross bonus payment equal to his annual Target Bonus as well as full acceleration of any options granted to him until the date of the change of control.

At the Meeting, our shareholders will be asked to approve the following amendments to Dr. Adams’ employment terms: (i) an increase of the Base Salary to a gross monthly salary of $47,500, which is equivalent to a gross salary of $570,000 on an annualized basis, effective as of March 1, 2022; (ii) an increase of his Target Bonus for the year 2022 to 50% of his annual Base Salary instead of the 40% target set forth in his employment agreement; (iii) a grant of 48,500 restricted share units of the Company (the “RSUs”) and a grant of options to purchase 291,100 ordinary shares of the Company (the “Options”, and collectively with the Restricted Shares, the “Awards”); and (iv) a grant of a cash bonus of $206,300 and 68,800 RSUs pursuant to the terms and conditions of a special retention program (the “Retention Program”). The exercise price of the Options will be $2.93, which is the closing price of an ordinary share on Nasdaq on the date of approval by the Board (and in any event shall not be less than the fair market value on the date of the grant). The Awards are granted under the Company’s 2017 Share Incentive Plan, as amended and restated (the “Plan”) and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Company’s customary RSU Agreement and Option Agreement, as applicable. The RSUs granted in section (iii) above will vest under the following schedule: 33.3% of the RSUs shall vest on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the grant date. The Options will vest under the following schedule: 25% of the Options, on the first anniversary of the grant date, and 6.25% of the Options, at the end of each subsequent three-month period thereafter over the course of the following 3 years, subject to full acceleration of vesting in the event of certain terminations of employment that occur within 12 months after a change of control, as described above. The RSUs and cash bonus granted under the Retention Program will vest under the following schedule: 50% of the RSUs and cash bonus shall vest on December 31, 2022 and the remaining 50% of the RSUs and cash bonus shall vest on December 31, 2023; provided, in each case, that Dr. Adams remains continuously as Chief Executive Officer of the Company or its subsidiary throughout such vesting dates. The term of the Options will be 10 years, unless they expire earlier in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

The proposed amendments to the employment terms of Dr. Adams were approved by the Compensation and Talent Committee and the Board, which considered, among other factors, Dr. Adams’ performance and contribution to the Company as well as his experience and the terms of the Company’s compensation policy. When reviewing Dr. Adams’ terms of employment, the Compensation and Talent Committee and the Board reviewed a peer group compensation survey prepared by an independent compensation advisor and considered market trends in similar companies. The employment terms of Dr. Adams following the proposed amendments are consistent with our compensation policy.

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Proposed Resolution

We are therefore proposing to adopt the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, to approve the amendments to the terms of employment of Dr. Adams, a director and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, as described in the Proxy Statement dated June 22, 2022.”

Required Vote

See “What is the quorum requirement, and how many votes are needed to approve each proposal?” above.

Shareholders should be aware that the Company will not be authorized to amend Dr. Adams’ employment terms unless this Proposal 2 is approved by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power represented at the Meeting in person or by proxy and voting thereon.

Board Recommendation

The Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposed resolution.

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PROPOSAL THREE

APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY’S
AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION

Background

The shareholders of the Company are requested to approve amendments to the Current Articles, as set forth in the form of our Current Articles as proposed to be amended hereby, attached as Annex A to this Proxy Statement (additions are underlined and deletions are struck through).

Our Board, following the recommendation of our nominating and governance committee, has considered the appropriateness of the proposed amendments to the Current Articles and has determined that it is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders to adopt such proposed amendments to our Current Articles.

The proposed amendments include the following changes to the Current Articles:

Special Majority Board Approval for Significant Transactions

We propose to approve an amendment to the Current Articles to include a provision which would require the affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then serving and entitled to vote thereon, in order to approve certain transactions which may have a significant effect on the Company’s structure, assets or business, including significant mergers and acquisitions, a disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, a voluntary dissolution and material changes to the principal business of the Company. Any amendment or replacement of such provision would be subject, in addition to the approval of the Company’s shareholders, to the approval of the aforesaid special majority of the Board.

Restrictions on Certain Business Transactions

Additionally, we propose to approve an amendment to the Current Articles to add a provision which would restrict certain business transactions with any shareholder (and its affiliates) who holds (beneficially or of record) 20% or more of the voting power in the Company, unless such business combination is approved by the Board with the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the Directors then in office and entitled to vote thereon. The restricted business combinations would include mergers, consolidations and dispositions of assets having a value of 10% or more of (i) the Company’s assets or (ii) of the market value of its outstanding shares. Any amendment or replacement of such provision would be subject, in addition to the approval of the Company’s shareholders, to an approval by the aforesaid special majority of the Board.

Board Approval to Amend the Current Articles

We also propose to approve a Delaware-like approval mechanism requiring an affirmative vote of a majority of the Directors then in office and entitled to vote thereon, in addition to the approval of our shareholders, in order to amend the Current Articles, as they may be amended from time to time, (generally, without derogating from specific provisions which require approval by a special majority of the Board for amendment thereof).

All of the foregoing amendments to the Company’s Current Articles are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Current Articles, as proposed to be amended hereby, a copy of which is attached as Annex A (additions are underlined and deletions are struck through).

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Proposed Resolution

We are therefore proposing to adopt the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, to approve the amendments to the Company’s amended and restated articles of association, as described in the Proxy Statement dated June 22, 2022.”

Required Vote

See “Quorum and Required Vote” above.

Board Recommendation

The Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposed resolution.

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PROPOSAL FOUR

RE-APPOINTMENT OF AUDITORS

Background

Under the Companies Law and our Current Articles, the shareholders of the Company are authorized to appoint the Company’s independent auditors. In addition, under our Current Articles, the Board is authorized to determine the independent auditor’s remuneration. The Nasdaq corporate governance rules require that the Company’s Audit Committee approve the re-appointment and remuneration of the independent auditor.

At the Meeting, shareholders will be asked to approve the re-appointment of Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a member firm of Ernst & Young Global (the “Firm”), as the Company’s independent auditors for the year ending December 31, 2022, and its service until the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2023. The Firm has audited the Company’s financial statements since 2000.

We paid the following fees for professional services rendered by the Firm for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2021	2020
	(US$ in thousands)	(US$ in thousands)
Audit Fees(1)	365	315
Audit-Related Fees(2)	—	—
Tax Fees(3)	8	8
All Other Fees(4)	—	20
Total	373	343

____________

(1) Audit fees are the aggregate fees billed for the audit of our annual financial statements, quarterly review, statutory audits, issuance of consents and assistance with and review of documents filed with the SEC.

(2) Audit-related fees would be assurance and related services by our independent registered public accounting firm that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of our consolidated financial statements and are not reported under item (1).

(3) Tax fees relate to tax compliance, planning and advice.

(4) All other fees would be fees billed for services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm, with respect to government incentives and other matters.

Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

Our Audit Committee provides assistance to our Board in fulfilling its legal and fiduciary obligations in matters involving our accounting, auditing, financial reporting, internal control and legal compliance functions by pre-approving the services performed by our independent accountants and reviewing their reports regarding our accounting practices and systems of internal control over financial reporting. Our Audit Committee also oversees the audit efforts of our independent accountants and takes those actions that it deems necessary to satisfy itself that the accountants are independent of management. Our Audit Committee has authorized all auditing and non-auditing services provided by the Firm during 2021 and 2020 and the fees paid for such services.

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Proposed Resolution

We are therefore proposing to adopt the following resolution:

“RESOLVED, to approve the re-appointment of Kost, Forer, Gabbay & Kasierer, a member firm of
Ernst & Young Global, as the Company’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and its service until the annual general meeting of shareholders to be held in 2023.”

Required Vote

See “What is the quorum requirement, and how many votes are needed to approve each proposal?” above.

Board Recommendation

The Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the proposed resolution.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The table below sets forth our executive officers and their respective ages as of June 1, 2022.

Name	Age	Position
Dr. Julian Adams	67	Director and Chief Executive Officer
Shai Lankry	45	Chief Financial Officer
Michele Korfin	50	Chief Operating and Chief Commercial Officer
Josh Patterson	46	General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

The biography of Dr. Adams is set forth in “Proposal 1: Election of Directors” above.

Shai Lankry has served as our Chief Financial Officer since April 2018. Mr. Lankry has more than 15 years of senior management experience in finance. Prior to joining Gamida Cell, from 2016 to 2018, Mr. Lankry served as a Finance Director at West Pharmaceutical Services Inc., leading the R&D and operations financials for the Israeli subsidiary. From 2013 to 2017, Mr. Lankry was the Chief Financial Officer and Israeli Site Manager of Macrocure Ltd. where he played an integral role in the company’s 2014 US initial public offering and its 2017 acquisition by Leap Therapeutics Inc. Mr. Lankry is a licensed Israeli CPA and holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Tel-Aviv University.

Michele Korfin has served as our Chief Operating and Chief Commercial Officer since August 20

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Gamida Cell Ltd.