Pharmaceutical Ingredients Executive Search Expertise
At Kelham Partners, we deliver retained executive search for manufacturers, developers, and service providers operating across the pharmaceutical ingredients value chain.
From APIs and excipients to custom synthesis and full-service CDMO partnerships, we help pharmaceutical ingredient businesses hire leaders who combine deep regulatory understanding with commercial and operational excellence.
We work across small molecules, biologics, and complex dosage forms, supporting senior hiring across commercial, quality, R&D, supply chain, and executive functions.
Who We Support
We partner with companies across
- API manufacturers
Generic, custom, and complex - Excipients producers
Functional ingredients for oral, topical, and injectable formulations - CDMOs & CMOs
Full-service providers in synthesis, formulation, scale-up, and packaging - Speciality ingredient developers
High-value actives, intermediates, and differentiated delivery - Injectable & sterile facilities
Including GMP manufacturing, aseptic fill-finish - Biotech CDMOs
Biologics, cell & gene therapy, ADCs, RNA platforms
Whether your business is PE-backed, family-owned, or a global group, we understand the regulatory, quality, and technical complexity of the pharmaceutical supply chain, and how to find the people who can succeed within it.
Typical Roles We Recruit
We specialise in international recruitment across
- Executive Leadership
General Managers, Division Heads, Managing Directors - Commercial Leadership
Global Sales Directors, CDMO Business Development Leads, Strategic KAMs - Operations & Quality
Site Directors, Heads of GMP Manufacturing, Quality Assurance & Compliance Leads - Technical & Scientific
Heads of Process Development, Formulation, Scale-Up, and Technical Transfer - Regulatory Affairs & Product Safety
Global QA/RA Directors, Regulatory Compliance, Pharmacovigilance
Global Expertise. Sector Precision.
Pharmaceutical ingredients sit at the heart of a highly regulated, innovation-led, and globally competitive industry. You need leaders who understand GMP compliance, scale-up timelines, regulatory hurdles, and client expectations, whether you’re serving innovator pharma, generics, or emerging biotech.
As specialist recruiters in pharmaceutical ingredients and CDMO services, we bring global reach and technical fluency to every search, helping you access senior talent that drives long-term value.
Case Study
Head of CDMO Business Development – API Manufacturer
Client
A European API and intermediates manufacturer expanding its CDMO offering globally, with a focus on North America and Japan.
Brief
Hire a Head of CDMO Business Development to win new clients, manage technical onboarding, and work closely with R&D and manufacturing to ensure project execution.
Challenges
- Required commercial leadership with deep understanding of custom synthesis
- Needed cross-cultural experience in global pharma and biotech engagement
- High travel role with board visibility and direct customer management
Our Approach
We delivered a targeted retained search across Europe and the US, identifying senior business development professionals with technical chemistry backgrounds and proven success in CDMO client acquisition and retention.
Outcome
The successful candidate joined from a global pharma services company and brought deep CDMO market knowledge, customer relationships, and project delivery capability. Within 6 months, they secured two new long-term contracts and restructured the company’s global BD approach.
Hiring into pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs, or CDMO services?
Let’s talk about how we can help you attract world-class leadership.
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