HR One Group

What HR One Group does

HR One Group is a Belgian-headquartered boutique recruitment and staffing firm founded in 2008 by Charlotte Peters, specializing exclusively in the life sciences sector. The firm serves pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, MedTech, diagnostics, healthcare, research institutes, and academic hospitals, with additional recent expansion into adjacent technology verticals such as engineering, green tech, and AI software. Its core offering, branded "You are The One," is executive search for C-suite and senior leadership roles, complemented by add-on services including market mapping, talent and salary benchmarking, evidence-based talent assessments, and career coaching.

The firm's secondary brand, BrightMinds (also referred to as Bright One), provides project staffing, contract-to-hire, and interim management solutions for life sciences companies needing flexible scientific, clinical, regulatory, or commercial resources. Supporting ecosystem assets include the annual Young MD Summit for medical doctors transitioning into industry and the bi-annual One Life! networking platform.

HR One Group generates revenue through professional services fees on executive search mandates (typically a percentage of placed candidate compensation) and through consulting markups on interim and project staffing engagements. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales via a small bench of multidisciplinary consultants that includes PhDs, psychologists, and industry specialists, supported by conference attendance and an actively managed candidate network. In May 2025, the firm was acquired by Capenti, part of Kebek Private Equity, while retaining its brand and operating identity alongside sister firms Schelstraete Delacourt, Minds & More, and Apollo Executive Search.

Name

HR One Group

Legal name

HR One Group

Website

https://hronegroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HR One Group is a Belgian boutique recruitment and staffing firm founded in 2008, specializing in executive search and interim management for life sciences companies across pharma, biotech, MedTech, diagnostics, and healthcare across Europe, the UK, USA, Asia, and the Middle East.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Executive Search and Recruitment Services

NAICS

Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

HR Strategy & Operating Model Design (BPACAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

M&A HR Advisory (Due Diligence, Integration, Carve-outs) (BPACAJAL)

Keywords

• Executive search services
• Life sciences recruitment
• Interim management staffing
• Project staffing solutions
• Talent acquisition consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Zaventem

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Executive Search: Permanent placement recruitment services for executive and senior-level positions in life sciences organizations. The company identifies, approaches, assesses, and places candidates in permanent roles.
2. BrightMinds - Interim Management & Project Staffing: Flexible staffing solutions including project staffing consultants, contract-to-hire experts, and interim managers. Revenue generated through consulting fees for temporary staffing arrangements with flexible contracts.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HR One Group is a niche executive search and interim management firm serving the life sciences industry. Under its flagship "You are The One" offering, the company identifies, approaches, assesses, and places senior executives and specialized professionals into permanent roles at pharmaceutical, MedTech, biotech, diagnostics, and health tech organizations. Through its Bright One / BrightMinds subsidiary, it provides project staffing, contract-to-hire, and interim management solutions for companies needing flexible scientific and operational resources.

Product overview

HR One Group is a niche recruitment firm specializing in life sciences, offering a portfolio of talent solutions. The core offerings include: 'You are The One' (executive search service) for identifying and recruiting outstanding leaders, and 'Bright One/BrightMinds' (project staffing subsidiary) providing flexible staffing solutions including project staffing consultants, contract-to-hire experts, and interim managers. Supporting modules include Market Mapping, Talent Benchmarking, Talent Assessments, Salary Benchmarking, and Career Coaching. Additionally, the company runs 'Young MD Summit' (annual event) and 'One Life!' (bi-annual networking platform) as engagement initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bright One: Life sciences project staffing company offering project staffing consultants, contract-to-hire experts, and interim managers.
• BrightMinds

Products and services

• You are The One (Executive Search) Core executive search service for identifying, approaching, assessing, and placing outstanding leaders in permanent roles at life sciences and technology companies, from start-ups to established multinationals. Includes organizational needs analysis, job specification development, and candidate matching.
• Bright One / BrightMinds (Project Staffing & Interim Management) Flexible staffing and career-boosting services for life sciences companies, providing project staffing consultants, contract-to-hire experts, and interim managers across clinical operations, regulatory affairs, medical affairs, market access, sales and marketing, R&D, lab, and quality and safety.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 positions filled in life sciences sector over 15 years of operation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Korn Ferry: Korn Ferry is a global organizational consulting firm with a substantial Life Sciences executive search practice — competes with HR One Group for senior leadership mandates in pharma and biotech, though at a much larger scale.
• Heidrick & Struggles: Heidrick & Struggles is a global executive search firm with a dedicated Life Sciences practice serving pharma, biotech and MedTech — competes for senior executive mandates in the same verticals as HR One Group, with broader geographic coverage.
• Robert Walters Life Sciences: Robert Walters operates a specialist Life Sciences recruitment practice across Europe, Asia and the US, placing senior commercial, technical and executive talent in pharma and biotech — overlapping with HR One Group's verticals and dual permanent/contract model.
• Michael Page Life Sciences: Michael Page's Life Sciences practice recruits across pharma, biotech, medical devices and clinical research globally — comparable to HR One Group's verticals but part of a much broader generalist recruitment group with deeper geographic reach.
• SThree: SThree plc is a publicly listed STEM staffing specialist with life sciences, engineering, and technology divisions; broader scope but overlaps directly with HR One Group through its life sciences permanent and contract offerings.

Direct peers

• Real Staffing: Real Staffing (part of SThree) is a specialist life sciences recruiter placing candidates in pharma, biotech, medical devices, and clinical research — a direct competitor on permanent and contract mandates in the same verticals as HR One Group.
• Skills Alliance: Skills Alliance is a specialist life sciences recruitment and talent consulting firm focused on pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical devices, with offices in Europe and the US — competing head-to-head with HR One Group for senior scientific and commercial hires.
• CPL Life Sciences: CPL Life Sciences is a specialist recruitment firm serving pharma, biotech, MedTech and clinical research organizations across Europe and the US — overlapping with HR One Group's primary verticals and offering both permanent placement and contract staffing.
• Hays Life Sciences: Hays plc operates a dedicated Life Sciences division providing permanent and contract staffing for pharma, biotech, and medical device companies globally — directly comparable to HR One Group in vertical focus, target customers, and dual permanent/contract delivery model.

Emerging players

• Apollo Executive Search: Apollo Executive Search, part of the same Capenti platform as HR One Group, is a Belgian executive search firm — a sister brand rather than direct competitor, but operates an adjacent vertical footprint and could share candidate pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hronegroup
• Instagraminstagram.com/HROneGroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 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 HR One Group