Case overview
A European pharmaceutical company that manufactures and sells medicines planned to enter Kazakhstan and needed a local professional to launch commercial operations.
Standard search channels can be ineffective in this situation because the market is small and the professional community is close-knit.
We used a network developed over seven years of work in Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical sector and filled the role within a couple of months.
This case may help recruiters supporting expansion into new CIS markets and business leaders planning to enter the region.
Case background
The client, a European pharmaceutical company selling medicines in the EU and Eastern Europe, decided to expand into Kazakhstan. It needed a local professional with deep knowledge of the country’s pharmaceutical market and experience working with regulators, distributors, and major healthcare institutions.
The company was not facing a crisis; it lacked local expertise and contacts. Its European office had no presence in Kazakhstan, did not know the regional hiring practices, and could not quickly assess candidates through standard channels.
At the same time, Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical talent market is small, and senior executives rarely post resumes publicly. They tend to respond to referrals and direct approaches.
What did we do?
Given the market and the launch timeline, we did not rely on a mass job-board search. Instead, the recruiter drew on a personal network built over seven years in Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical sector—a contact list of senior executives, commercial leaders, and key account specialists at major regional pharmaceutical companies.
Using that network, we identified candidates who met the client’s requirements for sector experience, regulatory knowledge, and relationships in the medical community.
The recruiter contacted candidates directly, explained the project, and assessed their motivation and willingness to work for a European employer. Profiles went straight to the responsible manager at the European office by email, without intermediate approval stages, speeding up decisions.
Results
We presented two candidates to the client. Both interviewed with regional leadership, and one received an offer.
Before: A European company with no local office or Kazakhstan market expertise, facing a small and closed pharmaceutical talent market.
After: Two candidates presented, one finalist, and one successful hire. Active search and placement took two months.
Key lessons for recruiters
Supporting companies entering new CIS markets
1. On small markets, a trusted professional network may work better than technology
In close-knit sectors such as pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, and specialized B2B markets, candidates rarely look for jobs through job boards or even LinkedIn.
- What to do: Invest over time in industry relationships. Attend conferences, stay in touch with former candidates, and maintain contacts even when there is no active assignment.
- Why it works: When an assignment arrives, you can approach trusted contacts immediately instead of spending weeks on cold search.
From this case: Seven years of work in Kazakhstan’s pharmaceutical market enabled us to identify two relevant candidates quickly.
2. Streamlined approvals help international clients hire faster
When a client is abroad and has no local office, layers of approval can slow down a search.
- What to do: Offer a simple but transparent process, such as sending candidate profiles directly to the decision-maker without intermediate approvals.
- Why it works: This shortens response times while respecting the client’s role in making the decision.
Result: Direct approval by email helped meet the client’s project launch timeline.
3. CIS markets call for a tailored approach
European companies may try to use the same hiring methods in CIS markets as they use at home: public postings, platform-based tests, and multistage interviews.
- What to do: Explain local hiring practices. In Kazakhstan, for example, personal referrals can be more effective than formal processes for reaching key candidates.
- Why it works: The client can reach suitable candidates faster and may improve the prospects of a lasting fit.
Outcome: One candidate from the recruiter’s own network was more effective than a broad search through standard channels.
Conclusion
When a company enters a new market, the speed and quality of hiring can depend on the recruiter’s local expertise and relationships.
- For recruiters: Build industry relationships even without an active assignment. They can become your most valuable resource when clients expand.
- For businesses: When entering CIS markets, choose a partner for proven regional experience and contacts, as well as the tools it uses.
