PHILADELPHIA, PA. SEPTEMBER 26, 2025—True, the only tech and data-first global executive talent platform, welcomed new partners Elissa Coward and Christian Wilagi. Based in London, Elissa is Talent Advisory’s first partner hire in EMEA, specializing in organizational change with a focus on design, leadership, and culture. Christian joins True’s Life Sciences Practice in Berlin, partnering with pharmaceutical, biotech, and medtech companies to build executive teams. Together, they expand the firm’s commitment to deliver world-class talent to transformative businesses.
Elissa Coward
“Elissa has a remarkable track record driving large-scale business and people transformations across industries and geographies,” said Joe Riggione, co-CEO of True Platform. “Her ability to cut through complexity and energize leaders makes her an invaluable asset as we continue to grow Talent Advisory and support clients navigating business-critical change.”
Elissa has led programs that improved organizational and people performance across EMEA and APAC. She advises senior executives on unlocking team potential and sustaining high performance, drawing on her background in psychology and in-house leadership. Known for her empathy and insight, she is respected for building strong client relationships and delivering creative solutions. Before joining True, Elissa co-founded Noble Mackay, a boutique consulting firm, and previously held consulting roles at Korn Ferry, PA Consulting, and Deloitte.
“In today’s fast-moving environment, it’s critical to align vision, talent and execution. Joining True’s Talent Advisory is an exciting opportunity to partner with clients navigating change with clarity and purpose,” said Elissa Coward. “My focus is to work alongside key decision-makers to shape strategies, build high-performing teams and create cultures where people and businesses thrive.”
Christian Wilagi
“With extensive experience in technical operations, from manufacturing and supply chain to regulatory and quality, Christian brings a unique combination of commercial insight and sector knowledge,” said Sam McGrath, GM EMEA & APAC. “He has built teams in some of the most complex and highly regulated areas of life sciences, making him a valued partner for clients developing senior management across the sector.”
Christian brings two decades of executive search experience, with a dedicated focus on life sciences, to True. He has advised multinational and European-based pharmaceutical, biotech, and medtech companies on senior hires in technical operations, regulatory affairs, engineering, supply chain, and corporate leadership. Before True, Christian was managing director at a boutique life sciences executive search firm, and earlier in his career, he worked at Kienbaum and Korn Ferry. He also led global management recruiting at Fresenius Kabi, gaining experience across corporate and technical leadership.
“Life Sciences companies across Europe are entering a period of rapid growth, and they need leaders who can deliver innovation while navigating complex regulatory demands,” said Christian Wilagi. “I look forward to helping clients identify senior talent who will strengthen operations, accelerate product development, and position their organizations for long-term success.”
ABOUT TRUE
True is a global talent management platform renowned for executive search excellence. The sixth largest in its industry, True leverages 10+ years of industry data, market insights, and talent lifecycle expertise to help companies make high-impact talent decisions quickly. Products and services include True Search (retained executive search), TrueBridge (advisory, interim, and fractional executive placement), Thrive (Talent CRM software), True Advance (coaching and assessment), SearchEssentials (tech-enabled hiring services), and AboveBoard (inclusive executive community). True also backs promising companies through investment brands True Equity and Vera Equity.
Jillian Ruggieri / Senior Lead, Communications
jillian.ruggieri@trueplatform.com