Senior Leadership Buildout for CNS Drug Discovery Biotechnology

We placed a CNS discovery leader, advancing psychiatry programs and strengthening the client’s team.

Client Requirement

Our task was to search for a candidate with the following skill set:

•  <15 years drug discovery experience within an industry setting with a PhD.
•  <10 years CNS discovery experience, preferably in psychiatry/epilepsy.
•   Significant leadership experience to lead a team of approximately 15 and grow it further.
•  Experience internalizing discovery projects and overseeing multifunctional groups, including preclinical, medicinal industry, pharmacology/toxicology, CMC, among others.

The Challenge

This new role required a seasoned discovery expert to build a portfolio of early psychiatry programs. The candidate needed a track record of identifying promising programs and making critical Go/No-Go decisions, as well as overseeing programs from discovery and preclinical stages through to FIH (First-in-Human) studies, specifically within psychiatry. Additionally, the role required onsite presence, as the candidate would be responsible for building and leading the team.

The Solution

Following agreement on a retained campaign, a full briefing was held between Barrington James, HR, and the CSO. In the first week, we identified five well-qualified candidates, with two more later in the month. Six candidates proceeded to the first-stage interview, narrowing down to two finalists who then visited the onsite location to meet the team and present. An offer was extended to the chosen candidate, with the other kept warm as a backup. The offer was successfully accepted, and we conducted regular check-ins at one, three, and six months of employment. This search’s success led to immediate senior-level searches at the Senior Director level.

Client Feedback

“It has been a real pleasure working with you on this, and from a results, process, and responsiveness point of view, we could not have wished for better. Our new hire has been a natural fit into the team and is already making significant contributions.”

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