Global Experiences Bleeding into Mexican Talent

As the global business world is becoming increasingly connected, global automotive companies are searching for great leaders with global experience. Leaders Trust / Alto Partners has over 20 years of experience in executive search for senior level positions, advising clients on how to attract, assess, retain and develop their management teams. Working in both national and international environments, the company has been successful in understanding the context of its clients’ organizations and business strategies, enabling it to anticipate the needs for better management structures and to assist clients in their search for the world’s finest talent. “Most CEOs in the automotive industry come from a manufacturing background, but have complimented their professional career with sales and marketing experience, giving them an edge when facing the strong competition that exists in the market,” explains Elizabeth Falcón, Managing Partner of Leaders Trust / Alto Partners. “Traditionally, CEOs have been expected to run automotive operations in their entirety, but this profile has recently seen a change. Given recent technological developments and the global economic crisis, a strategic mindset is now essential for developing initiatives that have a real impact on company results.”

Today’s automotive CEOs have to become more flexible, displaying strong leadership and strategic skills while simultaneously maintaining personal and professional development. These days, most business negotiations are global, so CEOs should also have a strong ability to adapt to and negotiate with all cultures. For example, executives in Korea may regularly end up working overtime in an effort to be successful. Similarly, Japanese companies value loyalty and have a distinct focus on accuracy. The multicultural understanding necessary to adapt to these varying environments has been defined by Leaders Trust / Alto Partners as a catalytic management style, pertaining to the fact that these positions have become far more dynamic.

In comparison, Mexico’s automotive sector in general relies heavily on Mexican executives, but certain key positions are normally covered by foreign talent with experience of either working abroad or within the company’s headquarters. Usually, these positions constitute the board of the company and contribute highly to specialized areas, such as technology and research and development (R&D). Many automotive companies position their R&D centers close to the operational headquarters, so most experienced executives are already located within them. However, as a result of the emerging automotive industry in this country, an increasing amount of Mexican executives working abroad are now returning to Mexico, taking their place as heads of region. Additionally, salaries tend to be similar between companies, meaning that a potential career evolution, such as international exposure or a more challenging role, can be the determining factor for executives in terms of recruitment.

Having taken this broad range of factors into account, Leaders Trust / Alto Partners works with a small number of customers in order to ensure maximum market access for the right candidates. This exclusivity guarantees that the company can attract the upper crust of executive talent, providing automotive clients with a world-class selection of the industry’s next great CEOs.