IMS

Our client is a global, leading provider of data, analytics and consulting to the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare industries. Our brief was to find and attract a European Practice leader who would run the Promotions Practice across nearly 40 countries in Europe.
Walgrove's mission was to find an individual with a mix of skills and experience that included a Consulting pedigree, a track record in building successful marketing and promotional strategies specifically within the healthcare space. The difficulty in finding someone with such a mix of skills was heightened by the fact that marketing and promotions was a relatively new discipline within the pharmaceutical space, strategic marketing and branding did not sit within a vertical within a classic consulting structure and the individual was required to have content knowledge in order to gain credibility within the firm.

Market conditions also meant that the search was challenging. High calibre management consultants were making high profile moves which were increasing confidence in the consulting market. Our client, whilst having a monopolistic position in data and analytics globally was less well known in consulting and its brand was not a major attraction against some of its blue chip competitors.

Nevertheless, a strong shortlist was delivered consisting of individuals with a range of backgrounds including blue-chip strategy consulting, consumer healthcare and classic consumer goods marketing. The client was therefore presented with a number of options regarding which individuals would bring the most complementary mix of skills to the table. The resulting strategy was thus - an internal candidate (also a previous Walgrove placement) was promoted in order to fill our vacancy and one of the candidates presented who was ultimately considered too senior for this assignment was appointed into a higher-ranking role. A shortlisted candidate who was highly regarded by the client was suitably impressed by the service she had received from Walgrove and upon her subsequent appointment with one of the world's largest and leading Pharmaceutical organisations, engaged Walgrove's services as part of her own growth agenda.