Context
The client was preparing to commercialise its first asset in Europe. With no existing European footprint, they required a senior medical leader as a first hire and guidance on how to establish a credible, scalable presence in the region.

Initial Engagement
I was contacted directly by the Medical Director / CMO based in Boston to support the recruitment of a Head of Medical for Europe. Beyond the immediate hire, there was a broader strategic question around how and where to build the company’s European organisation.

Approach
In addition to leading the search, I worked closely with the CEO to advise on the location of the European headquarters, taking into account:
 

• Availability and depth of medical and commercial talent

• Regulatory and operational considerations

• Longer-term scalability rather than short-term convenience

Given the early stage of the expansion, we agreed that an interim EU Head of Medical would provide the right balance of speed, experience, and flexibility.

Outcome
The interim Head of Medical was successfully appointed and played a central role in establishing the European medical function.

Over the following four years, as the organisation matured, I continued to support the business through successive phases of growth. This included building out the broader medical organisation from senior signatory roles through to field-based medical, and introducing additional specialist recruiters from the team as needs expanded.

As the company moved towards acquisition, I supported key leadership hires beyond medical, including:
 

• General Manager (UK)

• Head of HR (Europe)

• A range of commercial and operational support functions

Impact
By the time the client’s lead asset was acquired, they had a fully functioning European organisation with experienced leadership in place and teams built to regulatory and commercial standards. What began as a single, high-stakes medical hire became a long-term partnership supporting the client through expansion, execution, and exit.