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Strategy and M&A Team Hire – Managers and Directors, Europe
THE CHALLENGE
Our client, a European downstream energy business hired Miramar to identify and appoint a Strategy Director to be based in Switzerland, reporting directly to the EVP Strategy & Transformation. This pivotal leadership role would be instrumental in shaping the organization’s evolving corporate strategy, supporting global transformation efforts, and informing executive decision-making through competitive intelligence and market foresight.
The Strategy Director would lead a wide range of responsibilities, including developing and refreshing the corporate strategy, conducting competitor analysis, and supporting strategic ad hoc initiatives across international markets. With transformation and diversification high on the corporate agenda, the company needed someone with both strong strategic acumen and the ability to drive execution across functions.
Key challenges for the role included hiring someone experienced in the dynamic global energy market, collaborating across leadership, translating market and regulatory insights into strategy, leading projects such as market entry, and clearly communicating complex strategies to senior stakeholders.
THE SOLUTION
Miramar conducted a focused pan-European search targeting high-potential strategic leaders with a blend of consulting discipline, energy sector insight, and in-house business experience. We prioritized individuals with proven success driving cross-border strategies in complex matrix environments, especially those experienced in developing corporate and operational roadmaps within the energy or industrial sectors.
Key evaluation criteria included
- A number of years’ experience in strategy consulting, business development, or corporate strategy
- Deep familiarity with energy sector market dynamics and competitive landscapes
- Proven ability to lead analytical deep-dives into competitors, regulatory impacts, and market trends
- Experience partnering with functional leaders to align strategic vision with tactical execution
We also emphasized the importance of cultural alignment: seeking candidates who could thrive in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial, and transformation-focused environment.
THE RESULT
Miramar delivered a shortlist of qualified, internationally mobile candidates within five weeks. Each finalist brought a unique mix of strategic vision, analytical depth, and practical business execution, including spanning backgrounds in top-tier consulting firms, multinational energy companies, and global industrial groups.
Our successful candidate combined strategy consulting and in-house planning experience, strong knowledge of European energy markets and ESG, collaborative leadership across business units, and the ability to translate complex insights into actionable, board-ready strategies.
The impact
Since joining, the new Strategy Director has led the refresh of the company’s corporate strategy, strengthened competitor intelligence capabilities, and driven alignment across business units around a shared strategic roadmap. They have also become a trusted advisor to the EVP and executive team, where they are known for combining rigorous analysis with pragmatic execution and stakeholder influence.
