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Appointing a Supply Chain Director in China Following an Unexpected Departure
A global FMCG business faced an unplanned leadership gap in one of its most complex and strategically important markets, when its Supply Chain Director in China resigned unexpectedly. China sat at the centre of the company's history and its future growth plans.
THE CHALLENGE
A global FMCG business had an urgent need for an end-to-end Supply Chain Director in China, following an unexpected resignation. China was one of the company's largest and most complex markets, and at the same time, integral to it’s future growth plans. The company needed a strong leader who could lead a sizeable business across multiple plants in China and be part of China's cross-functional and global supply chain leadership team.
The brief required a specific combination of exceptional end-to-end supply chain leadership, alongside a genuine understanding of how to navigate China's current and future market dynamics. Strong consumer sector experience was essential, as was the ability to connect both regionally and globally. This was, from the outset, a time-sensitive search with a high level of urgency.
THE SOLUTION
Miramar has operated in China since 2009, and this search drew on more than 15 years of experience placing supply chain leaders in the market specifically. That depth of existing relationships shaped a two-part approach: rigorously assessing the existing talent landscape in China, built on real experience leading end-to-end supply chain teams there, and in parallel, considering strong Chinese candidates based outside the country who might consider returning.
Candidates were shared with the client in under two weeks, followed by a rolling shortlist. Given the urgency, every candidate was pressed early on their genuine level of interest, and the client was given a range of options including some higher-potential profiles worth considering. After first interviews, anyone who didn't show real motivation was ruled out early.
Every candidate went through clear, agreed assessment criteria and was assessed by two Miramar consultants: one brought deep first-hand knowledge of the China market, built over years of experience in it, and the other brought a fresh, objective read, unclouded by any prior history with candidates or companies in the market. Together, that combination checked for bias as much as it checked for capability. For the eventual successful candidate specifically, the assessment went further: five separate references were taken to build a genuinely rounded view, with each referee asked to identify something concrete for the candidate to develop.
THE RESULT
Six candidates were shortlisted, with two candidates being considered at final stage. The search ran from the beginning of June and concluded at the beginning of August, completing in under 60 days.
The impact
The client secured a leader with supply chain depth across local, regional and global levels, someone with decades of experience in China alongside genuine international exposure across consumer-facing businesses. They were motivated from the outset, and demonstrated both the technical expertise and the commercial mindset the brief called for throughout the process.
"Lisa has been a trusted partner for nearly 10 years, supporting a wide range of Supply Chain, Operations, and Commercial leadership searches. Her strong understanding of our culture and business enables her to identify high-quality candidates quickly and efficiently. Most recently, she successfully led the search for our China Supply Chain Director, filling the role in approximately 50 days from launch to start date. Her ability to align stakeholders, maintain candidate engagement, and drive timely decisions contributed significantly to the successful outcome."
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