Our client represented one of the biggest consumer goods players in the Polish market, with a number 2 position in their market segment in Poland and a new General Manager had just been appointed. Accord Group was assigned to find a highly qualified Human Resources Director with experience of FMCG companies who could support him in the restructuring process.
After the opening of the Polish market economy, the three leading market players slowly began to be threatened by new entrants. The number three company was also very dynamic in their market and our client's position was in a danger. Furthermore, our client was in bad financial shape and its image in the market was deteriorating. For several months the HRD function was supposed to be located in a small place near the manufacturing facility, which made it difficult to attract potentially interesting candidates.
Our team focused its search only on big FMCG and international companies. However the key to its success depended more on the way we would present the project to potential candidates as a rewarding challenge with further development opportunity. We knew that the greatest asset of the company was at that moment the personality of its General Manager. When talking to potential candidates we presented his knowledge, qualifications, experience and personality. We were honest in presenting both the positive (new administrative offices in the capital city and possible member of the board position) and negative aspects of the job (several months in a manufacturing facility). This helped us prepare a shortlist of candidates out of those with international FMCG and industrial experience including performing restructuring processes.
The chosen candidate was looking for a new challenge and viewed his time in a manufacturing facility as a temporary constraint. Together with the General Manager and a newly appointed Financial Director they started a successful restructuring process. Accord Group has helped this client in several other searches to enhance this process (i.e. local human resources manager, research and development / quality manager, IT director etc.). The company has not only rebuilt its market position, but has also improved it by gaining a strong and stable number 2 position with excellent reputation in the market.
Some of the employees, including the local Human Resources Manager recruited by Accord Group, were promoted to positions overseas within our client's international organisation