Executive Search in the Health Care & Life Sciences sector in China and the role of the Tech CEO

Post Globalization, China quickly became the second biggest economy in the world, with a wide scope of success in various industries, one of them, the Health care and Life Sciences sector has known an unexpected growth in the past 5 years; with the pharmaceutical industry, sales revenue has grown an average of 21.4 percent annually for example. One of the reasons for this is innovation, innovative products such as new medical devices and innovative ways of selling them such as online shopping are the future. As the Technology sector grows, inevitably so do most of the others with it. Executive Search has been made to evolve this sectoral search in China from not only medical professionals but also to those who also have an acute knowledge of technology.


There was push for medical innovation to be made in China for the rest of the world not only just for China. Due to these industry changes, both domestic pharmaceutical companies and multinational organisations have experienced significant personnel mobility. Over 80% of the senior leaders with over 15 years of industry experience who participated in PageGroup’s Talent Healthcare Survey 2020 said they have considered working for a domestic healthcare company. When the industries change or evolve so do the strategies used by Executive Search firms who need to alter their process of looking for the typical candidate or even their knowledge of the sector all together. We can help the company to find the replacement better adapted to the changed environment but we can also help the company to control the issue and encourage stability.


Faced with the rise of technology in this sector, the challenge for Executive Search in China is to broaden the search globally when it comes to categories such as chemistry, drug discovery, devices etc… It is noteworthy that in 2019, the manufacturing of pharmaceutical equipment had the highest year-on-year growth of 12.6%. Moreover, expatriates from China with long-standing employment abroad are returning home to take part in the rapidly expanding advances in the biotech industry. To ensure a cultural match, employers are telling the Executive Search firms they use to favour selecting people with a Chinese background.


Executive Search is seeking to hire top-tier talent from both domestically and internationally for China. As a result, the corporations are providing attractive pay plans and professionals are encouraged to enter the biotech industry by alluring cash and stock offers. Executive Search consultants need to be able to recognise that this challenge is not only from a cultural and linguistic perspective which can be applied to the majority of the industries in China. Executive Search is based on trust, trust that the consultants knows the sector’s ins and outs as well as predicting what is best for the company and the candidate. An Executive Search firm should also be able to articulate the company’s history and future objectives, set itself apart from rivals, and inspire the ideal applicant to do so.


COVID19 has prepared companies in China for future uncertain times, therefore there needs to be a flexibility concerning work from home and agility within the team. Organisational alignment within the company is vital during delicate and non delicate times in order for there to be a fresh new vision at an executive level, these executives in Healthcare and Life Sciences are regular CEOs in the leadership aspect of things, yet they differ as not only do they need an extensive knowledge of technology but this is also the most human sector of the economy. The combination of these skills and organisation needed from this type of leader is particular to this sector which is why Zavala Civitas, a executive search firm specialized in the Chinese market, is the best fit from a cultural perspective as well as a knowledgeability of these two rapidly evolving and intertwining industries.

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