Client background
This Boston area biotech company is developing innovative treatments for multiple neurodegenerative diseases. They are a small, public company with their lead program in Phase 2 clinical trials.
The Challenge
The CMO was seeking a SVP of Regulatory & Quality to build and lead both functions, and serve as the primary contact with FDA and other Health Authorities. This was to replace the previous VP of Regulatory who recently left the organization. They had already interviewed several candidates but weren’t satisfied that they were the right fit for their team, lacking either the strategic thinking they wanted to advance their pipeline, or the executive presence needed to address their Board of Directors.
Their ideal candidate needed to have a strong Regulatory background in rare disease and neurology indications. In addition, they preferred someone with Quality Assurance experience who was comfortable overseeing their Quality function. They wanted a candidate located in the Greater Boston area who could come into the office regularly and who would be comfortable in a small company environment. Finally, they wanted someone with strong leadership experience who had the gravitas to work with their Executive Leadership Team and present to their Board of Directors.
Our Approach
Dennis Partners had a kickoff meeting in mid-June to understand their requirements and preferences. Based on their specifications, we focused our search on senior Regulatory leaders in the Greater Boston Area with rare disease and CNS backgrounds. This yielded roughly 175 candidates. We then reached out to that pool of candidates to screen against the additional job requirements, previous experience, and availability.
Result
Within two weeks from starting the search, we identified, screened, and submitted five candidates who met the qualifications for the role. Four of these were screened by HR and the top two were selected for interviews by the CMO. They then advanced their top candidate to meet with several company executives including the CSO, CPO and CEO.
Forty-five days from the start of our search, references were checked and an offer was extended. The candidate accepted the position and will be starting with the company in a few weeks.