A Q&A session with Andrew Linger

Bailey Montagu had the pleasure in catching up with our new Partner in Health and Life Sciences, Andrew Linger, to talk about his new position, executive search, how Health and Life Sciences has evolved in recent years, and more.

When did you join Bailey Montagu?

I joined Bailey Montagu on September 4, 2023, so at a good time to take advantage of the post-summer lull, and also, I believe, as businesses are planning ahead with more certainty than was the case at the start of the year.

How long have you been working in executive search?

I initially trained as a chartered accountant. In the late 1990s, I joined the specialist recruitment agency, Robert Walters. My initial focus there was on finance positions across multiple industries. In 2008 we established a search practice on the back of senior and C-level work that I and another couple of colleagues were doing.  I then led and grew the practice from 2010 until I left in 2019 and went on to work for several specialist boutique firms.

What do you like most about working in executive search?

I love being a trusted advisor to my clients and learning about their businesses.  My focus is always to partner with them properly so as to act as an extension to their organisation and be able to advise them more effectively. I find the variety of positions that I recruit for is rewarding, as are the relationships that I create with my close and trusting clients.

When did you become involved in Health and Life Sciences?

Prior to 2018 I had worked with a variety of businesses in the Health and Life Sciences sector for almost 15 years, but it has been in the last six years that my focus on the sector has extended to a new level through the increasing number of searches I have conducted and the corresponding organic growth of my network.  Understanding the differences of life-cycle and related cost and revenue streams across different ‘products’ is often key to identifying the right professionals to support growth.

How has Health and Life Sciences evolved in recent years and have players in the sector had to revise their business models and approaches?

The sector has grown enormously in recent years. Increased private equity involvement has ensured better commercial outlooks and progressively more attractive environments in which to work. The growing appeal of the industry has been in-line with the prominence of Health and Life Sciences on a global scale.

As such, even when businesses are in a relatively small or startup phase, they are able to attract the best talent. Organisations recognise that they have to compete at salary and remuneration levels with other industries that have traditionally been higher payers, in order to attract the quality of individuals required. This is despite the existence of uncertainty around the success of their product or offering.

Health and Life Sciences businesses are also having to make decisions faster and be more agile in their hiring practices of professionals with comprehensive experience in the sector.

What do you hope to bring to Bailey Montagu?

I aim to bring sector expertise and experience to complement the existing capabilities of Bailey Montagu. I am also excited about being part of the next stage of our growth and success, with an emphasis on collaboration to ensure the growing prominence of the Bailey Montagu brand is maintained, as is the focus on quality and accountability for our clients.

Finally, what do you like doing in your spare time?

When I do have any spare time, I enjoy watching my two sons play sport, which is typically football, cricket and rugby. I also love walking around Hampstead Heath with my wife and our West Highland Terrier. As well as being an avid sports watcher, I enjoy photography and reading.