Background: RSMR was engaged by a multi-billion Euro technology organization in Germany to help it hire a CEO for its North American subsidiary company, a supplier of equipment, systems, and projects for thermal and solar thermal power generation applications.
Challenge: The client needed this search done very discreetly, as there were sensitivities regarding an incumbent who was in the role on an interim basis. The company needed a leader who could restore profitability to the business and get it back onto a growth track that earned the confidence of the German parent. It also required an executive who was accustomed to reporting to an overseas board.
Action: With the hiring team based in Germany, and knowing the expectation was for multiple rounds of interviews, it was critical that we expedite the search process to identify and develop a slate of strong finalists for the hiring team to interview on a scheduled trip to the U.S. To achieve success we leveraged: 1) Our deep industry experience in the power industry, which allowed us to quickly and thoroughly identify key target companies; and 2) Our team approach, which meant assembling a team of four experienced recruiting professionals who were able to identify the best candidates quickly. We facilitated the interviews in Chicago and assisted in negotiating a complex compensation and relocation package for the selected candidate which was both equitable and worked for everyone.
Resolution: The new CEO quickly identified synergies between several business units, merged entities, and has proven that in this case, the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. The company has since been successful in restoring profitability and more than doubling the revenues of the business, and as a result we’ve been able to help the parent company with several additional leadership team searches.
