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Placing a Transformational VP/GM to Scale an Oncology Diagnostics Business
Facing stalled growth, our client needed a rare blend of end-to-end operator and collaborative change leader to stand up and lead a newly formed oncology lab services business unit.
THE CHALLENGE
We recently completed a VP/GM search for one of our clients in the diagnostics industry. Specifically, the unit the VP/GM is leading is an Oncology Lab Services business, offering a differentiated test, backed by clinical evidence, that helps inform key treatment decisions for a particular segment of cancer patients.
This business was acquired by our client several years ago and has experienced tremendous growth under our client’s banner. However, they have started to plateau and decided it was time to enact planned organizationa changes to re-accelerate the growth of the business. This involved standing up the group as its own business unit, bringing a cross-functional team of 200+ under a newly created, VP/GM position.
The two key challenges we faced with this search were:
- Identifying a leader with true end-to-end business leadership (specifically, led commercial growth, as well as operational improvements in lab operations, patient & client services, billing, and more). This was particularly challenging because many medical oncology lab services businesses are not structured in this way (with true General Managers of business units).
- Finding a “collaborative change agent” (as we on the search team called it). This meant hiring a leader who could drive the change needed to take the business to the next level, but who would do so in a way that brought the rest of the team along, rather than alienating them or leaving them behind. The balance of decisive action while taking the time to listen, educate, and earn trust was vital.
THE SOLUTION
For this search, we utilized an approach that involved deep research and an approach to candidate engagement strategy that ensured us an opportunity to speak with many candidates we identified. Because the pool of relevant candidates was limited, we could not afford to miss the opportunity to get on the phone and explore whether this could be a compelling opportunity with as many of those people as possible.
From there, converting interest into genuine engagement. To do this, we leaned into what made the opportunity genuinely compelling: the chance to build and lead a scaled, cross-functional business unit with rea lP&L ownership, backed by strong clinical evidence and a platform already proven in the market. We made a point of understanding each candidate's individual motivations before leading with the role, which allowed us to frame the conversation around their push and pull factors rather than a generic pitch. Where warm referrals were available, we used them. Where cold outreach was necessary, we were deliberate and persistent, personalizing each touchpoint to the candidate's background and what this role represented relative to where they were in their career.
THE RESULT
Humbly, we achieved an extraordinary result for our client. We identified an exceptionally well-credentialed senior executive in the medical oncology space. They’d be a GM and BU President of a pioneering company in this market and subsequently a start-up CEO. Timing was perfect and this role was a fantastic opportunity for them to put the full range of their skills and capabilities in action while having a tremendous impact on our client’s business, and most importantly, patients.
The best part: we completed this search, start to finish, in 33 days.
The impact
The new VP/GM has gotten off to a great start and is already rallying the team together and developing strategies to capitalize on what has made the business successful so far, while also implementing new approaches that will take them to the next level and beyond.
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