Critical commercial hires for a leader in artificial heart technology through a retained search partnership
How we ensured swift placements for key commercial roles in Germany and Italy to support Carmat's market expansion.
2
Critical commercial appointments
3.5
Days to present the hired candidates
80
% of candidates interviewed
Carmat, a leader in artificial heart technology, faced an urgent need to fill two critical commercial roles—Director of Sales (DACH) and Therapy Development Manager (Italy)—as part of their broader plan to launch their product in Europe. Despite the importance of these hires, internal recruitment efforts had stalled, prompting Carmat to engage our team for a retained search.
Problems identified
Carmat needed a Director of Sales with specialised cardiovascular device expertise, a deep understanding of cardiac surgery, and strong relationships within hospitals across Germany and Switzerland. They required this hire to start within three months, making it an urgent priority.
For the Therapy Development Manager role in Italy, Carmat had identified a candidate internally, but after a two-week consideration, the candidate declined their offer. This left the position vacant, and they turned to us to quickly fill the role and avoid disruption to their commercial strategy.
What was at stake
Without filling these roles, Carmat risked delaying the product launch of their artificial heart product in key European markets. The urgency of the Director of Sales role, in particular, posed a threat to their expansion plans in Germany and Switzerland, while the vacancy in Italy could disrupt their overall European market development.
Strategy and approach
Evalutation
80% of the sumbitted candidates were interviewed, demonstrating the quality of our selection process. On average, it took us just four days to present the hired candidates, ensuring minimal delays. This high level of success in our placements further solidified our relationship with Carmat, showcasing our ability to consistently meet their critical hiring needs under tight timeframes.
Results
Both roles were filled swiftly: the hired candidate for the Director of Sales was presented within six days of engagement, and the hired Therapy Development Manager candidate was presented just one day after the job was released to us. These placements allowed Carmat to continue their European market expansion without disruption.
Impact
By quickly filling these critical roles, we enabled Carmat to stay on track with their commercial efforts in both Germany and Italy. Our swift and efficient search process minimised any potential delays, ensuring their implant programme could proceed as planned. This successful partnership highlighted our ability to meet tight deadlines and find specialised talent in niche markets.
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