Public Affairs Leader, GW Pharmaceuticals, Paris | Case Study

GW Pharmaceuticals vision is to be the global leader in prescription cannabinoid medicines, making a positive difference to the lives of their patients. Hanson Search plays a role in hiring Public Affairs Leader for GW Pharma in France.

Brief for Public Affairs Leader Role

GW Pharmaceuticals already had a strong presence in the UK and the US, however they wanted to expand to across Europe. The brief was to find a talented Senior Public Affairs Manager in France to build both their corporate and brand reputation and product portfolio.​

The successful candidate needed to be entrepreneurial with substantial political, media and policy experience in France. They were also required to have a good understanding of Public Affairs & Public Relations across Europe. ​

As Public Affairs are often separated in France. The challenge was to find an outstanding candidate for Public Affairs Leader for GW Pharma with combined expertise in the French Healthcare sector.

Our Approach

During two intensive weeks we thoroughly mapped out the healthcare and pharmaceutical market in Paris, reaching out to our senior network to identify the best candidates for the Public Affairs Leader for GW Pharma and generate recommendations. ​

Hanson Search arranged weekly check-ins with the client to update them on the search. Also, feeding back information to the new candidates.​

We produced a Score Card of the key competencies which allowed quickly assessment of each candidate’s suitability. We also created excitement about the opportunity and role to the candidates, acting as GW Pharmaceutical ambassadors at all time.

The Result

We successfully secured GW Pharmaceutical’s first choice for the Public Affairs Leader for GW Pharma. A brilliant and upcoming individual dedicated to making a difference to the lives of patients. They now represent the company in both internal stakeholder engagement activities and external Public Affairs & Public Relations activities across France.

Hanson Search is a leading talent advisory and executive search consultancy with consultants based across the UAE, UK, USA, and Europe. We specialise in business-critical roles that drive revenue, reputation, and risk. We have dedicated teams in Communications, Government Relations, Financial Communications, Public Affairs, Marketing, Digital Marketing, and Sustainability

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