Heidrick & Struggles Appoints Co-Leaders of Global Biopharmaceutical Practice
December 21, 2017 – Executive search, leadership consulting and culture shaping services provider Heidrick & Struggles International has named Tim Dietlin and Niren Thanky to co-lead the global biopharmaceutical segment of its healthcare and life sciences practice.
Mr. Dietlin is based in Chicago and Mr. Thanky is in London. Together, they are charged with building on the firm’s biopharmaceutical capabilities in key industry markets and further enhancing client service globally, said Heidrick. The appointments come as the biopharma sector experiences increasing demand for talent that can successfully navigate rapid change and technological disruption.
“Tim and Niren bring to their roles a deep understanding of the new market dynamics coming to the forefront of the biopharma space globally,” said John Mitchell, global managing partner of the firm’s healthcare and life sciences practice. “Their leadership will enhance our focus in key geographies to better support our clients’ needs for differentiating talent in the wake of constant disruption and changing technology, market-access rules and regulatory demands.”
Heidrick & Struggles Names President and CEO
Heidrick & Struggles has named Krishnan Rajagopalan as its new president and CEO. Mr. Rajagopalan, who has served as acting CEO since Tracy Wolstencroft took a medical leave of absence in April, will also become board member.
Mr. Dietlin has 16 years of experience in global life sciences, having served as an advisor to biopharmaceutical leaders and leadership teams. He works across biopharma sectors—including established pharmaceuticals, emerging high-growth biotechs and service providers to the industry—in recruiting chief executive officers, commercial leaders and R&D leaders. Previously, he worked at IBM as partner of life sciences strategy and transformation.
Mr. Thanky has over 12 years of executive search expertise. He previously worked in the pharmaceutical industry across various functions including discovery research, product communications and corporate affairs. He focuses on searches for senior executive leaders in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, diagnostic and healthcare services sectors. Before joining Heidrick, Mr. Thanky served as a consultant at Imprint and Chandler Chicco Agency.
Heidrick & Struggles’ healthcare and life sciences search practice operates as one integrated global team. Its recruiters execute more than 400 healthcare and life sciences engagements annually and serve a variety of public and private companies, from early stage start-ups to large public companies. Clients include a number of global life sciences companies in diverse sectors: medical devices and diagnostics, pharmaceuticals and contract research organizations, research and development, healthcare services, biotechnology and managed care.
Recent Leaderships Changes at Heidrick
In November, Heidrick named new leadership in the Americas with the appointments of Dominique Hansen as head of investment management and Renee Neri as head of asset management. Based in the Toronto office, Ms. Hansen will also serve as head of the firm’s CEO and board of directors practice in Canada.
In June, Heidrick appointed Andrew LeSueur as head of leadership consulting in the Americas. He also continues to support his executive search clients and the industrial and supply chain practices as he transitions into his new role. Mr. LeSueur joined Heidrick & Struggles in 2015 from McKinsey, where he was partner in the operations practice.
In May, the Chicago-based firm named Elizabeth Simpson as head of financial services in New York. Expanding on her duties, Ms. Simpson is now responsible for driving Heidrick’s regional business development, collaborating across the organization’s complementary lines of business and mentoring and developing talent internally.
Also in May, Heidrick appointed Bo Herbst to lead its industrial practice worldwide as global practice managing partner. Mr. Herbst’s new position is an extension of his role as regional practice managing partner for the firm’s industrial practice in the Americas, which he will continue to hold while leading the practice globally.
Heidrick recently named Ian Johnston as managing partner for its culture shaping business for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Mr. Johnston has been a senior leader of culture shaping in the European region for the past 15 years, serving most recently as partner. He is known for enabling CEOs to lead with vitality, vision and clear purpose.
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor; and Will Schatz, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
