General Manager – USA - ProGen Search

General Manager – USA

European Specialty CDMO Expansion

Highlight

Placed founding US GM to establish operations and secure first American clients

The Brief

A European specialty CDMO was preparing for a pivotal stage in its growth by establishing a physical presence in the United States. The board needed a senior leader on the ground who could represent the business with credibility, spearhead client acquisition, and take operational ownership of building local infrastructure. The mandate was broad: create a foothold in the world’s most competitive CDMO market, launch operations from scratch, and position the business for accelerated fundraising.

The Challenge

The requirements combined entrepreneurial agility with blue-chip credibility. The incoming General Manager needed to thrive in a lean start-up environment while also commanding the trust of top pharma and biotech clients. Very few leaders possess both skill sets; many executives from larger CDMOs lacked appetite for a build-from-zero context, while those from smaller ventures often lacked the gravitas to engage strategic partners and investors. The transatlantic nature of the role added further complexity, as cultural alignment with European headquarters and strong cross-border communication were critical. Timelines were tight, with a fundraising milestone dependent on demonstrating US traction.

Our Approach

We ran a focused transatlantic search mapping executives who had previously launched US entities for international service providers, prioritising leaders with credible early commercial wins and hands-on operational build experience. Our evaluation framework centred on commercial acumen, operational know-how, and board-level credibility to engage investors and represent the business externally. Discreet outreach across North America and Europe identified a shortlist of candidates who had already navigated similar expansions and could step in with minimal ramp-up while aligning culturally with the European leadership team.

Outcome

Within 70 days we placed a General Manager who had previously built and scaled US operations for a specialty CDMO. The hire delivered immediate traction by establishing an East Coast office, securing the company’s first US clients, and initiating recruitment of a local technical team. The business shifted from a Europe-only player to a transatlantic service provider, unlocking credibility with US investors and creating a platform for significant revenue growth while giving the board a trusted senior leader to accelerate decision-making aligned to their fundraising goals.

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