A multinational logistics company headquartered in London, faced a declining market and sought a new Chief Operating Officer (COO) to drive growth and innovation.
The CEO desired a commercially savvy COO capable of leveraging untapped capacity in new business areas. There was a desire to build a more diverse leadership team, however, given the CEO and Board’s extensive industry connections, there were strong views around what the ideal candidate looked like. Despite this objective, the initial brief emphasised commitment to 365 days a year, 24 hours a day role, with a focus on cost reduction for maintaining margins.
Collaborating closely with the client, we embarked on a mission to find an experienced COO to fuel company growth, foster innovation, and infuse diversity. Immersing ourselves in the client’s needs and understanding the company’s culture and aspirations, we fine-tuned our Search process and changed our language and approach for assessing candidates. Diligently exploring existing networks and conducting a comprehensive Search, we compiled a list of potential candidates.
Striking a balance between business-as-usual (BAU) operations and encouraging creative thinking, we explored functional leaders like those in Supply Chain to tap into a diverse talent pool. Following in-depth interviews, we presented a carefully curated shortlist with detailed feedback for an informed decision-making process.
Three years prior, the CEO interviewed a female candidate for a leadership role but decided not to proceed at that time due to mutual agreement. The candidate initially expressed scepticism and had location concerns.
However, with determined communication and showcasing the potential of the role, we encouraged both the client and the candidate to reconsider. Through competency-based interviews, we thoroughly assessed the candidate’s qualifications and skills, confirming she possessed the required competencies for success.
As a result, she emerged as the preferred choice on our shortlist of potential candidates, thanks to our commitment to meticulous evaluation using competency-based interviews.
