Head of Sales North America | Executive Search Case Study
Executive search following a leadership reset and revenue decline in the North American business of an international industrial company.
Global Company Overview
Category | Information |
Industry | Industrial manufacturing – high-pressure connection systems for energy and industrial gas applications |
Headquarters | Europe |
Ownership | Privately held, family-owned industrial group |
Global Revenue | approx. $25–30 million (previously approx. $40 million) |
Employees | approx. 200 employees worldwide |
International Presence | Sales partners and customers in 60+ countries |
Core Technology | High-pressure connection systems and solutions for industrial gas applications |
Target Industries | Energy infrastructure, industrial gases, hydrogen applications |
Certifications | ISO 9001, ISO 14001, Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) |
North American Organization
Category | Information |
Regional Headquarters | Houston, Texas |
Regional Responsibility | United States, Canada and Latin America |
North American Revenue | approx. $10 million (previously approx. $15 million) |
Revenue Development | approx. 30–35% decline prior to leadership transition |
Core Activities | Technical sales, distribution and application support |
Strategic Focus | Energy infrastructure, industrial gas and hydrogen markets |
Leadership Appointment | Head of Sales & Business Development North America |
Leadership Context | Reset following CEO transition and commercial restructuring
|
Competitive Environment | Highly competitive market with large multinational industrial suppliers and established global brands |
Situation
The North American subsidiary of a European industrial manufacturer specializing in high-pressure connection technology entered a period of significant commercial and leadership transition.
Regional revenue had declined from approximately $15 million to about $10 million over several years (a decline of roughly 30–35%). During the same period, global revenue of the company decreased from roughly $40 million to approximately $27 million.
After more than a decade under the same regional leadership, a new CEO had been appointed for the North American organization. The appointment did not deliver the expected commercial stabilization, and the CEO was terminated. Headquarters subsequently initiated a broader leadership reset of the North American organization.
The objective was to stabilize the leadership team while strengthening the company’s commercial capabilities across the United States, Canada and Latin America.
The situation required close alignment between the European parent company and the U.S. subsidiary, as the leadership transition had implications for both regional commercial performance and the long-term positioning of the business in the Americas.
Key Challenges
- Revenue decline in the North American business
- Leadership reset following CEO termination
- Evaluation of internal leadership candidates
- Protection of critical operational leadership
- Growth ambitions in energy and hydrogen markets
Mandate Objective
Following the leadership transition in the North American organization, TH Bender was retained to conduct an executive search in North America (@: pls link to Executive search overview page EN) for a Head of Sales & Business Development North America.
The objective was to appoint a commercial leader responsible for rebuilding revenue momentum and executing the company’s growth strategy across the United States, Canada and Latin America.
Key responsibilities included:
- Revenue and profitability development across the region
- Leadership and development of the North American sales organization
- Professionalization of commercial processes and performance management
- Strategic market development in oil, gas and hydrogen applications
In parallel, the mandate included a structured leadership succession review to assess internal executives in relation to a potential CEO succession within the North American organization.
The assignment therefore required close coordination between the executive search process and internal leadership succession discussions, ensuring that both internal and external leadership options could be evaluated within a consistent framework.
Mandate Complexity
The assignment required balancing several leadership and organizational priorities.
These included stabilizing the leadership structure following the CEO transition, strengthening the commercial leadership of the North American organization and aligning expectations between the European headquarters and the U.S. subsidiary.
A particular consideration was assessing internal leadership as part of a broader succession review fsas part of the broader leadership transition. One internal executive held a critical operational role and maintained important customer relationships, particularly in Latin America.
The search process therefore had to ensure a credible external market assessment while maintaining organizational stability and retaining key leadership within the business.
The objective was not only to fill a senior commercial role, but to rebuild commercial momentum while preserving operational continuity within the leadership team.
Creating Decision Transparency
The search was conducted as an exclusive retained executive search with national market coverage across the United States.
The objective of the structured process was not only to identify suitable candidates but to create a reliable foundation for leadership decision-making for shareholders, group HR and senior management.
To achieve this, a comprehensive market and talent mapping across the relevant leadership segments was conducted. This provided full visibility into the external leadership market while enabling a structured evaluation of internal candidates who had been considered for the role.
The process created transparency for international stakeholders and ensured that the final leadership decision was based on market insight, structured candidate assessment and close alignment between European headquarters and the North American organization.
Executive Search Process
The search was conducted on an exclusive retained basis with national market coverage across the United States, following a structured executive search process designed to create market transparency and decision confidence for international stakeholders.
Key elements of the search process included:
- systematic market mapping across high-pressure technology and industrial gas infrastructure markets
- targeted outreach to passive senior executives with relevant commercial and industry leadership experience
- structured evaluation of internal leadership candidates alongside external market profiles
- multi-stage executive interviews with shortlisted candidates
- senior-level reference checks
- continuous alignment with European headquarters and Group HR
The objective of the process was not speed, but decision confidence for international stakeholders.
Market Mapping and Candidate Evaluation
The search was conducted as an exclusive retained executive search with national market coverage across the United States.
The objective of the structured process was not only to identify suitable candidates but to create a reliable decision foundation for shareholders, group HR and senior management.
Key elements of the search process included:
- Systematic market mapping within high-pressure technology, connection systems and oil, gas and hydrogen applications
- Targeted outreach to passive senior executives with combined technical and commercial leadership experience
- Parallel structured evaluation of internal leadership candidates
- Multi-stage executive interviews
- Senior-level reference validation
- Continuous governance alignment with European headquarters and Group HR
The objective of the process was not speed, but decision confidence for international stakeholders.
Within the agreed timeline, a Head of Sales & Business Development North America was identified and successfully integrated into the organization.
The selected executive brought:
- deep market expertise in oil, gas and high-pressure applications
- strategic sales leadership combined with international management experience
- experience operating within transatlantic reporting structures and matrix organizations
The appointment strengthened the commercial leadership of the North American business and clarified responsibility for revenue development across the United States, Canada and Latin America.
At the same time, the internal executive who had been evaluated during the leadership transition remained in a critical operational leadership role within the organization. His operational expertise and established customer relationships — particularly in Latin America — continued to represent an important asset for the company.
The collaboration between the newly appointed commercial leader and the internal operational executive also created a constructive leadership dynamic, with the new Head of Sales providing strategic guidance and acting as a mentor in areas such as commercial leadership and market development.
This outcome allowed the organization to stabilize its leadership structure following the CEO transition while strengthening its commercial capabilities across the Americas.
Perspectives on the Collaboration
Feedback from Group HR
“Thank you to the entire team for the support in our executive search. The assignment was handled in a truly professional manner and we felt very well supported throughout the process.”
— Group Head of Human Resources
In cross-border executive search assignments involving European headquarters and U.S. subsidiaries, close governance alignment between the parent company and the North American organization is often essential for sustainable leadership decisions.
Perspective from the Placed Executive
“I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for all your support in helping me secure the interview. I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into guiding me through the process and making sure I was well-prepared. Either way it goes, thank you again.
Thank you for all the assistance y’all provided, and I’m excited to get started.”
Structured candidate preparation and transparent communication remain important success factors in senior leadership appointments in the United States.
Frequently Asked Questions Leadership Appointments in North American Operations
Why conduct an external executive search when internal candidates are available?
In leadership transitions, organizations often evaluate both internal succession options and external market candidates.
A structured executive search provides full visibility into the leadership market while allowing internal candidates to be assessed within the same evaluation framework. This helps boards and senior leadership teams make informed decisions while maintaining credibility within the organization.
How can leadership transitions be managed without disrupting the organization?
Leadership changes following a CEO transition or organizational restructuring require careful alignment between shareholders, senior management and the local leadership team.
A structured search process helps clarify leadership expectations, role responsibilities and organizational priorities while ensuring that the business continues to operate with stability during the transition.
How are internal executives integrated into an executive search process?
Internal candidates are often an important part of leadership succession discussions.
A structured executive search ensures that internal executives are evaluated according to clearly defined criteria and that the process remains transparent and respectful. This helps maintain trust within the leadership team while enabling an objective leadership decision.
Why is full market visibility important for senior leadership appointments?
For boards and executive leadership teams, understanding the external leadership market can be critical when making senior appointments.
Comprehensive market and talent mapping provides transparency regarding available leadership profiles and ensures that the final decision reflects both internal talent and external market realities.
Why do boards sometimes evaluate external candidates even when strong internal leaders are available?
In leadership transitions, boards and senior leadership teams often want to ensure that they have a clear understanding of both internal succession options and the external leadership market.
Evaluating external candidates does not necessarily mean that internal executives are not strong contenders. Instead, it provides market transparency and a broader benchmark for the leadership requirements of the role.
A structured executive search process allows boards to compare internal and external leadership profiles using consistent evaluation criteria. This helps ensure that the final appointment is well supported within the organization and aligned with the long-term strategic direction of the business.
Mandate Context
Leadership transitions in North American subsidiaries of international industrial companies are often accompanied by broader organizational and governance considerations.
Beyond the appointment of a specific executive role, such situations frequently involve stabilizing the organization, evaluating internal leadership candidates and aligning expectations between international headquarters and the North American management team.
Structured retained executive search mandates create market transparency and provide a reliable foundation for decision-making. They support international organizations in implementing leadership changes in North America in a way that is transparent, well-supported within the organization and aligned with long-term strategic objectives.
Considering a Leadership Appointment in North America?
We would be pleased to discuss your situation and the leadership requirements of your organization in a confidential conversation.
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