Fourteen Years of Building Panda: Daisy Tazelaar on Partnership, Purpose and the Next Chapter

Some companies spend years discovering who they are. Others know from the very beginning.

When Daisy Tazelaar and Jay Freeman founded Panda in 2012, they weren't simply setting out to build another recruitment business. They believed specialist recruitment could be done differently: by combining genuine expertise in life sciences with long-term relationships, honest advice and a commitment to helping both businesses and professionals achieve more than they thought possible. Fourteen years later, while the market around them has evolved dramatically, that belief remains remarkably unchanged.

Today, Panda supports organisations across the European life sciences landscape, from ambitious start ups and scale ups building specialist teams for the first time to global pharmaceutical and biotech organisations, and complex MSP programmes. The business has grown, the team has expanded, and the markets it serves have become increasingly sophisticated, but its purpose has stayed consistent throughout.

As Daisy steps into the CEO role and Jay transitions into a more strategic position, this isn't a story about changing direction. It is the natural evolution of a partnership that has shaped Panda since the day it was founded. We sat down with Daisy to reflect on that journey, the lessons learned over fourteen years of building the business together, and why she believes Panda's strongest years are still ahead.

Looking back to 2012, Daisy says the founding vision was surprisingly simple.

"We believed recruitment could be done differently. We wanted to build genuine partnerships with both clients and candidates, rather than simply filling vacancies. Our ambition was to help people and businesses achieve things they didn't think were possible, with Panda acting as the catalyst for that growth."

While recruitment has changed significantly over the past decade, she believes Panda's reason for existing has not.
"The market has evolved, technology has evolved, but our purpose remains exactly the same: creating long-term partnerships that genuinely make a difference. Every client and every candidate matters to us, whether we work together once or build a relationship that spans many years."

That philosophy has shaped the way Panda has grown. Rather than focusing on one corner of the market, the business has developed long-standing relationships across the life sciences industry, supporting everyone from emerging biotech and medtech companies scaling across Europe to some of the world's largest pharmaceutical organisations and strategic MSP programmes. Alongside partnerships with businesses such as Randstad Sourceright and several leading MSP providers, Panda continues to work closely with high-growth companies that need specialist talent to accelerate innovation.

For Daisy, the commercial success that followed has always been a consequence of those relationships rather than the objective itself.

"We've consistently invested in those partnerships over many years, and whether we're supporting a fast-growing biotech or delivering within complex MSP environments, the principle is exactly the same. When you genuinely focus on long-term relationships rather than short-term transactions, the commercial results naturally follow."

Fourteen years of building a business inevitably brings periods of uncertainty. Markets shift, legislation changes and economic cycles test even the strongest organisations. Panda has experienced all of those moments, but Daisy says the business has never lost sight of what mattered most.

"It has always been the people. The relationships we've built with clients, candidates and our own team have carried us through every challenge. Seeing the impact we make on people's careers and on the growth of our clients has always reminded us why we started Panda in the first place."

When asked which milestone means the most, she doesn't mention revenue, office openings or commercial growth. Instead, she reflects on a quieter moment that, in many ways, represents the greatest achievement of all.

"For me, it isn't a single commercial milestone. It's the moment you realise the business has become bigger than its founders."
Watching people join Panda early in their careers, develop into leaders and now help shape the future of the company has become the clearest measure of success.

"Seeing our people grow, and now being in a position where Jay can step into a strategic role while Panda continues to evolve, is probably the clearest sign of what we've built. It shows we've created something sustainable that isn't dependent on just the two of us."

That thought naturally leads to the partnership that made Panda possible in the first place. "Outside of my immediate family, Jay has probably had the biggest influence on my life. We built Panda on a foundation of friendship and trust, and that has never changed."

Over fourteen years, each founder brought different strengths to the business, challenging one another when necessary and supporting each other through every stage of Panda's growth. "One of the reasons our partnership works so well is that we've always complemented each other. We each bring different strengths to the table, challenge one another when needed, and continue to grow as leaders alongside the business. I'm incredibly proud of what we're building together."

For Daisy, becoming CEO isn't something she views as a fresh beginning. Instead, it reflects how the business has naturally evolved over the years, with responsibilities continuing to develop alongside Panda itself.

"As co-founder and COO, I've always been heavily involved in shaping Panda alongside Jay. Becoming CEO doesn't change what we're trying to achieve or suddenly give me a different vision for the business. It simply reflects the next stage in our journey and allows both of us to focus on the areas where we can have the greatest impact."

The ambition remains exactly what it has always been: to continue building Panda into Europe's leading specialist life sciences talent partner by strengthening the qualities that have defined the business from the beginning.

"I want Panda to become the leading specialist life sciences talent partner in Europe, not simply by growing bigger, but by continually raising our standards. We've already built a high-performing culture that I'm incredibly proud of, and one of my biggest responsibilities is making sure we continue to protect and strengthen that culture as we grow. I want us to keep embracing innovation, taking ownership and challenging ourselves to improve, while never losing sight of the relationships that define who we are."

For her, growth has never been measured purely by scale. It has always been about building a business that clients trust, candidates return to throughout their careers and people are proud to be part of.

The recruitment industry is entering one of the most significant periods of change it has ever experienced, driven by advances in artificial intelligence, automation and data. While Daisy believes those technologies will fundamentally reshape how recruitment is delivered, she is equally clear about what they cannot replace.

"Recruitment will always be a people business. Trust, relationships and understanding people's ambitions will never be replaced by technology."

Instead, Panda sees technology as a way to enhance the work its consultants already do best.

"By automating administrative and repetitive tasks, our consultants can spend more time advising clients, understanding complex talent markets, building long-term partnerships and delivering a better experience for candidates. The businesses that combine exceptional people with exceptional technology will define the next decade, and that's exactly where Panda is investing."

For the people who already work with Panda, Daisy hopes this next chapter feels less like a change and more like a continuation of everything the business has always stood for.

"The most important thing I'd like people to know is that our values aren't changing; our ambition is simply growing. Clients can expect the same partnership and commitment they've always received. Candidates can continue to rely on us to help shape meaningful careers in life sciences, and for our team we'll continue investing in people, creating opportunities and raising the bar together."

After fourteen years, the titles may have evolved, but the purpose remains exactly where it has always been. Panda continues to be built on specialist expertise, long-term relationships and a shared belief that recruitment can create opportunities far beyond filling a vacancy. As Daisy reflects on everything the business has achieved so far, her optimism about the future doesn't come from what might change next. It comes from the foundations that have already been built.

"I'm incredibly excited about what comes next, because I genuinely believe the best is still ahead of us."

To learn more about Panda's approach to life sciences recruitment across Europe, get in touch with our team to explore how we can support your hiring strategy or your next career move.