About the Client
The client is a global industrial manufacturing leader headquartered in Japan, known for producing advanced machinery across agriculture, marine, and urban infrastructure sectors. With a long-standing presence in India, the organisation has previously partnered with Michael Page for senior hires.
The Challenge
The client needed a successor for a senior leader nearing retirement- a pivotal role reporting directly to the CEO and responsible for shaping the next phase of business growth in India.
The mandate demanded a complex set of requirements:
- A Rare Blend of Expertise: The candidate must have proven capability across operations, procurement, and supply chain as the role required them to own end-to-end plant operations based on globally benchmarked standards.
- Prior Experience with the Product Line: Given the complexity and evolving nature of their machinery and engine technologies, the client wanted someone who had worked within the same or closely related product lines.
- Cultural and Linguistic Fit: Since the company’s India operations were based in Tamil Nadu, there was a strong preference for someone who was from the region, spoke the local language and understood the cultural nuances of the workforce. With the plant located in a remote area, proximity and willingness to relocate were also critical.
The Solution: How Michael Page Helped
- Building the Talent Universe: We began by aligning with the client on priorities and non‑negotiables, then built a complete talent universe to illustrate the candidate pool in the market. This included leaders from global MNCs, established Indian organisations and adjacent industries with strong technical synergy — representing both male and female talent.
- Using Own Channels for Greater Reach: We activated our extensive talent database and used job advertisements on the Michael Page website to broaden the search, helping us capture passive and active candidates alike.
- Creating a Tailored Longlist: This consisted of a mix of traditional profiles as well as younger, high-potential leaders who met the client’s criteria. Despite their initial hesitation in considering younger candidates, we worked closely with them to evaluate each profile through the lens of long‑term fit and leadership runway, ultimately opening the door to a stronger successor pool.
The Result
Within 60 days, the role was closed with a candidate identified in our first shortlist. The selected leader, in his mid‑forties, challenged conventional expectations within a hierarchical industry by combining cultural fit, technical relevance, and long-term growth potential.
