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Accelerating Product Innovation in a Rapidly Evolving Market, Auto & Industrial Sector
A global automotive and industrial solutions leader partnered with Miramar to appoint a VP Technology capable of advancing innovation while aligning product strategy with commercial growth.
THE CHALLENGE
A global automotive and industrial solutions leader sought a VP Technology to lead strategy and development across its core product portfolio. As the company expanded globally and accelerated its innovation agenda, this role became critical to maintaining product leadership in a rapidly evolving market.
Key challenges included:
· Leading global R&D and product teams
· Ensuring product performance, quality, and regulatory compliance
· Translating innovation into measurable commercial value
· Aligning the product roadmap with OEM requirements and market trends
THE SOLUTION
Miramar executed a targeted search across lubricant manufacturers, additives companies, and specialty chemical firms, prioritizing leaders with strong formulation expertise and global R&D leadership experience.
We identified 6 shortlisted candidates, 5 entered the interview process, and our client advanced one to offer, while maintaining a strong backup candidate.
Candidates were evaluated on:
· Technical depth in lubricant formulation and product development
· Experience leading global R&D organizations
· Ability to align innovation with business growth
· Strength in cross-functional stakeholder management
THE RESULT
We placed a globally experienced technology leader with deep lubricants expertise and a proven track record of scaling R&D organizations and driving innovation-led growth. The individual was selected for their ability to bridge technical excellence with commercial impact, ensuring immediate credibility with both engineering teams and senior business takeholders.
The impact
Since stepping into the role, the new VP Technology has strengthened both the technical foundations and commercial relevance of the product portfolio. Early focus areas have included enhancing product performance and lifecycle management, driving technical excellence across global R&D teams, and aligning product strategy with OEM, regulatory, and sustainability requirements. This appointment continues to support growth and reinforces the company’s competitive position in the global lubricants market.
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