Report: Senior life sciences executives are going dark on social media

Executives are moving back to an ‘ex-directory’ world, where smaller, restricted networks are of the highest value, according to RSA, a global life sciences executive search and interim management specialist.

Chris Molloy, RSA chief executive, said: "Executives have always relied on personal, privileged networks where access is granted with an understanding that it will not be misused. This group are now at the forefront of a reaction to the tsunami of random data crashing out of social media channels.”

“Through our own daily interaction with senior talent we have noticed that an increasing number of executives and C-level staff are leaving social media channels, driven away by an overwhelming flood of information, disillusionment with its value and the amount of time needed to fully utilize and keep up with competing platforms. Social media technology has created a useful data resource, but the trough of disillusionment has begun from the top down. What is to come is a return to more personalized networks, enabled by the internet, but not on public view and not limited to one platform. It will be a beautifully complex world that, like the world of executives, is people-driven."

He added: “We all live in a digital era where we are now managing our homes, work and personal lives through our smart phones. Although we all rise with the tide of digitization, not everyone has bought into an 'always on, always available' global community. As with every population, there are some who embrace, enjoy and downright object to these digital transformations. This is a natural variation within a population. It's completely normal.

“Professionally we know that transformational people are identified by how they influence others, not what they say about themselves. They do not need to market themselves. Even after an unprecedented reduction in head count across the life sciences, the most transformational people are still actively employed doing great things for great companies, not managing their digital footprint,” concluded Mr Molloy.