Leadership Transition - OD Director to Global HRD

15/10/2008

A proven, specialist OD Director in the UK moves into a Global HR Director role based in Singapore.

Our client was a multinational industrial products company seeking to realise its longer term business plan and push into and capitalise on the Asian market.

The HR director – used to a high level, cerebral, centralised and specialist HQ role – had to make a difference and perform strategically as part of a front-line, fast-moving, operationally orientated executive team, which travelled extensively and which was rarely together. He also had a boss who by nature, and as a result of an extensive travel schedule, provided little ‘sustenance’ in terms of active and detailed management or guidance.

Furthermore, given that the HR function inherited was demoralised with no sense of direction or focus, there was the danger the director would get drawn into the volume and detail of personnel administration.

Over time, we helped the director built on early wins, gain the confidence to lead and act on his own best judgement, build a working relationship with his boss, progressively become an integral part of the executive team, re-vitalise the HR function and provide inspiring leadership, and at the end of coaching he was proactively dealing with the critical steps to achieve the longer-term goals.