Life Sciences · Chief Medical Officer
Chief Medical Officer executive search.
Retained CMO search for biotech, pharmaceutical and medtech companies at clinical and commercial stage.
What the role is
A short definition.
A Chief Medical Officer leads the medical function of a life sciences company — clinical strategy, medical affairs, safety, and increasingly commercial and payer strategy. In specialty and rare disease areas the CMO is board-facing and typically holds direct accountability for both clinical development and post-approval medical affairs.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Clinical development strategy and trial design oversight
- Medical affairs — publications, KOL engagement, congress presence
- Safety and pharmacovigilance leadership
- Regulatory engagement alongside the Head of Regulatory Affairs
- Commercial and payer strategy in specialty and rare disease
- Executive team representation for the medical function on Board and Investor meetings
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
On the transition from a clinical-development-only CMO to a broader clinical-and-commercial CMO; on entry into pivotal trials; ahead of a therapeutic-area launch; on a change of therapeutic focus; on the departure of an incumbent CMO.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained. Candidate pools include sitting CMOs at comparable companies, senior VPs of Clinical Development ready for the CMO step-up, and senior pharma medical leaders moving from big pharma into biotech. Every mandate is led by a partner with genuine clinical and regulatory fluency.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you handle CMO searches for both clinical-stage and commercial-stage companies?
Yes. The profile requirements differ substantially — clinical-stage CMOs typically bring deeper trial-design experience, while commercial-stage CMOs bring launch and payer experience. We calibrate against the specific brief.
Can you support therapeutic-area-specific CMO searches?
Yes. Oncology, rare disease, neuroscience, immunology and metabolic disease each require candidates with specific therapeutic depth. We map candidates against the specific area.
How do you coordinate with the Board on CMO appointments?
Most CMO appointments involve Board scrutiny beyond the CEO. We coordinate Board or scientific advisory board interviews as part of the mandate.
How long does a CMO search take?
Fourteen to eighteen weeks brief to accepted offer is typical.
How is CMO compensation structured?
Base salary, cash bonus, and share-based long-term component consistent with the wider executive package. CMO compensation in specialty and rare disease has risen sharply in the last three years.
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