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Oliver Kiddy
Managing Director
Hundreds of 'Excellent' reviews
Helping CDMO & CRO companies unlock their next stage of growth
Specialisms We Cover
The global CDMO and CRO market is valued at over USD 200 billion, with sustained growth driven by pharmaceutical and biotech outsourcing, increasing pipeline complexity, regulatory intensity, and the need for speed, flexibility, and specialist expertise.
CDMOs and CROs sit at the centre of pharmaceutical, biotech, and life sciences innovation, enabling organisations to accelerate development, scale manufacturing, and navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments. As drug modalities diversify and development timelines compress, the sector faces rising demand for specialised capabilities across discovery, development, clinical research, and commercial-scale manufacturing. Innovation in advanced therapies, digital trials, and flexible manufacturing models continues to reshape the landscape.Our commitment to the CDMO and CRO market sets us apart from traditional executive search firms. We partner with organisations across the life sciences ecosystem to secure highly specialised scientific, technical, and commercial talent. By aligning expertise with programme objectives and regulatory requirements, we help our clients accelerate development, scale with confidence, and build the leadership and specialist capability required to bring life-changing therapies to market.
CDMO and CRO hiring sits at the intersection of science, service, and execution.
These organizations support critical development and manufacturing programs, where delays, quality issues, or resource gaps can have far-reaching consequences. As pipelines grow and outsourcing models expand, teams must combine technical expertise with strong project delivery and client-facing capability.Effective recruitment in CDMO and CRO environments requires an understanding of regulated operations and service-driven business models. Working with specialists who know how these organizations function enables faster, more accurate hiring decisions that protect delivery and long-term client relationships.
Building out a strategic senior leadership teams to expedite global presence
Our clients were an already well established and respected CDMO due to their capabilities and the quality of service. Their struggle was breaking through into a previously neglected geographical territory and finding the right candidates to do so without losing them to alternate offers. Through Irving Knight’s exceptional candidate relationships, we were able to build out the strategic commercial team, resulting in exponential territory growth this year.
Case Study
Building out a strategic senior leadership teams to expedite global presence
Did you know?
Hiring the wrong candidate costs more than just time—it can waste salary, training resources, and opportunities. The Department of Labour estimates a bad hire can cost up to 30% of the role’s first-year earnings.
We hire right
Organisations are
97% Placement Rate 11.78:1 CVs Sent to Interviews 2Avg. 32 Day Engagement to Placement 3
1. Based on all roles engaged on by a client on an exclusive basis from Jan 4 2025 - Dec 31 2025.
2. All CVs Sent from Jan 4 2025 - Dec 31 2025.
3. From Jan 4 2025 - Dec 31 2025.
Stats
1,908 placements made across 25 sectors
262,736 companies in our CRM
"At Irving Knight, we don't just fill positions; we build lasting partnerships. Our commitment to understanding your unique needs ensures that we deliver leaders who drive success and embody your company's values. When it comes to identifying the high-performers of tomorrow, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Our bespoke approach ensures every search is personal, diverse, and tailored from the ground up — delivering an individual, unrivalled experience for both clients and candidates. "
- Joe Davey, Group CEO of Irving Knight Group
Dipen Shah
Account Manager, Canada
I was assisted by Aiden Kerr on getting a new job in the chemical industry. He was fantastic in terms of timing, comm...
Aidan Kerr
Chemicals
Daniel Villanueva
Key Account Manager
Joseph is a dedicated professional and a stand up person to work with. His patience and his understanding certainly s...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Vincent Dehousse
Head of Sales & Marketing, Netherlands
Great experience working with Cian from Irving Knight—professional, responsive, and genuinely supportive. Highly reco...
Cian ODonnell
CDMO & CRO
Eduardo Valle
Development Mgr, US
This opportunity fell on my lap at the perfect time and the overall process with Christopher was great. It was a very...
Christopher Clay
Real Estate & Homebuilding
Michael Wilson
Senior Account Manager
Working with Joseph was a seamless and positive experience from our first contact along with the various steps of the...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Tim Mitchell
Plant Manager, US
Stewart did an amazing job representing me for a new opportunity.
Stewart Boyd
Construction Materials
Keith Parvin
Automation Division Director
I found Joseph to be extremely professional in every way when going through a recent recruitment process, always doin...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Kerry Maye
Regional Sales Manager
Working with Joseph was a wonderfully positive experience from our first contact, through acceptance of my job offer....
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Nathan Radue
Channel Marketing Manager, US
Oliver is a thorough and effective recruiter, representing both sides with character and solid communication. He appr...
Oliver Kiddy
Flavors & Fragrances
Tim Staniels
Territory Sales Manager, US
Joseph was very easy to work with. He was motivated and attentive during his recruitment process, very responsive to ...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Guillermo Leal
Global Director of Pricing, US
I've worked with a few recruiters in the past but Oliver surprised me not only for his professionalism, excellent com...
Oliver Kiddy
Flavors & Fragrances
Jon Steele
CFO, US
Grace taught an old dog some new tricks! I had been in my previous position for 30 years. I loved my job for most of...
Grace Smith
Electrical Components and Products
Jane Scates
Packaging Engineer, US
Henry was a true professional, perfect attention to detail at every step of the process. Would definitely recommend!
Henry Spooner
Packaging, Paper, Recycling
Kay Witte
Global Director Performance Excellence
Joseph was instrumental in making my last professional opportunity happen. He was easy to work with, responsive, and ...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Ashley Maclean
Systems Sales Engineer, South Carolina
Jack Purnell with Irving Knight was the best recruiter I’ve worked with - by far. He communicated clearly, was respec...
Jack Purnell
Heavy Equipment & Automation
Rania Metwall
Head of Sales, France
Would highly recommend working with Luca Dowdell. He helped me find the perfect job. Very professional, friendly and ...
Luca Dowdell
Lubricants and Oil & Gas
Brian Carpenter
VP Continous Improvement, US
Stewart was instrumental in helping me through this process and alleviating my concerns as I’ve been out of the workf...
Stewart Boyd
Construction Materials
Matt Engelbrecht
VP Industrial Ops, US
Working with Lily was a phenomenal experience. She was fully transparent, professional, and provided timely communica...
Lily Newton
Animal Health
Joerg Schlagmann
Senior Global Manager
Great expert: supportive, challenging and always empowered for his customers and his work! Not more to say: just exce...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Franz-Leo Nedo
Territory Sales Manager
Joseph is an expert in recruting people. He has in-depth practical knowledge and helpful by solving potential issues....
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Dipen Shah
Account Manager, Canada
I was assisted by Aiden Kerr on getting a new job in the chemical industry. He was fantastic in terms of timing, comm...
Aidan Kerr
Chemicals
Daniel Villanueva
Key Account Manager
Joseph is a dedicated professional and a stand up person to work with. His patience and his understanding certainly s...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Vincent Dehousse
Head of Sales & Marketing, Netherlands
Great experience working with Cian from Irving Knight—professional, responsive, and genuinely supportive. Highly reco...
Cian ODonnell
CDMO & CRO
Eduardo Valle
Development Mgr, US
This opportunity fell on my lap at the perfect time and the overall process with Christopher was great. It was a very...
Christopher Clay
Real Estate & Homebuilding
Michael Wilson
Senior Account Manager
Working with Joseph was a seamless and positive experience from our first contact along with the various steps of the...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Tim Mitchell
Plant Manager, US
Stewart did an amazing job representing me for a new opportunity.
Stewart Boyd
Construction Materials
Keith Parvin
Automation Division Director
I found Joseph to be extremely professional in every way when going through a recent recruitment process, always doin...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Kerry Maye
Regional Sales Manager
Working with Joseph was a wonderfully positive experience from our first contact, through acceptance of my job offer....
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Nathan Radue
Channel Marketing Manager, US
Oliver is a thorough and effective recruiter, representing both sides with character and solid communication. He appr...
Oliver Kiddy
Flavors & Fragrances
Tim Staniels
Territory Sales Manager, US
Joseph was very easy to work with. He was motivated and attentive during his recruitment process, very responsive to ...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Guillermo Leal
Global Director of Pricing, US
I've worked with a few recruiters in the past but Oliver surprised me not only for his professionalism, excellent com...
Oliver Kiddy
Flavors & Fragrances
Jon Steele
CFO, US
Grace taught an old dog some new tricks! I had been in my previous position for 30 years. I loved my job for most of...
Grace Smith
Electrical Components and Products
Jane Scates
Packaging Engineer, US
Henry was a true professional, perfect attention to detail at every step of the process. Would definitely recommend!
Henry Spooner
Packaging, Paper, Recycling
Kay Witte
Global Director Performance Excellence
Joseph was instrumental in making my last professional opportunity happen. He was easy to work with, responsive, and ...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Ashley Maclean
Systems Sales Engineer, South Carolina
Jack Purnell with Irving Knight was the best recruiter I’ve worked with - by far. He communicated clearly, was respec...
Jack Purnell
Heavy Equipment & Automation
Rania Metwall
Head of Sales, France
Would highly recommend working with Luca Dowdell. He helped me find the perfect job. Very professional, friendly and ...
Luca Dowdell
Lubricants and Oil & Gas
Brian Carpenter
VP Continous Improvement, US
Stewart was instrumental in helping me through this process and alleviating my concerns as I’ve been out of the workf...
Stewart Boyd
Construction Materials
Matt Engelbrecht
VP Industrial Ops, US
Working with Lily was a phenomenal experience. She was fully transparent, professional, and provided timely communica...
Lily Newton
Animal Health
Joerg Schlagmann
Senior Global Manager
Great expert: supportive, challenging and always empowered for his customers and his work! Not more to say: just exce...
Joseph Davey
Group CEO
Franz-Leo Nedo
Territory Sales Manager
Joseph is an expert in recruting people. He has in-depth practical knowledge and helpful by solving potential issues....
