Mind the (Generation) Gap: The Hunt for Talent in Asia

As more global life sciences firms see their Asian businesses skyrocket, the search for strong, internationally savvy talent in Asia-Pacific has never been more competitive, writes Susan Macdonald of RSA.

The need to build manufacturing and commercial infrastructure in Asia-Pacific with the associated regulatory, quality and compliance processes to satisfy Western authorities is reaching new heights for life sciences companies of all shapes and sizes. As the market’s eastward shift appears more permanent, the incentive for medical device, pharma, biotech, nutrition, generic and consumer health-care companies to establish and grow their businesses in Asia-Pacific has never been more urgent.

This sense of urgency translates into a highly competitive environment to recruit suitably qualified individuals. The ability of companies to attract, develop and retain highly knowledgeable and skilled business leaders in Asia is critical to many companies’ ability to gain, build and maintain a strong foothold in this rapidly growing region.

Like many growing markets, the skills gap is a major hurdle to overcome when identifying, attracting, retaining and developing the senior talent that will grow a life sciences business. Traditional MBA programs teach local and foreign talent the basics of running a commercial operation, but in specialist life sciences and medical device companies, industry knowledge and experience is critical.

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