Niche not mass: Noemi Käslin – newly appointed Business Director Life Sciences – on her success story at Flexsis and albedis

Every success story is built on hard work, and Noemi Käslin’s is no exception. With courage, foresight and a clear vision, she has built up the Life Sciences division at Flexsis, filling a gap in the highly regulated market. Her journey to success and recent appointment as Business Director Life Sciences of Flexsis and albedis is proof of how specialisation can make all the difference. 

Noemi, congratulations on your promotion to Business Director Life Sciences! Can you tell us a bit about your professional background and how you got into the HR industry? 

Thank you! My professional journey began in Basel, where I was born and raised. I started my career in the field of human resources in the area of work integration, specifically in the primary labour market. It was a very enriching experience to support people in their professional integration and to watch them find their place in the labour market. In 2010, I switched to recruitment consulting and initially specialised in commercial permanent positions. I later took on responsibility for temporary employment and became a branch manager. After five years, I decided to take on new challenges and took on management responsibilities in the commercial, IT and life sciences industries at another recruitment company. My responsibilities there included managing two subsidiaries with a combined team of around ten people. 

I joined Flexsis in 2020 with a clear vision of expanding the life sciences sector. What particularly fascinated me was the opportunity to create something new and to focus on a market characterised by innovation and global importance. 

What were the biggest challenges in establishing the Life Sciences division? 

When I joined Flexsis in 2020, the life sciences division only operated on a very limited scale and the focus was predominantly on the blue-collar segment. By winning a tender from a leading Swiss company, I was given the opportunity to further develop the division. It was a challenging but also extremely exciting journey: I started out as a one-woman show and was able to gradually build up a highly specialised team. 

Establishing ourselves as a niche provider in a highly regulated market was a major challenge. From the very beginning, our approach was not to cover the entire market, but to offer our clients tailored solutions. What our clients appreciate most is our high quality and reliability, which has enabled us to position ourselves sustainably. 

What does being a niche provider in the life sciences industry mean and what advantages come with it? 

Being a niche provider means that we focus specifically on certain segments and client needs, rather than covering the entire market. This allows us to offer tailored solutions and to set ourselves apart through quality and expertise. In the life sciences industry, this is crucial, as the requirements – both from clients and candidates – are particularly high. 

Our strength lies in our personalised service and our ability to connect the right talent with the right companies. In recent years, we have set new internal company records in this area, both in the quality of our services and in building long-term partnerships with leading companies in the industry. 

Just recently, the strategic decision was taken to specialise in life sciences at the Zurich office. As a result, you have taken on additional responsibility for this location. What is the reason behind this realignment? 

The decision to specialise in life sciences at the Flexsis office in Zurich is based on our vision to continuously expand our expertise in this industry. Our Zurich office was previously focused on IT professions, but it already had a share of life sciences profiles. The complete realignment offers us the opportunity to create synergies between Basel and Zurich and to work even more closely with the albedis office in Zurich, which can be found at the same address. 

This proximity between Flexsis and albedis in Zurich not only facilitates the exchange between the teams, but also accelerates the expansion of life sciences both across two companies and, especially, at the national level. Our mission is to be a trusted partner for our clients on a contract basis as well as in permanent and mandate solutions, and to offer new, innovative solutions to our existing and new life sciences clients. 

How are recruitment and consulting processes structured in the highly regulated life sciences industry? 

Recruitment in the life sciences industry is demanding and requires a high degree of professionalism and precision. Our clients expect us to undergo regular audits and hold certifications to ensure that we maintain the highest quality standards. 

For candidates, this includes extensive background checks, obtaining references and checking criminal records and debt enforcement registers. Moreover, identifying specialists is often a very complex process. The higher the profile, the more demanding the requirements are, both in terms of recruitment and support. 

For our clients – especially large companies – the processes are often formalised and highly regulated, as many decisions go through the procurement departments. The classic relationship-building that is possible with small and mid-sized companies is less relevant here. What counts instead is quality, reliability and adherence to all compliance requirements. 

How important are topics in compliance requirements such as corporate social responsibility, diversity, inclusion and sustainability for your work? 

All of these topics are absolutely essential nowadays, especially in a global and future-oriented industry such as life sciences. Many of our clients attach great importance to having a partner who not only delivers the highest quality but also fulfils their social responsibility. 

We actively foster diversity and inclusion in our internal teams and in our talent acquisition. We are committed to building a diverse talent pool and supporting candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. 

Another key aspect is sustainability. Companies want to know how we, as a recruitment company, implement sustainable practices, whether in our internal processes or in the services we provide to our clients. These requirements are incorporated directly into our daily work and are an important part of our long-term success. 

Where do you see the greatest opportunities for growth in the life sciences industry? 

With offices in Basel, where we are firmly rooted, and Zurich, Flexsis and albedis have growth potential throughout Switzerland. I also see very promising opportunities in the development of new employment models and innovative solutions for our clients. 

With albedis Life Sciences, we have the opportunity to expand our portfolio and offer executive search and mandate solutions in addition to our contracting services. This synergy strengthens our ability to meet the increasing demands of the life sciences industry and the growing challenges of recruitment consulting. 

What inspires you personally about working in life sciences? 

The life sciences industry is incredibly dynamic and characterised by innovation and globalisation. It truly inspires me to be part of game-changing developments that impact both the industry and the world. Every position we help to fill contributes to the success of groundbreaking projects – from research and development to production. 

I feel fulfilled connecting top talent with companies and being part of their success stories. It is a great feeling knowing that we make a positive impact in the lives of our candidates and clients through our work.