In Japan’s pharmaceutical industry, the competition for top leadership talent is more intense than ever. Yet the most capable, high-performing leaders aren’t necessarily the ones applying for jobs or updating their LinkedIn profiles. In fact, they’re often invisible to traditional recruitment methods.
Great leaders in Japan are typically secure in their roles. They’re recognized, well-compensated, and most importantly—retained. Companies are investing in them, whether through succession planning, global assignments, or strategic internal promotions. This means that even when clients receive a carefully curated longlist of candidates, the window to engage with top talent is incredibly narrow.
Take a recent case as an example. A client selected nine candidates to meet from a longlist we provided. By the time the client responded, seven of those nine were already in the final stages of another opportunity—or had accepted offers elsewhere. The lesson is clear: the market moves fast, and top talent is constantly being engaged.
The Warm Bench Isn’t Enough
Some companies try to rely on a “warm bench”—a pool of talent they’ve been introduced to previously. But the reality is that these same individuals are also being courted, promoted, or redeployed by their current employers. In many cases, what looks like a steady pool of available leaders is actually a fluid, fast-moving network of professionals in high demand.
In Japan, cultural norms also shape talent visibility. It’s seen as disloyal to publicly update a LinkedIn profile while employed, meaning that many high-caliber candidates are completely passive. If they are on LinkedIn, their profiles are often outdated and don’t reflect their current potential or aspirations.
Uncovering the Hidden Gems
That’s why we spend a significant portion of our time speaking directly to the market—not just reading résumés. We talk to people. We listen. We ask, Who are the key leaders driving results in your company? Who’s next in line? Who just got tapped for a global project?
This investigative approach is how we find the true gems—the passive talent that others miss.
Empowering the Search Through Partnership
But identifying these leaders is only part of the story. To attract them, we need to package opportunities in a way that’s genuinely more compelling than what they have now. This requires much more than a job description. It calls for deep insight into the hiring manager’s vision, the strategic goals of the organization, and a clear articulation of how this opportunity will serve the candidate’s growth.
This is where retained executive search becomes a strategic partnership.
We ask our clients to be active partners in the process—meeting with us regularly, sharing feedback, and engaging in transparent dialogue. This co-ownership enables us to overcome challenges in real-time and ensure the opportunity evolves in sync with market conditions and candidate expectations.
A Different Kind of Experience
The difference this approach makes is clear—not just in outcomes, but in experience. Recently, a client reflected on the impersonal and often frustrating experience of using traditional “Shrek forums” (a colloquialism for the 5 big global executive search firms). They described the process as transactional and lacking mutual respect.
In contrast, our clients consistently report a collaborative, transparent, and human experience—where candidates and clients alike feel supported, understood, and respected throughout the journey.
That’s when the real magic happens. When the process works in harmony, and the client is empowered to make a confident, well-informed decision—they don’t hesitate. They hit that hire button, knowing they’ve found the very best.
