Julian Nelle Commercial and Medical Recruitment Specialist
Managing Consultant at headcount
meet Julian
My background is a mix of social sciences, hospital corridors, and boardroom conversations. I started at Inselspital in Bern, where I learned what healthcare looks like on the ground, before moving into recruitment. Today, I work with pharma and biotech companies across Europe and the DACH region, helping them hire commercial and medical talent.
My focus is on everything post-manufacturing, from market access and medical affairs to sales. I work with both candidates and clients, always with the same goal: getting past surface-level conversations and figuring out what really matters.
at a glance
Roles I recruit for
Commercial and medical leadership roles up to SVP level:
- MSL
- Key Account Manager
- Medical Advisor
- Medical Director
- Market Access Leader
- Sales Representative
- National Sales Leader
Industries I serve
I support organisations across the life sciences and healthcare landscape, primarily within:
- Pharma
- Biotech
- Digital health
Experience highlights
My background combines more than six years in the healthcare sector with over five years in life science recruitment. It gives me both a practical understanding of healthcare and extensive experience helping companies hire commercial and medical talent across Europe.
my approach
Industry knowledge
My early experience at Inselspital gave me a real view of healthcare from the inside. Not theory. Not slides. The day-to-day reality of how things work, how people operate under pressure, and how much the right person matters in the right role.
That still shapes the way I recruit today. I look beyond job titles and bullet points to understand the actual set-up, the gaps, the pressure points, and what success in the role really looks like. That helps me ask better questions and have better conversations with both clients and candidates.
My philosophy
I’m not interested in boring questions or polished answers that sound good but say nothing. I prefer conversations that make people think twice.
That means challenging assumptions, digging deeper, and understanding what is really behind a hiring decision or career move. I keep things direct, clear, and honest. No corporate talk. No pressure tactics.
What drives me is simple: helping smart people make meaningful moves and helping hiring teams build properly instead of wasting time chasing the wrong fit.
behind the profile
Outside work, you’ll usually find me messing around with my dog Stella or cooking what I’ve been told is the best carbonara in the world by an actual Italian.
My superpower is asking the questions that make people think twice, challenge assumptions, and get to what really matters.
And my unpopular opinion? Most hiring conversations would improve immediately if people stopped performing and just said what they actually mean.
Currently recruiting for
For employers
Let’s discuss your needs and how I can help.
For job seekers
Take a look at our current roles or send me your CV.
Let's connect
thought leadership
Life science recruitment at headcount
permanent recruitment
Julian is part of headcount’s permanent recruitment team, supporting biotech, pharma, medtech, and digital health companies with long-term hiring needs across the life sciences industry.
The permanent recruitment team focuses on specialist and hard-to-fill positions where technical understanding, strong networks, and the right long-term fit matter. From research and development through to manufacturing, commercial, and operational functions, the team supports companies in building stable, high-performing teams for long-term growth.