Establishing a leadership team for an American company in the UK
EC EXECUTIVE SEARCH CASE STUDY
EC exec search provided a prominent American fleet company with a management solution at the start of their UK-based heavy commercial vehicles fleet business. Working with international automotive brands over the last 15 years has enabled us to drive results and attract leaders that meet the brand values and translate their goals into the UK market.
The brief
The client came to us as they needed help with depots around the UK in the sales and operations area. The requirement was for managers who could make sure these depots were being effectively managed.
We began our talent acquisition strategy by sitting down with the client to try and understand their business as a whole and the vision of where they wanted to go. They were looking for a shift in the depot management mindset. The leadership team wanted people who weren’t just technical, they needed strong individuals who could think commercially. This required a change in how depots were traditionally run in that the client wanted each depot run like a business unit. This meant accessing individuals who were powerful people leaders with exceptional business acumen.
The challenge
The potential barriers were people already in situ who were used to doing things their way. This meant finding candidates who possessed very specific people skills and could delicately handle people. Facilitating the changes required would mean, shifting mindset and approach, whilst at the same time they would also need to stabilise the workforce.
The fleet management world has traditionally been focussed on technical certificates and qualifications but in this case, these were not as important as finding someone with the business-minded attributes and the soft skills and emotional intelligence to be able to manage people.
Assimilating cultural differences
In addition to the specific leadership needs, we had to ensure cultural sensitivity as this was an American-owned UK-led business. The UK team were being charged with implementing a strategy that the Americans wanted so we needed to ensure we were aware of the bigger picture and agenda behind the UK strategy. We therefore needed to remain mindful of the US strategy and work with the hiring managers, HR function and leadership team.
The outcome
During the time we worked with this organisation, we partnered with various individuals at the board level. An example of this was working with the sales director to find national account managers for specific regions.
This client became a long-term relationship that lasted for 15 years and only ended because that business left the market. The relationships built during this time were so strong that candidates became clients.
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Establishing a leadership team for an American company in the UK
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