---
schema_version: "secwatch.filing_event.v1"
accession: "0001140361-25-000708"
form_type: "8-K"
ticker: null
cik: "0001840904"
company_name: "ATAI Life Sciences N.V."
filed_at: "2025-01-10T23:59:59+00:00"
generated_at: "2026-05-28T05:34:08.482334+00:00"
event_type: "leadership"
sentiment: "neutral"
materiality_score: 0.6
calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
confidence: "high"
source: SEC EDGAR
---

# atai appoints Srinivas Rao as sole CEO, Gerd Kochendoerfer as COO, promotes Kevin Craig to CMO and Glenn Short to CSO

## Summary
- Dr. Srinivas Rao becomes sole CEO effective Jan 1, 2025, after co-CEO transition.
- Gerd Kochendoerfer appointed COO effective Dec 3, 2024, from NFlection Therapeutics.
- Kevin Craig promoted to CMO leading VLS-01 and EMP-01 Phase 2 trials; Glenn Short named CSO.
- VLS-01 now screening patients; Phase 2b data for BPL-003 (Beckley Psytech) expected mid-2025.
- Dr. Rao receives $629,200 base salary, 55% bonus target, and option for 2.34M shares.

## SEC filing metadata
- accession: 0001140361-25-000708
- form_type: 8-K
- cik: 0001840904
- company_name: ATAI Life Sciences N.V.
- filed_at: 2025-01-10T23:59:59+00:00
- event_type: leadership
- sentiment: neutral
- materiality_score: 0.6
- calibrated_materiality_score: 0.6
- confidence: high
- sec_items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
- EDGAR index: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1840904/000114036125000708/0001140361-25-000708-index.htm
- EDGAR primary document: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1840904/000114036125000708/ef20040004_8k.htm

## Machine-readable alternates
- HTML: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-25-000708
- JSON: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-25-000708.json
- Plain text: https://secwatch.observer/filing/0001140361-25-000708.txt

## Key facts
- Executive change
  Srinivas Rao was appointed as Chief Executive Officer at ATAI Life Sciences N.V..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Dr. Srinivas Rao will serve as the Company’s sole Chief Executive Officer and principal executive officer, effective January 1, 2025.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1840904/000114036125000708/0001140361-25-000708-index.htm
- Executive change
  Florian Brand departed as Co-Chief Executive Officer at ATAI Life Sciences N.V..
  - Action: stepped down
  - Role: Co-Chief Executive Officer
  source text: Florian Brand stepped down as Co-Chief Executive Officer and member of the Company’s management board as of December 31, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1840904/000114036125000708/0001140361-25-000708-index.htm
- Executive change
  Gerd Kochendoerfer was appointed as Chief Operating Officer at ATAI Life Sciences N.V..
  - Action: appointed
  - Role: Chief Operating Officer
  source text: the Board appointed Dr. Gerd Kochendoerfer as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, effective December 3, 2024.
  evidence_url: https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1840904/000114036125000708/0001140361-25-000708-index.htm

This AI-assisted summary is a reading aid. Review the linked SEC EDGAR filing before relying on any specific claim.