Klein Hersh

What Klein Hersh does

Klein Hersh is a privately held precision executive search firm founded in 1998 and headquartered in Horsham, Pennsylvania, specializing exclusively in the life sciences and healthcare continuum. The firm places C-suite executives, board members, vice presidents, and senior directors for clients spanning pharma and biotech (early-stage startups through large pharmaceutical companies), healthcare delivery and digital health organizations, pharma services and technology providers (CROs, CDMOs, technology vendors), and venture capital and private equity firms and their portfolio companies. Its delivery model is relationship-centered and people-centric rather than technology-platform-based: Klein Hersh relies on proprietary talent networks, subject-matter expertise within 20+ distinct practice areas (including clinical operations, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, biometrics, HEOR/market access, physician recruitment, data science, AI, and CMC/manufacturing), and an average employee tenure of 11 years to identify and place leaders, with retained executive searches typically completing in 103–113 days and over 75% of placed executives still in role three years post-hire.

The firm's core products are retained Executive Search, Interim Staffing (with ~95% of interim placements filled by independent consultants for urgent or fractional leadership needs), and Corporate Expansion & Relocation support. Revenue is generated on a professional-services, quote-based, per-engagement model with typical retained search engagements running multi-month cycles (90–120 days); pricing is not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led and exclusively direct enterprise, with senior client partners engaging employers through personalized outreach, dedicated practice-area expertise, and industry events (including LEAP HR: Life Sciences East). The firm became 100% employee-owned in 2024 and recorded a record year in 2021 with 700 executive placements, alongside ongoing recognition as a Hunt Scanlon Media Top 50 Search Firm, Top 50 in Healthcare Life Sciences Executive Search for three consecutive years, an SIA 2020 Largest Retained Search Firms listing, and the #1 Executive Recruitment Firm ranking by Philadelphia Business Journal.

Name

Klein Hersh

Legal name

Klein Hersh

Website

https://kleinhersh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Klein Hersh is a privately held, 100% employee-owned precision executive search firm founded in 1998 that places C-suite and senior leaders exclusively across the life sciences and healthcare continuum, serving pharma/biotech, healthcare, pharma services, and VC/PE clients via retained search and interim staffing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search Services

NAICS

Executive Search Services (561312), Employment Placement Agencies (561311)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Confidential/Replacement & Succession Search (BPACAAAK), Interim Executive & Fractional Leadership Placement (BPACAAAJ)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Life sciences recruiting
• Healthcare executive placement
• Biotech talent acquisition
• Interim staffing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Horsham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Retained Executive Search: The firm conducts retained executive search engagements for pharmaceutical, biotech, healthcare, and venture capital/private equity clients. These are typically 90-120 day engagements for permanent C-suite and senior leadership placements.
2. Interim Staffing & Consulting: Klein Hersh provides interim staffing solutions placing independent consultants and fractional executives in temporary roles. About 95% of interim placements are independent consultants with extensive industry expertise. This complements their permanent search offerings and addresses urgent client needs typically filled within days or weeks rather than months.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Klein Hersh is a precision retained executive search firm that places C-suite, board, and senior leadership talent for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, pharma services/technology, and venture capital/private equity organizations. It complements permanent executive search with interim staffing solutions placing independent consultants and fractional executives, plus dedicated support for corporate expansion and relocation initiatives. Engagements are typically retained and run 90-120 days, with the firm's average search completing in 113 days.

Product overview

Klein Hersh is a precision executive search firm offering a portfolio of talent acquisition services centered around executive search, interim staffing, and corporate expansion/relocation support. The firm specializes exclusively in life sciences and healthcare, with dedicated practice areas covering Pharma/Biotech, Healthcare, Pharma Services & Technology, and Venture Capital/Private Equity sectors. Their practice-specific offerings include specialized recruitment for areas such as Artificial Intelligence, Bioinformatics, Biometrics/Biostatistics, Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Data Science, Drug Safety/Pharmacovigilance, Immunology, Physician Recruitment, Regulatory Affairs, and more—each handled by subject matter experts within the firm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Executive Search

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 75% of placed executives remain with clients three years after hiring, demonstrating strong cultural alignment and placement quality
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Akero TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical-stage biotech company developing therapies for metabolic disease. Klein Hersh supports their executive leadership needs.
• Aktis OncologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotechnology company focused on targeted radiopharmaceuticals. Klein Hersh provides executive search services.
• Apogee TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical-stage biotech company developing therapies for immunological and inflammatory conditions.
• BiogencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal biotechnology company. Klein Hersh supports their executive leadership and talent acquisition needs.
• ModernacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotechnology company pioneering mRNA therapeutics. Klein Hersh provides executive search services.
• McKesson CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare services and information technology company. Klein Hersh supports their executive leadership needs.
• LifeStance HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health services company. Klein Hersh provides executive search services for their leadership team.
• Archwell HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare organization focused on value-based care for seniors. Klein Hersh supports executive leadership.
• LifeMine TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotechnology company mining nature for novel pharmaceuticals. Klein Hersh provides executive search services.
• Revolution MedicinescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical-stage oncology company. Klein Hersh supports their executive leadership needs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• WittKieffer: WittKieffer is one of the largest executive search firms exclusively focused on healthcare, life sciences, and higher education, with similar retained C-suite search practices serving hospitals, biopharma, and PE-backed healthcare companies — directly comparable to Klein Hersh's life sciences and healthcare vertical specialization.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global retained executive search leader with a dedicated Life Sciences practice placing C-suite and senior executives across pharma, biotech, and medical devices, overlapping heavily with Klein Hersh's core customer base and retained search delivery model.
• Cornerstone Search Group: Cornerstone Search Group is a boutique retained executive search firm focused exclusively on life sciences, conducting CEO and senior leadership searches for pharma and biotech clients — a direct smaller-scale specialty peer to Klein Hersh.
• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is one of the world's largest executive search firms with a strong Life Sciences and BioPharma practice placing CEOs, COOs, and senior R&D leaders — competing with Klein Hersh for the same retained executive mandates across large pharma and emerging biotech.
• B.E. Smith (AMN Healthcare): B.E. Smith, part of AMN Healthcare, specializes in interim and permanent healthcare executive placements for hospitals, health systems, and life sciences organizations, overlapping heavily with Klein Hersh's Interim Staffing and Healthcare practices.
• Egon Zehnder: Egon Zehnder is a global executive search and leadership advisory firm with a dedicated Health practice serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical products clients at the C-suite and board level — a broader global peer with overlapping functionality to Klein Hersh.
• Diversified Search Group: Diversified Search Group is a privately held retained executive search firm with a dedicated Life Sciences practice and a strong Healthcare Services arm, serving PE-backed and public life sciences companies comparable in size and specialization to Klein Hersh.
• Russell Reynolds Associates: Russell Reynolds Associates operates a global Healthcare and Life Sciences practice conducting retained senior executive searches for pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare provider clients, directly comparable to Klein Hersh's vertical specialization and seniority-level focus.
• Spencer Stuart: Spencer Stuart maintains a globally recognized Healthcare & Life Sciences practice conducting retained executive searches for pharma, biotech, medtech, and digital health companies at the C-suite and board level — competing head-to-head with Klein Hersh for marquee life sciences mandates.

Emerging players

• LifeSci Executive Search (LSES): LifeSci Executive Search is a boutique retained search firm dedicated to life sciences leadership placements across biotech, pharma, and medtech, with narrower scope and scale than Klein Hersh but comparable vertical focus on C-suite and senior leadership mandates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/kleinhersh
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCEXlcB9qFOhDU3HKI0JlSCA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/57958

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Klein Hersh