Head Product Management, global healthcare software provider
Despite a limited candidate pool for a client that was not well-known by health tech professionals, NGS Global was able to source interest from and ultimately secure an exceptional product management executive.
Background
Our client was a specialist global software products and services company, focused on solutions for healthcare providers. Headquartered in Singapore with presence in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, they had a comprehensive suite of products that were scalable and easy to implement, making them the obvious choice for private and public sector healthcare providers of all sizes.
In addition to their flagship hospital information system and electronic medical record database for hospitals and clinics, their offerings included an interoperable cloud-based platform that empowered residential care (nursing homes), disability centers, home care, remote patient monitoring, and telemedicine.
The Need
Our client’s goals were to establish themselves as the best-in-class AI led cloud-based health tech company in the industry, and expand their penetration into new geographical markets. The CEO of the company had led a major turnaround of the business over the last few years and was now looking at product management as a key growth enabler in the months to come.
In order to enhance existing products and launch new ones, they commissioned us to look for a Head of Product Management, who would play a crucial role in defining and executing their short- and long-term product roadmap. In addition to technology know-how, the role required a demonstrable track record in conceptualizing, building and launching new products and releases end-to-end, and not just executing product roadmaps defined by a “global headquarters”. Moreover, the person had to show a clear thought process with regards to the AI and cloud transformation of their product suite.
Strategy and Approach
The challenge in our search process was linked to the fact that there were a limited number of health tech companies in India, who either had local decision making with regards to global product roll outs or were taking product decisions in India. In addition, our client was not well-known among health tech professionals in India, so we had to “sell” the role based on the CEO’s track record in turning around the business and his vision for growth.
We researched the market deeply and came up with a list of both global and Indian health tech companies, including venture funded start-ups. This not only included healthcare software companies, but also those who offered medical devices and healthcare AI/data solutions.
We then researched their product functions thoroughly and built a list of candidates who we, prima facie, felt were in key decision-making roles with regards to product strategy. After an exhaustive process of speaking to each and every candidate on our target list, and showcasing our client’s vision, we presented five candidates of whom one was offered the position. This candidate had spent a long time at a global medical equipment major and was leading a key product offering end-to-end from India. He came with a good combination of technical and product know-how and had leveraged AI and ML tools effectively in building useful functionality into the product offering that he led.
Our NGS Global Value-Add
• Extensive research of target firms and their product functions leading to a viable target candidate list.
• Analytical rigor to achieve insights into candidates and their track record, especially in terms of their strategic nous and control around the product launch process, which was a key consideration for our client.
• Close engagement with the client and shortlisted candidates throughout the search process, which included a plan presentation by finalist candidates on how they would address the key challenges that our client had on the product front.
Contact Soumitra Agarwal (Project Lead)
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