Written By: Aqsa Zafar

Edited By: Mackenzie Skold & Aly DePrisco

LeadingBiotech works to bring innovative ideas and high-quality collaboration to “shape the future of biotech.” This “off the record” conferencing approach allows senior-level biopharma executives to share insights on current business challenges, new opportunities impacting the industry, and in-depth industry networking.

Govig & Associates has a tenured team of recruiters with a substantial network within the Biopharma market and reported that this year’s conference was a success:

• The candid and relaxed atmosphere allowed them to interact with C-level leaders to understand market trends and their hiring concerns.
• Many of the participants have worked with our executive recruiters in the past to secure the right candidates for their teams.
• Made a lot of connections with potential clients.

Govig & Associates is an executive recruitment firm that specializes in retained searches for executive-level talent across the life cycle. We believe in having transparency with our clients which is what sets our business development apart from other recruiter firms. Our recruiters build long-lasting business relationships with the clients through our open dialogue and truly understanding the needs of the clients. They are dedicated to go above and beyond for their business partners and attend events such as the BD Conference to allow more interactions with those who have hiring needs.

Written By: Mackenzie Skold
Edited By: Melissa MegnaStrong Relationships Get Strong Results: A Regeneron Case Study

Govig & Associates is a national executive recruitment firm with expertise in placing high-quality professionals with companies in the Biopharma industry. Recently, Govig partnered with Regeneron, a leading biopharmaceutical company that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. (1) All their products are developed in-house at their own laboratories and include seven FDA-approved treatments. Their VelociSuite® technologies are accelerating drug discovery and development, making them a world leader in genetic sequencing.
Regeneron engaged Govig to recruit candidates for the product launch of their breakthrough therapy, Praluent (Evinacumab). Praluent treats both Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH), an inherited disorder and Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with uncontrolled bad cholesterol.
The recruitment process was complicated because Regeneron had a Priority Review Voucher. The recruiting timeline was completely reliant upon an accepted filing with the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration). In addition, candidates were required to have self-injectable biologic product experience, a highly competitive segment of the industry. Govig worked closely with Regeneron and potential candidates to keep the hiring process on track in spite of uncertain timelines and the need for such specialized candidate experience.
Regeneron reached out to Govig for this challenge because they have built a strong relationship over time. The entire team collaborated with Regeneron’s internal staff and other outside agencies forming a seamless extension of the employment process resulting in 166 filled positions including Regional Directors, District Managers, and three customer/physician facing divisions. As a result, Regeneron continued to partner with Govig on five additional new team buildouts and expansion projects. Govig believes building strong and open relationships is the best approach for matching clients with the most capable candidates. By investing time and effort into developing long-lasting partnerships with clients and candidates, Govig provides a stream-lined hiring process for placing exceptionally qualified talent.

Written by: Mackenzie Skold
Edited by: Melissa Megna

Govig joins the HR Community at LEAP HR 2019

Govig’s Biopharma team recently attended the LEAP HR 2019 East Coast Conference. This event draws leaders in human resources (HR) and talent acquisition (TA) together to discuss innovative ideas that will challenge traditional thinking on company culture, navigate the ever-changing life-science industry, and help companies attract the best candidates in this competitive environment. Nichole Schaeffer, chief People Strategy Officer for Insmed and conference speaker, describes LEAP as “The best life sciences HR conference there is, and the best way to connect with senior leaders in the same field.”
Govig is more than just a recruitment agency; we consult on a wide spectrum of solutions on multiple aspects of organizational development. At the conference, Govig’s Market Access, Marketing and Clinical Development recruiters met a wide variety of HR professionals from Chief Human Resources Officers (CHRO) to Talent Acquisition Managers. It is important for Govig to stay up to date with the overarching trends in the Biotech/Pharma HR sphere. Building strong relationships with hiring managers and Human Resources is key to our success.
While the conference focused mainly on HR, there was also a lot of time spent on talent acquisition. Breakout sessions allowed the team to engage in more comprehensive discussions with our business partners on a variety of themes. Topics ranged from utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to increase efficiency in HR processes to rethinking paid time off (PTO) and leave policies to make them more attractive to potential hires. Other areas of exploration included effective performance reviews; EID –Equity, Inclusion and Diversity; and compensation benchmarking.
Govig values building effective partnerships with both clients and candidates. Our Biopharma team is always available to discuss EID, HR innovation, “the war for talent,” compensation packages or any of the other topics presented at the conference. We are not just a vendor but an integral part of the HR community.

Quotes for Speakers at LEAP HR:
“Great energy, great exchanges. It was extremely valuable to learn about what others are doing in Life Sciences HR. What’s working? What’s not? And how can we be more courageous and more innovative in HR?”
Laura-Katrin Seitz, VP, Global Head of HR, Sanofi
“The best life sciences HR conference there is, and the best way to connect with senior leaders in the same field.”
Nicole Schaeffer, Chief People Strategy Officer, Insmed

Please click on the link below to watch the full video about the LEAP HR Conference:
LEAP HR Conference 2019

Written by: Mackenzie Skold
Edited by: Melissa Megna

Govig Recruits Specialized Marketing Team to Launch Dynavax’s Heplisav-B

Approximately 1.2 million people are diagnosed with Hepatitis B in the United States each year. Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver; causing both acute and chronic disease.1 Dynavax’s Heplisav-B is the first new vaccine approved in 25 years for the prevention of Hepatitis B. This revolutionary vaccine is the most efficacious vaccine on the market, 95% effective in the prevention of Hepatitis B and requiring only two-doses a month apart.

Dynavax is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing preventative treatments for autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases. With the introduction of Heplisav-B, Dynavax CEO, Eddie Gray, predicted the market for the vaccine would grow by $500-$600 million per year.

In November 2017, Dynavax had only three months to assemble a strong marketing team to launch Heplisav-B to the market. The team had to be experienced in vaccines and locally based (Berkeley, CA). To meet this challenge, Dynavax partnered with Govig to recruit two Associate Directors of Marketing and three Medical Science Liaisons.
Govig filled all five positions with exceptional candidates in 81 days!

About Govig
Govig & Associates is a national executive recruitment firm that puts people first. Founded in 1978 by two entrepreneurs from rural Iowa, Govig combines small-town business values with sophisticated market knowledge providing a customized solution for clients and candidates. The professional staff offers deep industry expertise, specializing in Bio-Pharma, Building Products, Tax, Construction, and Healthcare as well as placements specific to the Phoenix Market.

Govig recruiters care and strive to get exactly the right match for everyone. They work closely with companies and organizations to understand their philosophy, project needs, and deadlines. Spending time getting to know potential candidates allows recruiters to identify their skills, goals, and values. Through this tailored approach, Govig matches clients with extremely well-suited candidates who fit their company culture.

Communication is key to a successful placement. Realizing that a career move is a life-changing event and the importance of the right fit for the position, Govig recruiters regularly confer with both clients and candidates throughout the recruitment process. Building strong and open relationships is the best approach for matching clients with the most capable candidates who will enjoy their work. By investing time and effort into developing long-lasting partnerships with clients and candidates, Govig provides a streamlined hiring process placing the highest quality talent.

Positions Filled!
(Associate Director of Marketing) Senior Product Manager, Promotions: Responsibilities include contributing to the development and execution of programs, customer segments, and the launching of commercial projects. Those who are hired for these positions have strong management and leadership skill that provide for effective and successful marketing programs through strategy, tactical implementations, and creativity.

Jackie Messinger:
Time to fill the position was 32 business days.

Lucy Paik:
Time to fill the position was 31 business days.

(Medical Science Liaison) Regional Director, Medical Affairs/Sciences Liaison: This position requires active management, oversight, and extensive knowledge of medical affairs on a regional and national scale.

Brian Faulconer:
Time to fill the position was 52 business days.

Rachel Clark:
Time to fill the position was 81 business days.

John Youhanna:
Time to fill the position was 30 business days.

REFERENCES
1. “Hepatitis B.” World Health Organization, World Health Organization, 18 July 2018, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hepatitis-b.

Written by: Mackenzie Skold
Edited by: Melissa Megna

About 20,000 people in the United States are living with hemophilia, a rare bleeding disorder. It is a genetic blood disorder caused by low or nonfunctional proteins called clotting factors in the blood that help to stop bleeding. Hemophilia B is the more rare form of the disorder. The severity of the disease is determined by the amount of functional clotting factor in the blood. The lower the amount of the factor, the more likely bleeding will occur thus increasing the severity of the condition.1 Symptoms can be life-threatening, e.g. spontaneous bleeding, bleeding following injuries or bleeding following surgery.2While the disorder affects all ethnic and racial groups, it almost always occurs in males. Because the faulty gene is located on the X chromosome, it is passed from mother to son; as a result, about 1 in 5,000 males born in the US has hemophilia. However, nearly one-third of the time, babies are born with the disease to families without a history of the mutation.

The main medication treatment for hemophilia B is a concentrated factor IX (FIX) product.1 CSL Behring’s Idelvion® is the only FDA-approved long-acting recombinant factor IX (FIX) product for the treatment of hemophilia B. A single dose effectively treats bleeds providing high and sustained factor IX levels for more than 14 days.3 Idelvion® is indicated in children and adults with hemophilia B (congenital Factor IX deficiency) for:

• On-demand treatment and control of bleeding episodes
• Perioperative management of bleeding
• Routine prophylaxis to reduce the frequency of bleeding episodes8

Idelvion® is only one of the many lifesaving therapies that CSL Behring offers for patients suffering from rare and serious disease. CSL is a global biotechnology company with a 100-year history at the forefront of biotherapeutics research and development. CSL scientists use the latest technology to research and develop highly effective plasma-derived and recombinant therapies to treat patients suffering from rare conditions including bleeding disorders, immune deficiencies, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, and other hereditary disorders. This close-knit team is committed to improving health quality for patients suffering from these rare conditions; making a difference one treatment at a time.

CSL Behring has been a world leader in innovative medicines and technologies for the treatment of bleeding or coagulation disorders. Three years ago, CSL made the decision to invest heavily in research and development beyond hemophilia and bleeding disorders, to become a global leader in the treatment of rare disease. It was imperative that they hire the right talent with expertise in rare disease marketing. To implement this new strategy, CLS entered a two-year partnership with Govig & Associates to fill their US staffing needs. Govig is an executive recruitment agency with expertise in the biopharmaceutical industry and a vast network of resources in rare disease marketing.

Govig’s professional team filled 17 positions in 23 months with roles varying from Senior Product Managers and Senior Directors to the Vice President of US Healthcare Systems.

About Govig

Govig & Associates is a national executive recruitment firm that puts people first. Founded in 1978 by two entrepreneurs from rural Iowa, Govig combines small-town business values with sophisticated market knowledge providing a customized solution for clients and candidates. The professional staff offers deep industry expertise, specializing in Bio-Pharma, Building Products, Tax, Construction, and Healthcare as well as placements specific to the Phoenix Market.

Govig recruiters care and strive to get exactly the right match for everyone. They work closely with companies and organizations to understand their philosophy, project needs, and deadlines. Spending time getting to know potential candidates allows recruiters to identify their skills, goals, and values. Through this tailored approach, Govig matches clients with extremely well-suited candidates who fit their company culture.

Communication is key to a successful placement. Realizing that a career move is a life-changing event and the importance of the right fit for the position, Govig recruiters regularly confer with both clients and candidates throughout the recruitment process. Building strong and open relationships is the best approach for matching clients with the most capable candidates who will enjoy their work. By investing time and effort into developing long-lasting partnerships with clients and candidates, Govig provides a streamlined hiring process placing the highest quality talent.

References:
1. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/hemophilia/facts.html
2. https://www.idelvion.com/powerful-bleed-protection
3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hemophilia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373327
4. https://www.idelvion.com/how-it-works
5. https://hemophilianewstoday.com/csl654-idelvion/
6. https://www.cslbehring.com/products
7. https://www.idelvion.com/

Written by: Mackenzie Skold
Edited by: Melissa Megna

The War for Talent in the Biotechnology Industry
The biotechnology industry is undergoing radical changes in the delivery of therapeutic solutions along with rapid market expansion. The industry has experienced a 32.28% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) increase in revenue over the last five years. This combination has created a shortage of qualified biotechnology professionals. Placing companies in a “war for talent.” How are industry executives planning to hire, train and retain the necessary talent to meet this challenge? Govig & Associates executive recruiters seized the opportunity to pose this question to biotechnology industry leaders at two recent forums, the 2018 BIO (Biotechnology Innovation Organization) convention, and the 2018 NY/NJ CEO Biopharma forum.

The BIO convention takes place annually in Boston, MA. It is a premier biotech conference with over 500 educational sessions. One of Govig’s executive recruiters, Cynthia Mason, attended the 2018 conference in June. During a panel discussion consisting of biotechnology executives, she asked the panel how they were managing to train and develop the people they hire to meet scientific technical challenges. One CEO (chief executive officer) gave an awkward laugh and replied that companies were not doing enough to solve the problem. Another executive on the panel, a CCO (chief commercial officer), answered that more should be done to manage and retain millennial employees. Both executives recognized the problem but offered no firm solutions.

A few months later, another Govig executive recruiter, Jack Hall, attended the NY/NJ CEO Biopharma forum in New Jersey. This annual event is intended for senior-level life sciences executives to network and discuss industry challenges and opportunities. During panel discussions, another attendee raised the issue of the shortage of trained biotechnology professionals, characterizing the problem as a “war for talent.” A CEO on the panel offered their strategy. They recommended that companies “grab” new talent as quickly as possible. If no positions are open, their company will create a position for someone who can bring value and new ideas.

Industry leaders are recognizing that new strategies are needed in this “war for talent.” Fast-paced innovations in biotechnology and expanding biopharma production fuel the need for qualified, talented people. Companies must come up with strategies to attract, train and retain high-quality biotechnology professionals.

References:
https://convention.bio.org/2018/
http://pages.stern.nyu.edu/~adamodar/New_Home_Page/datafile/histgr.html
https://lifesciences.knect365.com/ny-nj-ceo/

Written By: Mackenzie Skold
Edited By: Melissa Megna

SOLC Forum

Govig makes connections at SOLC Forum

Govig executive recruiters, Ben Vosika and Heather Rittenhouse, recently attended the Sales Operation Leadership Council (SOLC) forum held March 14th-15th in Bridgewater, NJ. SOLC is a community of sales operations leaders working in small to mid-tier life science companies. They hold multiple forums each year designed to exchange ideas, share solutions and explore new technologies in the field of sales operations. Topics covered included incentive compensation, forecasting / targeting and data management. Ben and Heather both have years of experience working with sales operation and analytical professionals nationwide. They specialize in finding top talent in the BioPharma industry.
Many small and emerging companies don’t have in-house resources to find and recruit the talent necessary to meet growing industry demands. By offering preeminent recruitment services and expertise, Govig fills the gap. Ben and Heather had the pleasure to meet with several sales operations professionals to discuss challenges such as compliance pressures, as well as the exciting advances in technology. Through these interactions, they have created successful partnerships by solidifying personal connections with these clients and potential candidates.

Govig & Associates is a national executive recruitment firm that puts people first. We believe that building strong and lasting relationships is the best approach for matching clients with the most capable candidates who will enjoy their work. Our experienced recruiters offer deep industry expertise and experience. Our BioPharma team is dedicated to staying ahead of current market trends and investing time and effort needed to develop long-lasting partnerships with clients and candidates. We provide a stream-lined hiring process, placing the highest quality talent where they are needed most.