Company Name
XChem
Search Job Title
Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Client Profile
XChem is a small but growing drug discovery company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. As the organization reached a new stage of maturity, its leadership identified the need to centralize technology under a single, global leader who could unify systems, people, and strategy across the business.
Role Objectives & Challenges
The search request centered on identifying a senior technology leader capable of bringing all IT functions under one cohesive umbrella. At the time, technology ownership was distributed across the organization, creating the need for a centralized role that could align infrastructure, systems, and development under a unified vision.
A major challenge of the role was operating effectively within a highly disparate environment. The CIO would need to partner closely with research and development teams composed largely of PhD-level scientists who were deeply specialized and accustomed to highly individualized ways of working. Success required strong collaboration skills, credibility, and the ability to influence without disrupting critical scientific workflows.
In addition to cultural and organizational complexity, the role demanded broad technical leadership. The incoming CIO needed to oversee infrastructure and hardware while also providing strategic direction across software development and the full software development life cycle. The position required someone equally comfortable with hands-on technical domains and enterprise-level leadership.
Our Approach to Solve the Search
The search approach was intentionally broad and aggressive, reflecting both the seniority of the role and the strong market interest expected for an opportunity of this nature. The initial focus was on senior technology leaders within the biotech space, including executives at the VP and C-suite level across organizations of varying size and complexity.
While the search began in the greater Raleigh area, it was expanded into the broader Northeast to access a deeper pool of qualified candidates. Many prospective leaders demonstrated openness to relocation, allowing the search to prioritize capability and fit over geography alone. As the process progressed, the emphasis shifted from volume to refinement, narrowing the field to candidates who demonstrated a balanced background across infrastructure, cloud, hardware, and software development leaders
The Hire & Results
The search yielded a strong and diverse slate of candidates, ultimately resulting in nine senior technology leaders being presented to XCM’s leadership team in two phases. Following initial conversations, the field narrowed quickly to a small group of finalists who aligned closely with the organization’s technical, cultural, and strategic needs.
The final hire brought a well-balanced blend of infrastructure expertise, cloud and hardware leadership, and a deep understanding of the software development life cycle. With centralized technology leadership in place, XCM was positioned to better align its technology strategy with its scientific mission, improve cross-functional collaboration, and support the company’s continued growth and maturation.
