Analysing competitive landscape – advising on leadership structure – role definitions – international search for business / function leaders – wider talent interventions
In 2016, a new Digital business was created by a multi-€bn, European telecoms operator in order to access the growth across Europe in Cloud-based services, in technology revenues deriving from Digital Transformation, and in the creation of new Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
Working directly with the new CEO, Samuel Jacques Associates was able to advise on the talent capabilities needed to address the market opportunity in the relevant locations and segments; and then, based on an agreed talent agenda, to carry out targeted executive search for any external hires needed to form a cohesive leadership team.
This was completed within a nine-month period through to 2017 and included:
· setting the talent agenda to achieve ambitious growth targets
· agreeing the leadership structure to incorporate new functional leaders and a select group from the parent company
· helping identify functional gaps
· recommending compensation and benefits standards to attract talent consistent with parent group policies
· assessing the optimal background and capabilities for the team, and where to search for the highest-performing functional leaders across the European region
· helping create the leadership team role remits with clear objectives and boundaries
· writing full role descriptions and person profiles with relevant competencies in accordance
· undertaking executive searches and completing a group of leadership team hires across Commercial, Marketing, Strategy and Sales
· helping to hire top talent from recognised sources, putting skills and experience from global leaders at the service of the new enterprise
· assessing internal candidates from the parent group against agreed criteria, and managing feedback to optimise engagement and minimise disruption
· helping coordinate and accelerate start dates for new leadership team members to achieve ambitious revenue growth targets
· triggering additional lower-level team hires aligned to strategic objectives through the introduction of a Recruitment Process Outsourcing capability
· additional strategic HR advice on providing leadership training and team building, on 360-degree feedback, on team growth incentives, and other issues critical to business growth.
In summary, within nine months of what amounts to a start-up, Samuel Jacques Associates supported the CEO in:
ü setting the talent direction and advising on the leadership structure for the new business;
ü building an entire leadership team to respond to the market opportunity; ensuring that
ü the team consists of high-performing individuals with top-calibre backgrounds and skills;
ü providing also wider strategic intelligence on context, competition and growth potential.
A thriving business is in place as a result in a new sector, with multi-€m revenues, a pipeline of new products, a B2B market brand, and a team of 60+ and growing.