Experience
Matters

Malcolm Silander

MA Sociology & Politics

Managing Director

Malcolm has over 10 years’ staffing experience encompassing both interim and senior appointments across Europe and North America. He has led our UK & European Life Science divisions for the last 6 years for both contract and permanent recruitment. His expertise is within the Quality Assurance, Compliance, Regulatory market and Recruitment Process Improvement.

Jemma Challinor

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science

Director, Executive Search

Jemma originally started with us as a Trainee Consultant and over 10 years has excelled as a leader. She oversees our global executive search division for all senior appointments and project work. Jemma has successfully completed assignments ranging from leadership roles at C-Suite level, through to full team-builds of 30 executives across 10+ countries.

Mark Anderson

BA (Hons) Business Management

Director, UK Permanent

Mark has worked at Skills Alliance since 2010. He oversees the UK Permanent Division, having previously managed the UK & European Clinical Operations Team for 5 years. Mark also recruits for senior clinical positions in the UK. The team places people from CTA to VP level in the UK and across the whole of Europe. He has over 9 years’ experience recruiting clinical professionals in the UK, Europe and the US. Placing over 200 candidates at all levels on a contract, contingent and retained basis.

Christopher Cook

BA (Hons) Environmental & Business Management

Director, Contract Sales

Chris joined Skills Alliance in 2010 and has covered several areas in his time with us (Clinical, Biometrics, QA and Regulatory) giving him the background and exposure to lead all our functions contract and interim delivery.

Jason Linney

Global Learning & Development Manager

An experienced Learning and Development professional of 18 years, Jason has specialised in the recruitment arena for the last six and joined Skills Alliance at the start of 2018 as their Global Learning and Development Manager.

Bec Barnes

European Talent Acquisition Manager

Bec has more than 7 years recruitment experience across a range of specialist markets and has worked in multiple countries including Australia, the UK & the USA. Bec joined Skills Alliance in 2017 and is responsible for our Internal Talent Acquisition function in the UK & Europe.

Hakim Driouche

BBA Marketing & International Business

Group Marketing Manager

Hakim has over 5 years of relevant experience in Marketing, Business Development and IT in the UK, France and the US. He has focused on recruitment marketing for the past 2 years with a proven track record of performance improvement and branding development. Hakim joined Skills Alliance in 2018 and is responsible for our global marketing strategy.

Harpreet Mander

LLB Law, LPC

Director, EU Permanent

Harpreet joined Skills Alliance in 2018 having spent the previous four years focusing his work purely within the Medical Affairs and Clinical Development space. He has not only worked with the majority of the largest 40 Pharmaceutical organisations but has specialised in building out smaller growing Biotech companies. He is now focused on leading our expansion across Europe.

Lavina Rose

BSc (Hons) Genetics and Microbiology

Team Lead Manager

Lavina is a scientifically focused and technically strong life science recruitment professional with over 8 years staffing experience. Lavina has worked across several verticals including Technical Operations and Clinical Research but her passion lies within Quality Assurance. Having joined Skills Alliance in 2018, she leads our UK Permanent business.

Oliver Drew

Manager, Executive Search Delivery

Oliver has over 5 years’ executive search experience in Europe, North America, APAC and LATAM. After joining Skills Alliance in 2016, he led our Market Access & HEOR division before progressing to build and manage our global Executive Search delivery team, leading senior appointments and project work across all functions and geographies.

Chanel Hicken

MSc Neuroscience in Neurodegeneration

Team Leader, Medical & Commercial

Chanel joined Skills Alliance in 2018 and brings almost 6 years’ experience in recruiting medical affairs professionals across the UK and EU. Based out of our London office, Chanel is responsible for building a team of consultants that focus on recruitment across Medical, Clinical and Commercial.

Akbar Ali

Team Leader

Medical Devices

Akbar joined Skills Alliance in 2019 with 6 years proven Medical Device recruitment experience and has taken on a Team Lead role, focusing on the Medical Device Market and delivering searches across EMEA.

Rachael Parker

Team Leader

Healthcare Communications

Rachael joined Skills Alliance in 2016 and possesses over 6 years’ of contract and permanent recruitment experience. Having successfully setup our Healthcare Communications offering, she now leads the UK Contract Team with a specific focus on senior Commercial, Communications and Market Access appointments.

Thomas Tsangaras

Managing Director

Thomas joined Skills Alliance to lead our European expansion in 2014, bringing 13 years of recruitment know how with him. Working from our Zurich office, he offers you a background in Search & Selection, Market Mapping and Project Delivery.

Natalia Kochanowicz

Bachelor, Biology

Principal Consultant

Natalia joins Skills Alliance with 3 years’ experience working specifically in the Medical Affairs and Clinical Development space. Her expertise lies in supporting SME Companies along with emerging Biotech’s. Her knowledge and experience in the market makes her an expert in filling niche, high talent required positions on a local basis within Switzerland and across Europe.

Asif Malik

Manager

Asif Malik is responsible for the strategic expansion of our interim practice across Europe from our Zurich office. Building on his 6 years of Biometrics and Clinical recruitment experience, he focuses on client services with SME CROs and Emerging Biotechnology companies.

Irina Bouras

Team Leader–Medical Technology

Irina joined Skills Alliance in 2015 as an original member of our launch team in Zurich. She provides invaluable knowledge on the medical technology market having over 5 years’ experience delivering into executive projects. Being personable, innovative, and a true leader she provides our clients with insights and advice across Europe.

Dan Shillingburg

BS Biology

President, North America

Dan leads our North American operations which currently encompasses the New York, Newport Beach & Seattle offices. With over 9 years of experience leading life sciences recruitment teams in the US for both executive search and contingent labor solutions, Dan specializes in partnering with companies for project-based and outsourced hiring as they prepare for capital raises or new product, region or facility launches.

Caroline April Sargeant

BSc (Hons) Psychology

Vice President, Seattle

Caroline has recruited across Europe and North America for 8 years, now leading our Seattle business. Caroline is an expert in temporary staffing along with supporting clients business transformation needs with outsourced project work.

Matt Batchelor

BSc Politics & Sociology

Vice President, New York

Matt has over 18 years’ recruitment and talent acquisition experience specializing in Contract, Interim and Permanent staffing solutions. His background is in the IT and Digital Transformation sectors focused on innovative and niche technology markets. He has led high performing recruitment teams in both the UK and North America. The team in New York focus on high growth, niche markets in Life Sciences, Medical Technology, Regulatory and Quality Validation markets.

David Hirsch

Regional Director, North Carolina

David joins us with 8 years of experience leading business development and service delivery for the RTP market, specializing in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. He is an established leader in the North Carolina staffing and HR communities.