The client is a gene editing company that needed scientific leadership and independent governance at the same time. It asked Invenia Search to lead four senior appointments: a Chief Scientific Officer, two scientific advisory board members and an independent board member.
Sequencing the appointments
We ran the Chief Scientific Officer appointment first. With the company's scientific leadership in place, we moved on to the two scientific advisory board seats and the independent board appointment.
A different kind of search
Advisory and non-executive appointments work differently to executive hires. The candidates aren't looking, and the conversation is about the science and the stage of the company rather than the package. The approach has to come from someone who can hold that discussion credibly.
One consultant across all four appointments
The same consultant ran all four searches. By the second appointment, we understood what the board was missing rather than being briefed on it.
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