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VP, Global Business Development, Automotive and Industrial Solutions
THE CHALLENGE
We were engaged by a global player in the automotive and industrial solutions space to identify a leader who could accelerate their long-term market share through strategic growth, by appointing a VP of Global Business Development.
This executive role, reporting directly to the SVP, Chief Growth Officer, would be critical in leading their inorganic expansion strategy across global markets, working independently and in close synergy with their downstream organization.
The mandate was broad and complex. The incoming leader would be responsible for origination through to post-acquisition integration: identifying M&A, equity investment, and joint venture opportunities, crafting a clear roadmap for the 2025–2028 horizon, and ensuring strategic fit, synergy creation, and alignment with their commercial objectives. There was both scale and complexity to the role and as a result the ideal profile.
THE SOLUTION
Miramar launched an international search, targeting senior-level M&A professionals within industrial, chemical, and downstream energy sectors. We focused on individuals with a blend of strategic thinking and executional excellence, aiming for leaders who had both originated deals and owned the integration process in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
A major insight that emerged during the search: candidates with both a strategic and operational lens on M&A execution (who could move from boardroom to frontline) were scarce and highly sought after. We refined our shortlist to those with this rare combination.
THE RESULT
Miramar delivered a shortlist of highly qualified candidates within six weeks, representing a range of expertise from oil & gas majors, global lubricant brands, and diversified industrial manufacturers.
The successful candidate brought:
- Over a decade of experience leading global inorganic growth initiatives
- Firsthand exposure to diverse transaction models including JVs, carve-outs, and full acquisitions
- A strategic, data-driven approach to market and segment evaluation
- Demonstrated success aligning cross-functional teams to realize synergy value post-deal
- Strong partnerships with finance, operations, and legal stakeholders across global footprints
The impact
Client Experience
“I have worked with Miramar and with Richard for many years. He is able to very quickly understand the requirements of a position, the hard skills and experience someone needs to bring. More importantly he is able to select the candidate that brings the exact leadership skills that any organisation needs. The way Richard is able to genuinely understand the business you are in, the changes you want to make, the culture of an organisation and then to brief candidates hitting all these points, is a very rare skill. Richard has supported me, as HR Director, and my organisations in being successful by bringing the right candidates to our table.”
— HR Director, EMEA
