print  
home
 

Table of Contents:

Archived
Newsletters












Ashton Tweed Joins Pennsylvania Bio

Interim Employment in Life Sciences

Interim employment offers four strategic advantages to the corporation:


Companies can now apply “just-in-time talent” to any problem or to fill a sudden gap.


Interim makes it possible to hire the best.


Companies can find precisely the skills needed for a project or corporate transition.


Interim turns talent into a variable cost.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

Walt Disney

Ashton Tweed becomes a member of Pennsylvania Bio (Dec. 2005)

Ashton Tweed is pleased to announce that we have joined the Pennsylvania Bio organization. Pennsylvania Bio serves as the “Voice of Advancement” for the biosciences industry in Pennsylvania and represents the continuum of the biosciences community—research institutions, emerging biotech, device, and diagnostics companies, global pharmaceuticals and support organizations.

Ashton Tweed was one of the first companies to join the association under the new leadership of Dennis “Mickey” Flynn. "As one of the founding board members of Pennsylvania Bio and as president of a biotech company, Mickey’s knowledge of the industry and the issues the industry faces as it continues its growth in Pennsylvania is unparalleled," says Frank Baldino, Jr. Ph.D., Chairman & CEO of Cephalon, Inc.

According to Barbara Schilberg, Managing Director & CEO of BioAdvance “The initiatives launched by Pennsylvania to support new life sciences ventures are working – compared to prior years, we have tripled seed capital for life sciences companies in the Region, created a new generation of entrepreneurs, demonstrated the quality of Regional firms seeking early-stage investments, and helped advance potentially important new treatments for serious diseases”.

"For Ashton Tweed, with our Life Science Practice, membership in Pennsylvania Bio enhances our networking capabilities and access to the operating management of current and prospective client companies in our Regional market," says Jim Laird. "As a top tier service provider we will establish strong relationships with the leadership of the industry we serve."

Laird continues, "Since every business problem has a solution which will require some form of human intervention, Ashton Tweed’s sole purpose is to find, retain and deploy the senior-level talent required for problem resolution and the acceleration of the commercial success of our clients. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with Pennsylvania Bio."

Ashton Tweed offers a full range of services from Problem Resolution teams, to Interim Talent and Executive Search from our Life Sciences Executive Talent Bank.

The Ashton Tweed Associate Program harnesses the networking efforts of all candidates in the Ashton Tweed family. Ashton Tweed sharpens their networking skills with advanced networking and search techniques.

Back to top


From l to r: Jim Laird, Dennis “Mickey” Flynn, the new President of PA Bio, Jim Rudman

PENNSYLVANIA BIO

The mission of Pennsylvania Bio is to be the catalyst to ensure Pennsylvania is a global leader in life sciences. They plan to do this by developing a cohesive community that unites the region's biotechnology, pharmaceutical, research and financial strengths.

Pennsylvania is home to the full continuum of the biosciences — world-class basic research, emerging companies, mature industry and global pharmaceuticals. Through Pennsylvania Bio these organizations interact to create a unique and vibrant community. It is through the interactivity of this continuum that bioscience companies are spawned, are able to attract experienced managers and a talented workforce, and are able to grow and partner for advancement.

For more information about Pennsylvania Bio, Click Here.

Projected figures warrant optimism about careers in life science in the United States. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that 252,987 individuals will work as life scientists in 2012, up from 213,994 in 2002. During that period, employment of life scientists will grow at a rate three times as fast as the average for all jobs.

Interim Comes "Out of the Box"

"Interim Executives are no longer just brought in to fill a box on an organizational chart. They are adding real value to organizations by taking on assignments that go beyond the scope of the everyday running of the business."

Jordan Warshafsky
Partner, Ashton Tweed

Interim employment offers four strategic advantages to the corporation:


Companies can now apply “just-in-time talent” to any problem or to fill a sudden gap.


Interim makes it possible to hire the best.


Companies can find precisely the skills needed for a project or corporate transition.


Interim talent turns a fixed cost into a variable expense.

More Companies Hire Temporary Executives

When should a company look "outside" for senior talent, on a permanent or interim basis, as opposed to promoting an internal candidate? Smart companies use a combination. John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems says, "Talent from the outside, in selective and strategic roles, can help to spark new ideas!"

An outsider's perspective and lack of internal political ties can even trump a lack of experience within the company. "A young company doesn't always know what it wants or needs," says ExecuNet's CEO, David Opton. "Someone new coming in can hit the ground running, freed up from all the political baloney. You hear the argument that an outsider doesn't know the company culture, but that isn't necessarily a negative when the status quo isn't working. Now companies are realizing they need to be smarter and not just pick the next person on the org chart."

Situations where it makes sense to hire an interim executive from outside the company can include:

  • geographical expansion - hire someone local
  • adding a new line of business - bring in someone familiar with the area
  • specific staff projects or audits - get an outside perspective
  • implementing a new business process - bring in someone who isn't ingrained in the existing process.

Even when talent does exist inside a company, an interim hire can make sense. An executive in an interim assignment can provide a buffer of time so the job is getting done while the company evaluates internal candidates and decides exactly what kind of person they need to fill a position.

The Ashton Tweed recruitment of interim and/or interim-to-hire provides the opportunity for a client organization to strategically select talent from outside of their organization while removing the risks associated with potentially making the wrong hire.

Back to top

Value of Interim Executives

When Filling Top Jobs Inside Makes Sense -- And When It Doesn't

George Anders,
Wall Street Journal

Room at the Top

By David Needle,
Contingent Workforce Strategies

More Companies Hire Temporary Executives

By Dale Buss
CareerJournal.com

Job Outlook for 2006
Three Industries Poised For Job Growth in 2006
By Jared Flesher
CareerJournal.com

These articles and more are available on the Ashton Tweed website. Click Here.


Executive Recruitment

"The economic gloom cast in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the subsequent run-up in energy prices are subsiding. In its place are brighter prospects for 2006, considered a year of slowdown just three months ago."

Ron Scherer
Staff writer
The Christian Science Monitor

Optimistic Forecast for 2006

Executives are bullish on the New Year. Over half of the executives surveyed by ExecuNet indicate that they have some degree of confidence that the Executive job market will improve in 2006.

The Wall Street Journal's career journal suggests, "Consider focusing your efforts on companies in the health-care, biosciences or technology industries. Recruiters and economists say these fields will lead the nation in new-job creation in 2006. Most growth in these industries will be seen in rank-and-file clinical and technical jobs, but opportunities for executives and professionals will increase as companies in these fields expand. The forecast comes amid a healthy outlook for the broader senior-level job market."

One indication the economy is back on track came when the Labor Department reported the economy created 215,000 jobs in November - a strong number in line with economists' expectations.

"Three months ago, we were hearing murmurings about a recession," says Anthony Chan, chief economist at JPMorgan Asset Management in Columbus, Ohio. "Now, the concern is the economy will be so strong next year, it will encourage the Federal Reserve to club it to death."

“The general outlook is as promising as it has ever been,” says Matt Gardner, president of the Bay Area Bioscience Center (BayBio). "The jobs will be out there next year, but you’ll have to pursue them with vigor and enthusiasm."

Back to top

Back to Newsletters

www.execunet.com – March 3, 2006 – With the unemployment rate falling to a four and a half year low and the economy on track for robust first-quarter growth, ExecuNet's Recruiters Confidence Index (RCI) remains at all time highs, as those on the front lines of the job market expect the demand for executive talent to soar in the months ahead.
About Us | Executive Talent Bank | Life Sciences | Client Services | Candidates | News/Press | Contact Us
2007 © Copyright Ashton Tweed, Ltd. All rights reserved.