Hiring A Royal Flush

Case Study

Hiring A Royal Flush

Recruiting for one senior position is a tough ask. Recruiting four function heads together such that they will work well together…that is just shy of being called a miracle. This is how we went about it…

Problem Definition Solution Description Results

Our Client acquired another large FMCG company and wished to shale-up the organisation and set it on the path towards accelerated growth. They wanted to replace the heads of all functions with professionals who would lead from the front and percolate energy and drive down the line. As the exclusive Executive Search firm engaged, we were given the mandate to hire heads for the Human Resources, Finance, Marketing & Trade Marketing, and General Trade functions within a period of 90 days.

While the franchise of FMCG professionals in the UAE is huge, we had to respond to the specific need articulated by our Client, to on-board people with a proven track record of organisational development and change management. Further we had to look at individuals who would work together as a well-knit ‘team’ and deliver to the ambitious growth targets set for the acquired business.

We built the competency framework for the roles and used the same to identify the potential candidates with a specific focus on their track record in leading change. As a first step, we progressed on the HR Head position so that she / he may be part of the process to identify and onboard the other functional heads. Having identified and facilitated the selection of the HR Head, we processed the other three positions in parallel with the idea of ensuring a cultural fitment in terms of the attitude & personality, and a deep understanding and hands-on experience in the FMCG sector, either as a Principal (brand owner) or a Distribution partner. From a cumulative list of 40 candidates who ticked all the necessary boxes, we narrowed the field to a manageable lot across the three functions, keeping in mind the need for them to work well with each other – almost like in a speed dating exercise.

The rigour and effort paid off and we found perfect candidates who were individually qualified and carried the right experience in the FMCG space. Most importantly, they had lead change initiatives as functional leads in previous engagements and had the right measure in terms of attitude and were cultural matched with each other and the organisation. In fact, in the many years since, the HR Head has grown into a Group-wide role in the same organisation.