We were retained by a high mix EMS (electronic manufacturing services) company to find candidates with relevant low-volume, high mix EMS experience and established customer relationships in Asia.
Following shortlist interviews, we administered personalitypsychometrics to generate additional insights. This helped ensurealignment from a ‘cultural fit’ as well as experiential perspective.
Ultimately, the business hired two Business Development Directors inChina to help accelerate growth in key verticals – medical devices andaerospace – in the local market.
Both Business Development Directors have quickly establishedthemselves as important members of the local Senior LeadershipTeam and have engaged with commercial colleagues in otherregions – e.g. Europe and North America – to share intelligence andopportunities.
Discover the full case study below:
Part of a UK-listed plc, this company provides low-volume, high mix EMS (electronicmanufacturing services) to customers across a range of sectors including aerospace anddefence, medical device and industrial automation. The business has an established globalfootprint including operations in China and Malaysia.
Historically, the Asia plants serviced a range of European and US OEMs through key accountrelationships sitting outside the region. The business recognised an opportunity to win morecustomers in the local market through the appointment of an experienced BusinessDevelopment Director. The priority market was China, but the initial brief also extended toMalaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea.
The challenge was to find candidates with relevant low-volume, high mix EMS experienceand established customer relationships in Asia. We were also seeking candidates who couldoperate as part of a medium-sized global business – not too corporate but sophisticatedenough to be able to collaborate with colleagues across Europe and the US.
Initially, we mapped the market for EMS providers across Asia focusing on businesses with a particular expertise in low-volume, high mix solutions across PMCA, box build and high-level assembly (HLA), and testing.
Therefore, we also focused on the identification of businesses with a particular bias towards aerospace and defence, medical device, industrial automation and other low volume, high technical content requirements.
This highlighted a wide variety of businesses including small privately owned companies, state-owned organisations and large corporate groups.
Focusing on target companies with the right profile, we pinpointed candidates with strong business development credentials including Sales Directors, Business Development Directors and Key Account Directors.
Having undertaken comprehensive research, we engaged candidates across key geographies including China, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam and South Korea.
This generated a strong longlist of candidates with relevant EMS credentials and a track record of winning and developing new customers.
We thoroughly qualified candidates via Teams to assess their knowledge, skills and experience in line with our requirements
We submitted a strong shortlist of candidates with relevant experience based in Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore.
Candidates could demonstrate their business development credentials including engaging and winning new customers in the local market.
Candidates had also worked with colleagues outside of the region to access US and European customers with a local Asia presence.
Following shortlist interviews, we administered personality psychometrics to generate additional insights. This helped ensurealignment from a ‘cultural fit’ as well as experiential perspective.
Ultimately, the business hired two Business Development Directors in China to help accelerate growth in key verticals – medical devices andaerospace – in the local market.
Both appointed candidates have made an early impact, generating opportunities with new customers in relevant markets
Beyond this, they have helped evolve the company’s EMS proposition with a bias towards engineering and product development as well as PCBA and box build capability.
They have been able to leverage the company’s capability across plants in China and Malaysia, helping capitalise on capacity and specialisms in the region.
Both Business Development Directors have quickly established themselves as important members of the local Senior Leadership Team and have engaged with commercial colleagues in other regions – e.g. Europe and North America – to share intelligence andopportunities.