Building a High-Performing Commercial Team for a Mid-Sized Pharmaceutical’s Expansion in Germany

Learn how Barrington James successfully assembled a dedicated commercial team for a mid-sized French pharmaceutical company, enabling strategic product launches and establishing a strong foothold in the German market.

The Challenge

A mid-sized pharmaceutical company headquartered in France with global operations. The client focuses on haematology and medical devices, specializing in proprietary drug delivery systems. With a headcount of 2,500, the company conducts R&D in France and manages commercial and distribution operations in Central Europe. At the time of engagement, they were preparing for two product launches while managing a major product that had been on the market for over a decade.

The client was expanding into the German market, a territory where they previously had little presence. To support this initiative, they needed to quickly assemble a commercial team, including three Area Managers and one Medical Science Liaison (MSL), within three months. The rapid expansion plans and the novelty of the territory posed significant recruitment challenges.

Additionally, the client’s interview processes were hindered by time constraints among the hiring panel, making it difficult to move candidates through the pipeline efficiently.

Our Approach

Barrington James began by engaging with the German entity’s stakeholders across various hiring capacities to understand their unique drivers and shared goals. This allowed us to adapt our qualification process to address the critical points specific to the client’s needs.

Our partnership spanned the entire drug development lifecycle, excluding professional services, from early drug discovery and R&D to clinical, regulatory, medical, and commercialization functions. For this specific project, we focused on building a cohesive, motivated commercial team capable of launching two rare disease products in an untapped market.

Despite challenges in scheduling and interview panel availability, we worked closely with the client to streamline processes, encouraging flexibility among candidates and hiring managers to meet tight deadlines.

Results

• Rapid Team Formation: Within three months, we successfully placed three Area Managers and one MSL, forming a new commercial team in Germany.
• Strategic Market Entry: This team was instrumental in launching two rare disease products, positioning the client to capture market share in a previously untapped and unsaturated territory.
• Preferred Recruitment Partner: Based on the success of this project, the client has provided positive feedback and designated Barrington James as their preferred supplier for the German market.

 The client praised Barrington James for its ability to align candidates with their technical and cultural needs. Regular service reviews allowed us to identify areas for continuous improvement, strengthening the partnership.

Moving forward, Barrington James is expected to support the client’s expansion into other European territories, building on the strong collaboration with their HR team in France.