Life Sciences · Biotech CEO
Biotech CEO executive search.
Retained CEO search for clinical-stage and commercial-stage biotech companies.
What the role is
A short definition.
A biotech CEO leads a company across scientific, clinical, regulatory, financial and (once relevant) commercial dimensions. The CEO profile differs materially between clinical stage and commercial stage: clinical-stage CEOs typically bring scientific and regulatory depth, capital-markets fluency, and comfort with milestone-driven risk; commercial-stage CEOs bring operational scale-up experience and P&L accountability.
Core responsibilities
What we assess candidates against.
- Scientific and clinical strategy — programme prioritisation, indication selection, trial design
- Regulatory strategy — MHRA / EMA / FDA pathway; pre-approval interactions
- Capital strategy — venture, IPO, partnership, non-dilutive; investor relations
- Executive team — CMO, CSO, CFO, Head of Regulatory, Head of Clinical Development
- Board and lead-investor engagement
- Commercial preparation, launch and (once approved) commercial performance
When to run this search
Typical triggers.
Around Series C or transition into pivotal trials, most biotech boards revisit whether the founder-CEO is the right person to take the company to approval and launch. Also: on a change of programme thesis, on acquisition or reverse-merger, or on the departure of an incumbent CEO.
How we search
The specific approach we take.
Retained mandates. Candidate pools include sitting CEOs at comparable-stage biotechs, senior executives from adjacent-therapeutic-area biotechs, senior pharma R&D executives ready for a CEO step-up, and academic-founder CEOs looking to move into professionally-managed biotechs. Every mandate is led personally by a partner with genuine scientific and regulatory fluency, and every shortlist is presented with our written assessment.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you understand the difference between clinical-stage and commercial-stage CEO profiles?
Yes. This is the single most important distinction in biotech CEO search, and getting it wrong is the most common cause of biotech CEO failure. We calibrate the brief before writing the mandate.
Can you support UK, US or European biotech CEO searches?
Yes. UK-headquartered biotechs frequently draw on US and Continental European candidates. We coordinate relocation, visa and share-based compensation structures where relevant.
How do you handle investor coordination on the mandate?
Most biotech CEO searches require board and lead-investor sign-off. We manage the investor coordination as part of the mandate, including scheduling investor meetings at shortlist stage where required.
How long does a biotech CEO search take?
Fourteen to twenty weeks brief to accepted offer is typical. International candidates or complex compensation structures can add three to four weeks.
How is compensation structured?
Base salary, cash bonus, and a substantial share-based long-term component. Early-stage private biotechs typically use founder-equity ratchets; later-stage or listed biotechs use standardised LTIP grants.
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