The Brief

Causaly is a London-headquartered AI business helping scientists find, interpret and apply biomedical knowledge to accelerate drug discovery. In July 2023, it raised $60 million in Series B funding led by ICONIQ Growth, with participation from investors including Index Ventures. At the time, its platform was used by 12 of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Following the investment, Causaly needed to strengthen its finance team to support further growth.

Its founders and investors wanted senior hires capable of helping build a finance function that could scale towards a future IPO or exit. The VP of Finance had limited time, and earlier recruitment efforts through another search partner and the internal talent team had not reached a successful conclusion.

The Challenge 

Both appointments called for strong technical expertise and the ability to operate in a fast-paced, ambiguous, and demanding environment. The Head of FP&A needed expert financial modelling, commercial and strategic judgement, and an understanding of SaaS metrics. The Head of Financial Control required deep technical accounting knowledge, including IFRS 15.

Recovering lost time was important, but so was finding people with the potential to develop as the business grew. The search needed to test assumptions about the ideal background while keeping capability and fit at the centre of the decision.

The Solution 

STOIX ran an accelerated process and presented video profiles alongside CVs. This gave the VP of Finance an early view of candidates’ character and communication style, helping him assess potential fit before committing time to interviews.

Drawing on its finance expertise, the team introduced candidates beyond the original profile and explained why their capabilities could suit Causaly. That challenge broadened the client’s thinking and led to the selection of an ex-Big Four senior manager with the potential to take the function forward.