QA Director after an inspection: interim first, permanent second
Interim quality lead placed first · permanent search once the site had stabilised
A manufacturing site came out of an inspection with findings against quality and validation, and the CEO wanted a permanent QA Director in place as fast as possible. Russell's advice was to separate two needs that had been folded into one brief. The immediate need was remediation expertise: someone who had led a site through inspection follow-up before and could start within weeks. The longer-term need was a QA Director to build and lead the function for years. He placed an interim quality lead to run the remediation, and started the permanent search once the site had stabilised, so the client could recruit for the long-term role rather than the emergency, and candidates could see where the function stood.
Chief Operating Officer search, paused at the intake call
Executive search · one profile agreed before any approach
In the intake call the CEO described an operator to run the plant and the investor described an executive to lead the company towards a sale. Russell suggested they agree one profile before any candidate was approached, because a search run on both would produce a shortlist that satisfied neither. They came back with a single profile, and the search ran on that.
One role that was two: Head of Quality and Regulatory
Executive search · role split and sequenced
A scale-up adding manufacturing to development wanted a single Head of Quality and Regulatory. At that stage the two remits pulled in different directions: building a GMP quality system for a new manufacturing operation was a full-time job in its own right, while the regulatory workload depended on a submissions calendar that was not yet fixed. Combining them would have meant one of the two getting less attention exactly when it mattered. The company hired a Head of Quality first, with senior regulatory support alongside, and made the regulatory leadership appointment later, once the submissions calendar was clear.
Site Director, mid-sized generic pharmaceutical manufacturer, Netherlands
Executive search · filled within twelve weeks
The profile was reworked with the senior management team before any approach: it added responsibilities the site actually needed and dropped requirements no credible candidate would meet. The search then ran on three fronts at once, direct approaches to mapped candidates, network referrals and a targeted advertisement agreed with the client, and the role was filled within twelve weeks.
Vice President Operations, biotech
Executive search · appointed against first-year outcomes
The role was rebuilt with the senior management team around what the operations leader had to achieve in the first year, rather than a list of qualifications. The search ran directly into the market, through the network and with a targeted advertisement agreed with the client, and the appointment was made against the rebuilt profile.
Chief Commercial Officer, life sciences
Executive search · a Sales Director brief reframed
The request was for a Director of Sales. The briefing showed a bigger job: someone who could engage credibly with C-level customers while leading more than ten people across senior account management, business development and marketing. Russell challenged whether the proposed title and seniority reflected that responsibility, and recommended positioning the search at Chief Commercial Officer level, with a profile combining executive presence, commercial strategy and leadership across several functions. That clarity shaped a focused search and a candidate suited to the full scope of the company's commercial needs. The role was filled at CCO level.
