WittKieffer Expands Interim Leadership Solutions into Life Sciences and Investor-Backed Healthcare
December 6, 2023 – Oak Brook-IL-based WittKieffer has expanded its interim and on-demand leadership solutions to the life sciences and investor-backed healthcare markets. Ysette Witteveen, a veteran interim and on-demand talent advisor and former management consultant, has been named as managing partner & practice leader, interim leadership – life sciences and investor-backed healthcare.
“WittKieffer specializes exclusively in the quality of life ecosystem — the intersection of healthcare, life sciences, and education,” the search firm said. “It unlocks the full potential of leadership teams through an integrated approach to executive search, interim leadership, and leadership advisory solutions. WittKieffer’s expansion of interim leadership solutions ensures that these same integrated capabilities are available to the life sciences and investor-backed healthcare markets, including companies in pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, consumer health and wellness, payer, provider, senior and long-term care, digital health, , and retail healthcare.”
“Impactful leadership is a critical contributor to value creation, and interim leadership is a strategic resource that can ensure a company’s access to the expert leadership necessary to meet critical needs at times when existing executive capacity or experience may not,” said Michael Castleman, WittKieffer’s chief business officer and executive partner for emerging markets and interim leadership. “Be it scaling up, evaluating and entering new markets, transforming business models or operations, establishing and implementing functional best practices, adding additional expertise, or creating entirely new digital solutions, life science and investor-backed healthcare organizations continually confront challenges to keep pace with business imperatives and market demands. We are extremely fortunate to have Ysette join WittKieffer to shepherd our expansion of interim and on-demand leadership solutions to help our clients address these challenges.”
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Ms. Witteveen was previously senior managing director and life sciences lead for on-demand executive talent firm Business Talent Group. She also held leadership consulting positions at Monitor (now Deloitte) and PricewaterhouseCoopers Strategy Consulting (now part of IBM). Ms. Witteveen currently serves as a venture partner with BOLD Capital Partners, advising life science and healthcare investments.
Veteran Recruiters
WittKieffer assists hospitals, health systems, academic medical centers, medical schools, and physician groups; biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostics and medical device companies; colleges and universities, and not-for-profit community service and cultural organizations with senior administrative recruiting assignments. With more than 100 search professionals nationwide, its consultants recruit CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CNOs, physician executives, and other leaders.
WittKieffer Appoints Chief Operating Officer
WittKieffer has named Christina Boiler as its chief operating officer. “Christina is well known for inspiring organizations to achieve excellence and meaningful change,” said Andrew Chastain, president and CEO of WittKieffer. “She brings a unique, diverse skill-set developed through previous senior leadership roles while possessing an eager willingness to explore new opportunities and embrace strategies that will ultimately help us to serve our clients better. Her expertise will be invaluable to WittKieffer. We couldn’t be more thrilled to have her join our firm’s leadership team.”
Earlier this year, WittKieffer appointed Nils Hopmann as global leader for life sciences and managing partner, WittKieffer International. He assumed leadership of the life sciences practice from Morten Nielsen, senior partner and member of WittKieffer’s board of directors, who continues to serve clients in the sector. “Nils has an impeccable reputation as someone who understands leadership and how exceptional executives can change the trajectory of organizations, from emerging biotechs to established pharma companies to innovative healthcare technology providers,” said Andrew P. Chastain, CEO. “He has the experience and vision to maximize our team’s continued growth and client impact, and to oversee our expanding global footprint in the quality of life ecosystem. I am thrilled to welcome Nils to WittKieffer to help expand our business to improve quality of life through impactful leadership.”
In a career spanning more than 30 years, Mr. Hopmann has been a visionary executive with expertise in executive search, leadership consulting, M&A transactions, and more. He has built trusting, lasting relationships with executives and boards across life sciences, healthcare services, and private equity. Mr. Hopmann joined WittKieffer following a long tenure at Russell Reynolds Associates, where he served in numerous key roles. He led the firm’s key client relationships in healthcare and the life sciences, conducted high-profile board and CEO recruitments, and partnered with private equity and venture capital firms to facilitate the integration of M&A transactions. Mr. Hopmann was also a member of Russell Reynolds’ operating committee and its executive committee.
Related: WittKieffer Launches Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Service and Names Practice Leader
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor; Lily Fauver, Senior Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
