Brief for Vice President Government Affairs Role
A global leader in logistics and supply chain solutions, recognised the need to expand and strengthen its public affairs function in Europe. The company had previously managed its global public affairs activities through a single individual, but as the business grew and its operations became more complex, they identified the necessity for a more robust and regionally focused public affairs strategy. To achieve this, they sought to build a specialised team that could navigate the nuanced regulatory and political landscapes across Europe, the UK, and the US. The company launched an Executive Search for Vice President Government Affairs & Public Affairs Europe in Brussels and Head of Markets across the US and UK.
The Challenge
Our client’s objective was to move from a centralised public affairs structure to a more granular approach that would allow for targeted engagement and influence in key regions. This required not only recruiting a VP Government Affairs & Public Affairs in Europe to oversee the global strategy but also building out a team of public affairs professionals with regional expertise.
The primary challenges were:
- Reputation issues and mediatic turbulences after a ferry disaster from a company owned by our client.
- Our client was known for their assertive approach, thus requiring someone who is adept at handling complex and challenging discussions. The candidate needed a strong commercial acumen and be eager to establish themselves as a significant presence within regulatory and policy circles.
- The Head of North America would also be working into South America so finding someone with that experience was difficult.
- Navigating cultural differences and ways of working across regions.
Our Approach
Understanding the high stakes involved, Hanson Search deployed a tailored recruitment strategy that involved the following steps:
- Deep-dive consultation: Hanson Search began with an in-depth consultation with our client senior leadership to fully understand the company’s objectives, culture, and the specific requirements for each role within the public affairs team.
- Targeted talent mapping: each consultant at Hanson Search has a sector and region focus where they have strong network and in-depth market knowledge. We were able to cover all markets with our dedicated Public Affairs expert team who conducted a comprehensive talent mapping exercise across the identified regions (Europe, UK, and the US).
- Bespoke recruitment process: given the complexity of the roles and the need for regional specificity, Hanson Search designed a bespoke recruitment process that included multiple interview stages, scenario-based assessments, and cultural fit evaluations. This ensured that the selected candidates were not only highly skilled but also a strong fit for our client dynamic and multicultural environment.
The Outcome
Hanson Search successfully recruited a Vice President Government Affairs & Public Affairs Europe in Brussels, who now leads the global public affairs strategy, a Head of Government Relations in Washington and a Head of Government Relations in London who lead the strategy on regional markets. This team is now fully equipped to implement a more granular and regionally tailored public affairs strategy, enabling our client to effectively navigate complex political environments and enhance its influence in key markets. With the new public affairs team in place, our client has been able to significantly elevate its public affairs activities.
Conclusion
The successful recruitments of a Vice President Government Affairs & Public Affairs Europe and a supporting team across multiple regions demonstrates Hanson Search’s expertise in delivering tailored executive search solutions through a strategic and consultative approach. The company is now better positioned to engage with regional stakeholders, anticipate and respond to regulatory changes, and advance its strategic objectives on a global scale. The partnership with Hanson Search has been instrumental in enabling them to achieve this enhanced level of public affairs capability.
Hanson Search is a leading talent advisory and executive search consultancy with consultants based across the UAE, UK, USA, and Europe. We specialise in business-critical roles that drive revenue, reputation, and risk, with dedicated teams in Communications, Government Relations, Financial Communications, Public Affairs, Marketing, Digital Marketing, Sustainability, Investor Relations and C-Suite recruitment.
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