Case study
Ivy Farm
Chief Scientific Officer
Opportunity
Ivy Farm, a pioneering cultivated meat company that emerged from Oxford University in 2019, standing at the forefront of the industry with its multi-series products, cutting-edge patented technology, and substantial funding for rapid global expansion. In 2020, after successfully onboarding key leadership figures, including the Chief Commercial and Product Officer and Manufacturing Director, Eden partnered with Ivy Farm once more. This time, the brief was to secure a Chief Scientific Officer to lead and advance all Research and Development initiatives within the organisation.
Our approach
Recognising the unique challenges in acquiring talent for an industry still in its infancy, Ivy Farm and Eden embarked on a strategic approach. Acknowledging that many qualified candidates were Founders deeply committed to their own ventures, Ivy Farm understood the need to broaden the scope. Rather than restricting the search to the cultured meat sector, the focus expanded to the pharmaceutical and biosciences industry. The goal was to identify senior candidates globally with expertise in culture media, bioprocessing, and mammalian cell culture. Successful candidates needed to demonstrate not only leadership expertise but also a track record of designing and executing R&D work plans in dynamic environments, ideally in unchartered territory. Most crucially, these candidates had to be open to transitioning industries and applying their skills to Ivy Farm’s groundbreaking mission to revolutionise meat production.
The results
Eden’s comprehensive search produced a shortlist of five highly qualified candidates, each with diverse experiences in mammalian cell culture. Following a series of interviews, a standout candidate was appointed —a Ph.D. holder in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine from UCL, with a Post Doc at Imperial College London. This exceptional individual’s career included leadership roles in a pioneering Oxford-based start-up and the establishment of specialised R&D teams within major pharmaceutical companies.