Why Wirz & Partners

What sets us apart from our competitors?

The appointment of a Chairman of the Board at arcoris bio requires a search approach that systematically combines international biotech market expertise, governance competence, and a deep understanding of venture capital and corporate venture structures.

This is not about filling a representative board seat. It is about appointing a central governance authority within a seed‑stage biotech company characterised by strategic investors, a clearly defined exit horizon, and substantial technological depth.

For a rapidly scaling biotech such as arcoris bio, the decisive factor in selecting a new Chairman of the Board is securing a leader capable of bridging science, capital markets, and governance — someone who has successfully guided a company through precisely this inflection point before. The ideal Chair combines deep industry credibility with a proven track record in scaling organisations, strengthening boards, and supporting the CEO through strategic, financing, and partnering decisions.

Conventional executive search approaches that prioritise board mandates primarily on the basis of reputation or formal credentials fall short in this context. What matters is the ability to balance governance discipline, investor logic, strategic independence, and scalability within a complex stakeholder environment.

Our methodology: an integrated market, governance, and role perspective

Our search process is rigorously aligned with the concrete requirements of the Chairman mandate at arcoris bio:

• independent and authoritative board leadership in a mixed investor environment
• proven experience with VC‑backed biotech companies at early stages
• assured handling of corporate venture constellations and potential conflicts of interest
• strategic foresight with a clear focus on exit pathways (IPO, secondary transaction, or strategic sale)

These dimensions are considered in an integrated manner from the outset. Governance capability, sector understanding, and personal authority are embedded in the search and assessment logic in parallel, not sequentially.

At Wirz & Partners, we specialise precisely in this stage of corporate maturity. We support growth‑stage biotech companies in securing board leaders who not only understand complex science, but who also bring the governance discipline, investor credibility, and strategic foresight required to navigate the next phases of scaling and value creation.

International biotech market access — with a Swiss foundation

Seasoned board professionals from biotech, diagnostics, and life sciences are rarely active in the market. As a rule, they are committed to existing mandates and respond only to direct approaches that are both credible and technically well founded.

We maintain robust access to this candidate market — internationally and with a particular focus on Switzerland. Our recent successful placement of a board member for a biotech company substantiates both this access and our market positioning.

Precision through structured board assessment

We assess candidates against a clearly defined, mandate‑specific framework:

• governance maturity and experience as Chairman or independent board member
• proven interaction with VC and corporate venture investors
• ability to clearly separate board responsibilities, shareholder interests, and operational matters
• personal authority, decisiveness, and resilience in conflict situations

Structured interviews, mandate‑relevant case discussions, and a comparative overall evaluation ensure that alignment is achieved not only in professional terms, but also with respect to role requirements and situational context.

A partnership of equals

At our firm, each search is led by experienced partners who understand biotech businesses, investor dynamics, and board governance from practical experience.

For arcoris bio, this means:

• a single, consistent point of contact
• clear accountability throughout the process
• support from mandate definition through to effective integration at board level

Our market experience — your advantage

For over 15 years, Wirz & Partners has specialised in executive search and board appointments within technology‑driven, regulated, and investor‑led environments.

Our experience in appointing board members, Chairmen, and governance leaders in the life sciences and biotech sectors demonstrates one central principle:

Sustainable governance emerges where market insight, independence, and a precise understanding of role responsibilities are brought together in a structured manner.

That is precisely what our approach stands for.