Shawn Kerek
Managing Director
Professional Profile
Shawn Kerek joined ZRG as Managing Director in 2022, bringing 15 years of search experience split predominantly between Healthcare and Life Sciences. He primarily recruits for executive-level roles, including Pharma/Biotech, Commercial, Medical Affairs, and Clinical Leadership, across small to mid-sized companies.
Shawn excels at capturing the essence of a search, from the client’s unique culture and vision to the technical requirements of the role. He is passionate about Life Sciences and remains current on the latest industry developments and emerging technologies.
Previous Experience
Prior to joining ZRG, Shawn served as Lead, North American Executive Search at TSP, a Syneos Health-owned company. He initially joined TSP in 2015 as a Director, was promoted to VP of the Commercial search team (following the company’s acquisition by Syneos Health in 2017), and most recently rose to lead the entire 15-person Life Sciences search team in 2021. Earlier in his career, Shawn spent time in a leadership capacity at Robert Half and Maxim Healthcare, both renowned recruiting firms.
Areas of Expertise
Shawn has placed talent for CCO, CMO, CBO, and COO roles as well as all the functional areas reporting to these critical positions, including Marketing, Medical Affairs, Manufacturing, Market Access, and Operations. He enjoys partnering with venture capital-backed companies to build out leadership teams and grow their overall business.
Education
Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio.
Hobbies and Interests
Shawn lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, three young daughters, and two Labrador retrievers. He is an avid fitness enthusiast and sports fan. Shawn loves baseball (especially the Cleveland Guardians) and Ohio State Football.
