Our Consultants

Paul Foster

Senior Consultant

Paul Foster is a Senior Consultant with The RSA Group, a global leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive interims.   With over 35 years’ experience biopharmaceutical industry and executive search, Paul specialises in both executive search and executive interims.

Through his years in executive search, Paul has created a number of successful search practices and has developed a deep understanding of Commercial, Clinical Development, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, and the specific needs of both clients and candidates.  His broad life sciences expertise covers pharma, biotech, medical devices and diagnostics, clinical development, rare diseases and orphan drugs.  His current focus is on Venture Capital backed start-ups with a special interest in in gene and cell therapy, and executive level Regulatory roles.

Paul’s industrial career included a range of leadership roles in Sales and Marketing, initially leading the Emerging Markets team at May & Baker (Sanofi) and then leading the UK launch of Rilutek for Motor Neurone Disease. After successfully launching two CNS products for Pharmacia, he developed the branded products team at Trinity-Chiesi, where he was also responsible for Marketing Strategy and sales team recruitment.

An active member of TOPRA (The Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs), Paul has led thought leadership programmes and lectures on the TOPRA MSc programme.

Mark Howard

Managing Partner

Mark Howard is a Managing Partner with The RSA Group, a global leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive Interims.  With a focus on biotech and specialty pharma, Mark leads the firm’s search activity and consultants in EMEA.

In healthcare recruitment since 1995, Mark has developed a substantial reputation for providing talent solutions to a range of organisations in the pharmaceutical, biotech, medical devices,CXO and not-for-profit sectors.  With experience in commercial, scientific and general management roles, his industry breadth brings substantiall value to clients.  Mark has led searches for talent and leadership in disciplines ranging from discovery research to clinical development to finance to human resources.

Mark gained executive search experience in several boutique search providers and global firms before joining The RSA Group.  With substantial leadership experience in the recruitment industry, Mark has worked internationally and has developed successful teams placing talent sourced globally.  In addition, he has established operations in the UK, Africa and in the Asia Pacific Region.

A qualified marketer, Mark began his career in the FMCG sector, where he held senior sales and marketing positions, developed consumer brands, and build successful relationships with major clients.

Mark Johnson

Partner

Mark Johnson is a Partner with The RSA Group, a leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive Interims.  A respected search professional with a background in science and the pharmaceutical industry, clients view Mark as a trusted ambassador for their companies. His dedication and consistent work demonstrates the difference that the right appointment can make to a firm.

Partnering with biopharmaceutical companies from start-up through to global multinational organisations, Mark is experienced in building out leadership, management and technical teams.  Throughout his career, Mark has recruited across the leadership spectrum from C-suite to technical experts, with experience in medical, manufacturing and supply chain, commercial, R&D, CMC, Clinical Operations, Regulatory and Programme / Project Leaders.  Most recently Mark has had a strong concentration in Cell and Gene Therapy and is now considered to be an expert in this talent field by his clients.

Mark’s industry experience comes from his earlier career in biologics at MedImmune and Novartis.  Here he worked in development, manufacturing and quality for vaccine products that ultimately made the transition to full global release.

Mark holds a BSc in Applied Biology from Liverpool John Moores University.

Graham Kilbey

Non-Executive Director

Graham Kilbey is a Chartered Accountant with over 30 years’ experience in corporate tax and financial matters.

He started his career with KPMG and then spent over 25 years advising international companies on their tax affairs. Companies include: Arcadia Group, Alliance Boots, AB InBev, Balfour Beatty, Sky, Dixons and Tesco. During that period, Graham also appeared as an expert witness on behalf of HMRC in a leading tax avoidance case.

Graham was the original advisor to Roger Stephens Associates when it was founded in 1981 and joined the Board in 2001.

Apart from RSA, Graham is also a non-executive director of Capital Physio Limited and a Member Nominated Trustee Director of the Arcadia Senior Executive Pension Scheme.

Shawn O'Connor

Partner

Shawn O’Connor is a Managing Partner with The RSA Group, a leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive Interims.   Based in the firm’s New Jersey office, Shawn leads The RSA Group’s efforts in North America.

An accomplished search consultant, Shawn has over 10 years of experience establishing and leading executive search teams, with a proven track record of success. He brings to The RSA Group a deep understanding of pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, diagnostics and medical devices, covering functions from R&D to sales and marketing. In addition, his corporate experience has been invaluable in allowing him to truly understand and consult with clients’ needs and challenges.

Throughout his career, Shawn worked extensively to lead and drive business successes with a particular focus on the alignment of senior management teams, succession planning, recruiting strategies and executive development.  He’s partnered with a wide scope of life sciences firms, from early-stage companies to large multinational corporations in the recruitment of senior executives and structuring of global teams.

Prior to working in executive search, Shawn spent almost 20 years at Johnson & Johnson, where he was Vice President, Human Resources. Additionally, he has significant corporate experience with other Fortune 50 companies, including Kraft and GE.

Shawn holds a degree in Human Resources Management as well as graduate studies in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University.

Kristin Schirmer

Senior Consultant

I joined RSA in January 2016. I have five years experience working at two different major quoted, international recruitment companies. Recently I have been working in Switzerland for companies within the life science industry, mainly pharma companies, biotech and medical devices, as well as CROs and CMOs. My clients ranged from innovative start-ups to small and medium sized enterprises up to international headquarters of leading companies.

I mainly focused on positions in regulatory affairs, clinical, health economics, market access, pricing & reimbursement as well as biometrics including biostatistics, SAS programming and clinical data management. Before joining the recruitment industry I worked for an international pharmaceutical wholesaler.

I studied international business management and gained international experience working and studying in the UK, Switzerland and Spain, as well as in the US.

Besides my native German language, I also speak English.

Thomas Schleimer

Managing Partner

Thomas Schleimer is a Managing Partner with The RSA Group, a global leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive interims.   Based between the firm’s London, Frankfurt and Basel offices, Thomas works closely with local leadership teams to drive business efforts within EMEA, specifically the DACH region.

An experienced international executive, Thomas brings over 30 years of life sciences sector experience to The RSA Group.   With a focus on the medtech and biopharma sectors, Thomas has a strong track record in the placement of C-suite leadership and board directors.

Prior to joining executive search, Thomas held a series of senior leadership positions in the medical device, pharmaceutical and biotech industries with responsibilities at Director, VP and Managing Director level.  Notable roles include Business Unit Director for Nordics at Cephalon (Teva) in Copenhagen, and Regional Managing Director for Smiths Medical, responsible for business in the UK, Ireland, Nordics, Australia and New Zealand. In 2013 he led a successful MBO of an executive search consultancy which was sold in 2016.

Thomas holds a master’s degree in International Business Administration and Languages from the University of Lund, Sweden and has completed the Advanced Management & Executive Education Programmes at the Stockholm School of Economics (AMP).  A Swedish national, he is fluent in English, German and Scandinavian Languages and has lived in the UK since 2003.

Andy Smith

Partner

Andy Smith is a Partner with The RSA Group, a leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive Interims.  Based in the firm’s Singapore office, Andy has over 15 years’ search experience dedicated to the Life Sciences sector, and brings an Asia-Pacific knowledge and focus to the RSA team.

Andy’s experience includes the placement of executives from senior technical specialist to 'C' level across the sector, including biotechnology, specialty pharma, big pharma, medical devices, diagnostics, generics, biosimilars, academic institutions, consumer healthcare, consultancy and other related service providers. His functional expertise covers most management disciplines, including general management, clinical research, business development, human resources, research & development, medical, marketing & sales, manufacturing, IT and, finance.

Beginning his search career in London, Andy has since spent significant periods of time based in EMEA, Asia Pacific and North America.  Most recently, he served as a Director in a boutique Life Sciences firm in Asia Pacific. Before this, Andy was in-house Global Search Consultant at AbbVie - a major global biopharmaceutical company – where he developed and executed search strategies for senior regional and global executive positions.

Having spent over 10 years living and working across regions, Andy has  a unique understanding of the careful management needed in projects involving cross-border moves of executives.

Nick Stephens

Executive Chairman

Nick Stephens is Executive Chair of The RSA Group, a global leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive Interims.  Serving biotech, pharma, medical devices, diagnostic, and academic medical research markets. The RSA Group specialises in C-suite, senior executive and board level searches. His company has developed unique “Data Driven Due Diligence” methodologies that minimise risk and maximise upside in building and developing leadership teams and Boards.

Over more than three decades he and his company have helped to build hundreds of companies which have brought new therapies to patients everywhere. His daily conversations with industry leaders across the world have brought him unique insights into what works where and, perhaps more importantly what will add risk. He believes that with the right people in place patients will have quicker access to better medicines.

Nick is a law graduate with broad commercial experience in various roles spanning metals trading, medical devices, pharmaceuticals and the British National Health Service.

He has been a Director of The RSA Group since 1986, joined the business full-time in 1995 and took it over in 2000.  Nick also serves as a Non-Executive Director of an investment company focusing on cannabinoid and Internet-of-Things businesses; an early stage biotech company with a proprietary platform in oncology, anti-infectives and diagnostics, an IT business specialising in healthcare, travel and cybersecurity and an advanced AgriTech business.

Dr. Andy Theodorou

Senior Consultant

Dr. Andy Theodorou is a Senior Consultant with The RSA Group, a global leader in Life Sciences Executive Search and Executive interims.

Andy brings a unique profile to executive search, combining a strong and relevant academic and research background in Neuropharmacology with 18 years executive search experience gained within leading global organisations.

Working across most functions in the life sciences sector, Andy has placed senior level executives across most functions: from discovery research to clinical development, commercial and general management. He has a particular focus in R&D, Bioinformatics, Data Sciences and market access.

Andy has extensive knowledge and interest in a number of Therapeutic Areas, particularly in Oncology and Neurosciences which has enabled him to build a global network of professional contacts working in these areas.

Andy holds a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology and is a member of the British Pharmacological Society. He continues to have a keen interest in education, learning and development and to this end he is a trustee of a Primary Academy.

Natalie Walter

Non-Executive Director

Natalie is a Corporate Partner in the life sciences practice at Covington, a leading global law firm and as such she has immense experience advising Boards of UK, European and global life science companies.

Natalie frequently works with FTSE and Nasdaq listed companies and her professional expertise has been recognised many times, most recently as ‘Best in Capital Markets’ at Euromoney’s ‘Europe Women in Business Law’ awards.

Dafydd Wright

Managing Partner

Dafydd Wright is a Managing Partner with RSA Interims, a proven leader in Life Sciences Executive interims.  Heading up the business unit that he’s help to build out from The RSA Group, Dafydd manages the global interims business and consultants.

An award winning leader in interim management, Dafydd favours a people-oriented, consultative approach focusing on interim management as a solution rather than a fill in.  He feels strongly that interim management provides the opportunity to add an additional layer of expertise, enabling organisations to move faster and achieve their goals.  Since 2007, Dafydd has dedicated his efforts to building the value of the interims model across the life sciences industry.

Previously, Dafydd worked in the diagnostics industry as a research scientist. He has a degree in Applied Microbiology and has worked and lived in the UK and Finland.