Calibre One Names Life Sciences Practice Leader
November 1, 2019 – Executive search firm Calibre One has appointed Noah Parekh as a partner and leader of its newly created life sciences practice. He will be based in the firm’s new Boston office.
“We are thrilled to welcome Noah to the team,” said Dan Grosh, managing partner in the U.S. “We have been conducting several key searches for clients in life sciences undergoing significant digital transformation. As a true entrepreneur, Noah has a vision for how to build and lead this core practice for Calibre One and fits in seamlessly with our team.”
“With the addition of Noah, we have substantially strengthened our industry expertise and access to senior executives in biotech to bring clients and investors the global talent they need to thrive,” said Diane McIntyre, managing partner of Calibre One in the U.S. “The life sciences sector, where machine learning, IoT, AI, robotics, digital therapeutics and other technologies hold the most potential to transform the industry.”
Mr. Parekh joins Calibre One as life science business practice lead on C-suite, board and senior level global executive search assignments across the scientific and commercial spectrum within the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors. He draws on over 18 years of experience in life-science search, recently as partner with Chase Search Group, the retained search firm he founded in 2006 in Cambridge, MA.
With a total of 22 years in executive search, Mr. Parekh brings expertise within leadership functions of research, clinical development, operations and commercial. As a specialist he has extensive venture capital and private equity expertise in new company creation to midsize organizations. He has special expertise in rare disease, gene therapy, immuno-oncology, neuroscience, precision medicine, digital medicine, diagnostics and emerging markets within AI and machine learning.
The search was conducted by Rochelle Schumer, president of R&L Associates, a search firm specializing in placing search professionals within the search industry.
Closing the Deal with Candidates in the Life Sciences Sector
The competitive landscape of the life sciences industry is transforming recruiting. “Growing pressure to rapidly advance scientific discovery and expand market share is making the competition to attract top talent as fierce as ever,” according to a report by Dan Strauss, head of the pharmacovigilance and risk management practice at Klein Hersh International.
Massachusetts is a growing global hub for life sciences innovation. According to the Boston Business Journal, the biotech sector accounts for many of the fastest-growing companies in the state. Coupled with an unemployment rate of 3.9 percent, the result is low labor supply and intense competition for top leaders. Given these realities, Deloitte’s “Global Life Sciences Outlook” identified talent shortages as a continuing obstacle for companies looking to grow and evolve.
Growing Search Firm
An international recruiting boutique specializing in working with technology-centric businesses at all stages of development, Calibre One represents Fortune 1000 companies in their hunt for top talent, including companies such as AMEX, Flex, eBay, Expedia, NetSuite, Monster, TripAdvisor, Symantec, and Fiserv & Hearst.
During the summer, Calibre One brought in David P. Madden as a partner in its Menlo Park office. He further strengthens the firm’s global technology practice and becomes the co-leader the Calibre One’s broader expansion into serving private equity owned technology assets. Mr. Madden has more than a decade of executive search expertise with a focus on growth phase, privately held technology companies. Previously, he was a partner with DHR International, where he was an active member of the firm’s technology and private equity practices.
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The firm recently added Amanda H. Grant as a partner in its New York office. She was brought in to further strengthen Calibre One’s investments and financial services business. Ms. Grant has over 25 years’ experience in investment management leadership. Most recently, she served as managing partner at an executive search boutique specializing in talent management for the asset and wealth management industry.
“Calibre One’s financial services team leverages years of investment and distribution leadership, combined with our global reach and technology expertise to work at the convergence of the present and future of investment management,” said David Schumer, partner of Calibre One and head of investment management. “With the addition of Amanda to help co-lead this effort, we have substantially strengthened our positioning and expertise by giving Calibre One unparalleled access to leaders in the industry.”
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media