Fairway Consulting Group Appoints VP
April 8, 2026 – New York City-based executive search firm Fairway Consulting Group has expanded with the addition of Dan Strauss as vice president and client partner. “Strauss’s experience, industry relationships, and proven ability to partner with life sciences organizations make him an exceptional addition to our team,” said Dan Gold, president of Fairway Consulting Group. “Fairway is committed to delivering world class talent solutions to the most important life science companies in the world, and Strauss’s commitment to excellence will help us strengthen existing client relationships and build new partnerships across the market.”
Mr. Strauss brings extensive life sciences search experience to Fairway. Most recently, he served as client partner and practice lead at Klein Hersh, where he led the firm’s pharmacovigilance and risk management practice and co-led its human resources and talent acquisition practice, since 2010. Mr. Strauss has developed a reputation for driving successful executive search outcomes across the life sciences landscape and has earned multiple industry recognitions.
“I’m excited to join Fairway Consulting Group at such an important time in its growth.” said Mr. Strauss. “Fairway has built a strong reputation in life sciences search, and I look forward to helping expand the firm’s reach.”
Fairway Consulting Group is an executive recruiting firm focused on providing talent solutions for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, diagnostic, and medical device industries for over 25 years. The firm has executed more than 1,700 searches. Its recruiting professionals focus on senior commercial operations and R&D roles.
Related: Leadership Void: Change Agents Sought for Life Sciences Sector
Fairway Consulting Group has been named as a Top 40 Life Sciences Executive Search Firm by Hunt Scanlon Media. “We are honored to be recognized as a leader in our industry by Hunt Scanlon,” said Mr. Gold. “Over the past 25 years, Fairway has built a distinguished reputation and results for our clients. We are committed to partnering with executive teams to find high impact talent, and are proud to say 85 percent of our searches are for returning clients.”
Finding Life Sciences Leaders in 2026
Executive recruiting in the life sciences sector in 2026 is being shaped by a convergence of scientific innovation, capital discipline, and evolving regulatory complexity. Demand for leadership talent remains strong across biopharma, medtech, and emerging modalities such as cell and gene therapy, but hiring mandates are increasingly focused on executives who can operate at the intersection of science, commercialization, and operational execution. Boards and investors are prioritizing leaders with proven experience navigating clinical development, regulatory pathways, and market access, while also demonstrating the ability to scale organizations efficiently in a more constrained funding environment. As a result, searches are taking longer and candidate pools are narrower, particularly for roles that require both deep technical expertise and enterprise leadership capability.
At the same time, executive search firms are seeing a shift in how clients define “impact” in leadership hires. Beyond traditional credentials, there is heightened emphasis on leaders who can drive measurable outcomes—whether accelerating time to market, securing strategic partnerships, or aligning cross-functional teams in increasingly complex organizations. Talent scarcity remains acute in areas such as AI-enabled drug discovery, translational medicine, and advanced manufacturing, prompting firms to look beyond traditional industry boundaries and consider adjacent sectors for transferable leadership skills. In this environment, successful recruiting strategies are more data-driven and consultative, with search firms playing a broader advisory role in role design, succession planning, and long-term talent strategy.
Related: Evolving Life Sciences/Healthcare Sector Busier Than Ever for Recruiters
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
