Lily Savage

As Managing Director, Perm EU at Discover International, Lily oversees the entire Perm Group, whilst specialising in niche, hard-to-find roles, partnering with teams whose work is advancing patient care across Neurology, Oncology, Paediatrics, and beyond. Blending 10 years of life sciences recruitment experience with a genuine curiosity about people, Lily Savage helps biotech and pharmaceutical organizations across Europe secure exceptional scientific, clinical, and regulatory talent. She leads our dedicated teams, focusing on high quality and speed of service. Lily thrives on building relationships that fuel long-term success, innovation, and impact.

With a background in Clinical Psychology, Lily brings a deep understanding of human behaviour, communication, and motivation to every search. She has developed an in-depth grasp of the unique challenges within the European life sciences landscape; including technical skill requirements, tax and relocation considerations, and the complexities of highly specialized functions. Her first eight years were focused exclusively on Regulatory Affairs, and she has since broadened into Scientific and Clinical recruitment, giving her a well-rounded perspective on the talent needs of modern R&D-driven organizations.

Lily is best known for leading confidential, complex, and niche scientific mandates that require meticulous mapping, strategic outreach, and a strong command of technical language. Her clients consistently highlight her transparency, honesty, and exceptional communication - qualities that have earned her long-standing partnerships throughout the sector. She prides herself on a personable yet highly professional approach, taking the time to truly understand the individuals and companies she supports to ensure every placement contributes to lasting success.

Motivated by the opportunity to play even a small part in advancing patient outcomes, Lily brings commitment, reliability, and integrity to every search. She measures her impact not only by successful placements, but by their longevity: in over nine years and more than 100 hires, only one candidate has left within their first six months, a testament to her precision, care, and dedication to matching the right people with the right environments.

Driven by a passion for improving the health ecosystem and supporting organizations shaping the future of patient quality of life, Lily continues to champion long-term partnerships that elevate teams, strengthen organizations, and meaningfully impact the life sciences community.