The people behind Xelentis

Bernhard Joekel is an expert in executive and expert search, particularly for the medical technology and healthcare sectors. As Managing Partner of Xelentis, his expertise is based on his training as a business economist and over 20 years of experience in the medical technology sector. In his position as Managing Partner, he not only draws on 10 years of experience in executive and expert search, but also on his excellent industry network and his pronounced client-orientation. His strengths lie in his profound understanding of the personal and professional requirements of the positions to be filled and in his high level of empathy. Outside of work, Bernhard enjoys sports such as golf and cycling. His interest in travelling takes him to Italy and France, where he appreciates the culinary specialties of these countries.

As Managing Partner and expert for healthcare and medical technology, Michael Splitt is active in executive and expert search. Michael has more than 25 years of national and international experience in medical technology, managing sales and marketing organizations in SMEs, international start-ups and corporations. His strengths lie in building networks and his ability to motivate people. His personal life motto “Everyone lives according to their own unique view of the world” characterizes his way of working, always looking at people individually. Based in Brandenburg, Michael devotes his free time to his family, loves camping and water sports or tries his hand at self-catering in his own garden.

Jochen Transier is a Senior Partner and, as an executive search expert for mandates in medical technology, specializes in the dental industry. With over 15 years of experience in this sector and previous management positions in international sales, he has excellent industry expertise and a strong network. As a qualified trainer for personality development and conflict management, Jochen can ideally integrate his acquired skills into his work with people and companies. In addition to his professional passion, Jochen cultivates an interest in classic cars and shares this passion with his wife by taking part in classic car rallies together.

Marianne Jaschke is a Senior Partner for the recruitment of specialists and managers in the medical technology and life science sectors. With over 20 years of experience in filling expert and management positions, she combines the expertise from her previous work in human resources with detailed industry knowledge that she has acquired in various functions. Her further training in systemic organizational development enables her to think across disciplines and recognize the essentials. As a partner, Marianne always relies on her intuition for the requirements of clients and the needs and skills of candidates. Her place of residence in beautiful Freiburg reflects her passion for nature and outdoor activities. Marianne enjoys hiking in all weathers as well as yoga, which offers her an excellent balance to everyday life.

Sophia is 22 years old and successfully graduated with a degree in psychology one year ago. As our recruiting assistant, she is your primary contact for numerous vacancies within our company. In addition to being responsible for active sourcing and candidate recruitment, she also professionally manages our social media presence.

Bianca Janik is a Senior Partner for the recruitment of specialists and executives in the pharmaceutical and life science sectors. With over 25 years of experience – both in companies with a group structure and in SMEs – she is an “industry expert” and, thanks to her network, is ideally placed to bring people and companies together in the “pharmaceutical world”. Through her many years as Head of Business Unit in pharmaceutical wholesale, she has worked with over 200 pharmaceutical companies in the areas of RX, generics, reimport, OTC, cosmetics, food supplements, formulas, remedies and aids. In addition, as a managing director in the pharmaceutical industry, she has gained relevant experience in the HR sector and not only has a hybrid knowledge of pharmaceuticals and HR, but also the necessary empathy to build a bridge between people and recognize a “match”. Bianca is also interested in health outside of her professional activities, does sport, practises YOGA and has been going on fasting hikes for years. And when time allows, she is passionate about traveling the world.

As a PhD biologist with over 20 years of experience in the MedTech industry — including 14 years in leadership positions at international companies such as Zimmer Biomet, GE Healthcare, and Abbott, as well as in mid-sized enterprises — Patrick brings a unique combination of medical and technical understanding, extensive commercial experience, and broad industry expertise with an extensive network to his role as Partner at Xelentis. Patrick supports medical technology companies in filling key positions across all customer- and market-facing functions — from field sales, product management, clinical roles, and training & education, to leadership positions on both national and international levels. What sets him apart is his keen instinct for people, his ability to quickly and deeply grasp role profiles and requirements, and his talent for achieving precisely tailored placements with long-term added value for MedTech companies, even under time pressure. In his private life, Patrick balances the demanding challenges of executive and expert search through functional strength training with kettlebells, trail running, and road cycling — activities that keep him physically fit and recharge his energy. Spending time with his family remains his most important source of balance.

Doris Ruf-Messing is a senior partner in executive search and a proven expert in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. With over 25 years of experience advising both large corporations and medium-sized companies, she has a deep understanding of the industry, its current trends, and its complex challenges. Thanks to her close-knit network and comprehensive expertise, she is able to bring people and companies together in a way that is perfectly tailored to their needs and create long-term successful connections. Throughout her career, Doris Ruf-Messing has held various positions of responsibility and brings a wealth of expertise in human resources and management consulting. She specializes in identifying, selecting, and recruiting highly qualified specialists, professionals, and executives, using a wide range of modern recruitment methods. Her in-depth industry knowledge, precise analytical skills, and structured approach enable her to implement challenging projects quickly, accurately, and successfully. In her private life, she remains closely connected to the topics of health, sports, and holistic well-being. Her positive, open manner shapes both her professional actions and her personal attitude—always driven by the motivation to recognize potential and actively seize opportunities.

Fritz Kurz is an Advisory Partner at Xelentis. He supports the Xelentis team in all matters relating to executive search, expert search, headhunting, acquisition and organisation. More than 25 years of experience in the medical technology industry and 15 years of expertise in personnel consulting with a focus on headhunting provide the ideal basis for this. Fritz has gained his industry knowledge from management positions at medium-sized companies, global players and, above all, as a founder of start-ups. He is now making his experience and network available to the Xelentis founding team. In his free time, Fritz enjoys sports such as MTB, skiing and hiking. He also enjoys travelling and getting to know foreign countries and cultures.