RBW Consulting
RBW Consulting is a UK-based life sciences talent consultancy delivering permanent, contract, and executive search recruitment across pharma, biotech, CRO, CDMO, medtech, and healthcare communications globally via its Human Intelligence™ methodology.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersCrawley, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What RBW Consulting does
RBW Consulting is a UK-headquartered life sciences talent and strategic consultancy founded in 2007, operating across the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, CDMO, medical device and diagnostics, and healthcare communications sub-sectors. The firm delivers three core service lines — Permanent Recruitment, Contract Recruitment, and Executive Search — unified under its proprietary "Human Intelligence™" methodology, which combines deep vertical specialism (consultants organized into niches that mirror client departments such as clinical operations, regulatory, manufacturing, and biometrics) with cultural-fit matching. RBW does not operate a software platform; its technology stack consists of standard recruitment CRM, a Sourceflow-hosted website, and Google Analytics, with differentiation resting on consultant expertise rather than technology. The firm is a certified B Corporation and runs an Impact Program focused on patient-facing initiatives.
The company is privately held and incorporated in the United Kingdom as RBW Consulting Ltd, with ownership structured as founder-led and broadened through an employee share trust. RBW has expanded from its UK roots to four offices: Crawley/Gatwick (UK HQ), Brighton, Boston (US regional HQ), and Zug, Switzerland (European regional HQ), serving clients across Europe and North America. Revenue is generated on a transaction-fee basis across all three service lines, with permanent placements typically on contingency percentage-of-salary terms, contract rates tied to market rates and duration, and executive search on bespoke fee structures. The customer base spans global pharmaceutical enterprises, growth-stage biotechs, CDMOs, CROs, digital health agencies, and tech-enabled clinical companies, with no individual client disclosed as a revenue anchor.
RBW Consulting firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RBW Consulting
- Legal name
- RBW Consulting Ltd
- Website
- https://rbwconsulting.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- RBW Consulting is a UK-based life sciences talent consultancy delivering permanent, contract, and executive search recruitment across pharma, biotech, CRO, CDMO, medtech, and healthcare communications globally via its Human Intelligence™ methodology.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RBW Consulting industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Life Sciences Recruitment Services
- NAICS
- Executive Search Services (561312), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)
- SIC
- Services-Employment Agencies (7361)
- akta.pro primary industry
- C-Suite & Board Search (BPACAAAA)
Keywords
Where RBW Consulting is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Crawley
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
RBW Consulting business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Contract Recruitment: Flexible project-based solutions providing access to specialist talent on a flexible basis within regulated environments. Supports immediate resource needs for project-driven or delivery-critical hiring.
- Permanent Recruitment: Long-term capability building recruitment, helping organizations hire into core teams and growth areas where continuity, cultural fit and sustained performance are essential. Typically operates on contingency fee basis.
- Executive Search: Targeted access to hard-to-reach talent for leadership and business-critical hires where precision, discretion and sector expertise are essential.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
RBW Consulting product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RBW Consulting is a life sciences talent consultancy that provides recruitment services exclusively to the life sciences sector. The company delivers three core offerings: Permanent Recruitment for long-term capability building, Contract Recruitment for project-based flexible staffing, and Executive Search for leadership and business-critical hires. All services are delivered through their proprietary Human Intelligence™ methodology by sector-aligned specialist consultants.
Product overview
RBW Consulting is a life science recruitment consultancy offering a unified service portfolio centered on three core offerings: Permanent Recruitment, Contract Recruitment, and Executive Search. These services are delivered through their proprietary Human Intelligence methodology, which integrates deep sector expertise with a collaborative network approach. The company specializes exclusively in life sciences, serving sectors including Biotech, CDMO, CRO, Medtech, Healthcare Communications, and Pharma. RBW does not operate a software platform; all offerings are professional consulting services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Permanent Recruitment Supports long-term capability building for life sciences organizations, helping them hire into core teams and growth areas where continuity, cultural fit, and sustained performance are essential. Operates on a contingency fee basis typically structured as a percentage of the candidate's annual salary.
- Contract Recruitment Provides flexible, project-based solutions for immediate resource needs, enabling rapid scaling to match changing business requirements within regulated life sciences environments. Contract rates are based on market rates and assignment duration.
- Executive Search Targets leadership and business-critical hires in life sciences organizations, providing access to hard-to-reach talent where precision, discretion, and sector expertise are essential for C-suite and senior leadership positions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Client testimonials consistently highlight exceptional candidate quality, with each candidate exceeding minimum standards
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use RBW Consulting
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
RBW Consulting technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
RBW Consulting partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- International Longevity Centre (ILC)corePartnership for the Trial & Error project examining older age inclusivity in clinical trials in the post-COVID era. ILC is a specialist think tank on longevity impact, established 1997, with 16 centers globally. A webinar was held March 30, 2022 to launch the report.
- Rare Disease Research PartnerscorePartnership in 2021 for the Emotional Odyssey project addressing the psychological impact of rare disease diagnosis on patients and their support networks. RBW Consulting provided funding and collaborative support for research and development of guidance materials.
- Diversely.iosupportingAutomated, platform-based D&I recruitment solution that helps measure and improve the diversity of RBW's candidate pipeline as part of their DEIB initiatives.
- Future FrontierssupportingAn education charity helping disadvantaged young people unlock opportunities and achieve their full potential. RBW supports through their DEI program and Impact initiatives.
- Insights DiscoverysupportingPsychometric tool based on Carl Jung's psychology used internally for bias recognition training and helping RBW employees understand themselves and colleagues for more productive working relationships.
- Clinical Outsourcing GroupcoreRBW Consulting is the exclusive Recruitment Partner for the Clinical Outsourcing Group UK Conference 2026. COG UK brings together senior decision-makers from UK trial sponsors with industry thought leaders.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
RBW Consulting competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Real Staffing (SThree): Real Staffing is the life sciences recruitment arm of SThree PLC, providing permanent, contract, and executive search across pharma, biotech, CRO, and medtech globally. It is the most direct competitor to RBW given its sector-exclusive focus and three-service-line model.
- Skills Alliance: Skills Alliance is a specialist life sciences recruitment firm focused on pharma, biotech, CRO, and medical devices across the US, UK, and Europe. Highly comparable in size, vertical focus, and multi-service recruitment model to RBW.
- Coulter Partners: Coulter Partners is a specialist executive search firm exclusively serving the life sciences sector, including pharma, biotech, medtech, and CRO leadership mandates. Direct overlap with RBW's executive search practice, particularly at C-suite and board level.
- Planet Pharma: Planet Pharma is a life sciences staffing and consulting firm offering contract, permanent, and functional service provider (FSP) solutions across pharma, biotech, CRO, and medical devices. Closely comparable in services and sector focus to RBW.
- Taylor Strategy Partners: Taylor Strategy Partners is a life sciences executive search and talent consulting firm serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies. Highly comparable in life sciences vertical focus and senior-level search specialization.
- Barrington James: Barrington James is a global specialist recruitment firm dedicated to life sciences, offering permanent, contract, and executive search across pharma, biotech, medical devices, and consumer health. Direct competitor with similar sector-specialist positioning.
- CK Group (Life Sciences): CK Group is a UK-based recruitment firm with a dedicated life sciences division providing permanent, contract, and FSP recruitment across pharma, biotech, chemicals, and scientific sectors. Comparable in size and UK-rooted specialization.
Broad incumbents
- Hays Life Sciences: Hays Life Sciences is a division of global recruiter Hays PLC, offering permanent and contract recruitment across pharma, biotech, and medtech. As part of a larger publicly-listed firm, it brings greater scale and geographic reach than RBW.
- Robert Walters: Robert Walters PLC operates a dedicated life sciences practice delivering mid-to-senior permanent and interim recruitment across pharma, biotech, and medical devices. Comparable three-service offering (permanent, contract, search) within a global listed group.
- Michael Page Life Sciences: Michael Page Life Sciences is the specialist life sciences arm of PageGroup, offering permanent and interim recruitment across pharma, biotech, medical devices, and healthcare. As part of a larger publicly-listed group, it provides scale advantages similar to Hays and Robert Walters.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RBW Consulting social profiles
Digital presenceRBW Consulting compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
RBW Consulting financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RBW Consulting leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
RBW Consulting funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RBW Consulting M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RBW Consulting
What does RBW Consulting do?
RBW Consulting is a life sciences talent consultancy that provides recruitment services exclusively to the life sciences sector. The company delivers three core offerings: Permanent Recruitment for long-term capability building, Contract Recruitment for project-based flexible staffing, and Executive Search for leadership and business-critical hires. All services are delivered through their proprietary Human Intelligence™ methodology by sector-aligned specialist consultants.
Is RBW Consulting a public or private company?
RBW Consulting is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was RBW Consulting founded?
RBW Consulting was founded in 2007. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is RBW Consulting based?
RBW Consulting is headquartered in Crawley, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does RBW Consulting make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Contract Recruitment is the primary driver. The others are permanent Recruitment and executive Search.
Who are RBW Consulting's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Real Staffing (SThree), Skills Alliance, Coulter Partners, Planet Pharma, Taylor Strategy Partners, Barrington James and CK Group (Life Sciences). Broad incumbents are Hays Life Sciences, Robert Walters and Michael Page Life Sciences.
Does RBW Consulting have an API?
No public API is recorded for RBW Consulting.
What industry is RBW Consulting in?
RBW Consulting's product category is Life Sciences Recruitment Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAAAA, C-Suite & Board Search. Its NAICS code is 561312 and its SIC code is 7361.