CEO and CFO Succession – Global Decorative Surfaces Manufacturer (Part 2: CFO Search)

Part 2 of a dual mandate covering CEO and CFO succession for the same client – Part 1 (CEO search)

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Contents
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    Summary

    Summary

    Mandate

    U.S. Head of Finance (CFO function)

    Context

    Follow-on mandate, awarded while the CEO succession search was still under way

    Requirements

    Multi-plant responsibility, SAP R/3 plus future S/4HANA implementation, close coordination with German headquarters

    Search

    Cross-industry direct search focused on European companies near the client’s U.S. base

    Result

    Placement of a German-speaking finance leader from the region
    The Client

    The Client

    A Germany-based, family-owned global leader in printed and finished decorative surfaces, with revenues exceeding €1 billion and over 4,000 employees worldwide. The company holds a significant global market share and operates multiple production facilities in North America. Known for its collaborative and harmonious culture, its U.S. headquarters are located in the Midwest – an atypical location for the industry, whose main hubs are traditionally along the Southeast and Northeast.

    Parent Company (Germany) U.S. Subsidiary
    Profile Family-owned global leader in printed and finished decorative surfaces U.S. headquarters with printed-surfaces production in the Midwest; second facility for finished surfaces in the Southeast
    Size Revenues above €1 billion, over 4,000 employees worldwide Over 100 employees across design, décor development, and sales
    Footprint Production and sales locations across Europe, the Americas, and Asia Multiple production facilities in North America
    Leadership Group headquarters in Germany CEO on site; finance function with an additional direct reporting line to headquarters

    The client was so impressed with the quality and breadth of candidates from the CEO search that they considered creating an additional senior role for one of the runners-up in a major Asian market. Shortly thereafter, the company retained TH Bender again to recruit their new U.S. Head of Finance, underscoring their satisfaction with our work.

    The Challenge

    The Challenge

    Already during an ongoing CEO succession search – once the client was convinced of its successful progress – TH Bender was additionally mandated to recruit a new Head of Finance for the U.S. operations. The position carried full responsibility for operational accounting, month-end closing, statutory reporting, as well as accounts receivable and accounts payable, including cash management. The position reported to the local CEO and to the Head of Finance at the parent company in Germany. Multi-plant experience was essential, as the role also covered the Group’s finished-surfaces facility in the Southeast, which had no dedicated finance resources of its own. In addition, solid knowledge of SAP R/3 and the willingness to actively support a future implementation of SAP S/4HANA were required. The position was based at the U.S. headquarters with very limited flexibility for remote work, and close coordination with the German headquarters was a prerequisite.

    The Solution

    The Solution

    As the search unfolded, TH Bender consultants refined the candidate profile in close collaboration with the client and expanded the search across industries and functions, with particular emphasis on European companies operating near the client’s U.S. base. During this process, TH Bender actively identified potential candidates at a major German industrial group that was undergoing restructuring in the region. Because of the uncertain situation, employees were particularly receptive to approaches from trusted recruiters and open to discussing new opportunities. Leveraging this dynamic, TH Bender secured strong interest from highly qualified finance leaders and identified a local candidate who fit the client’s requirements exactly.

    The Results

    The Results

    The client secured an experienced finance leader who speaks German, which further facilitated close cooperation with the headquarters team. He quickly integrated into the leadership group, ensuring compliance, efficiency, and strong transatlantic coordination. The seamless execution of a second critical placement underscored the trust the client placed in TH Bender and the value of a long-term partnership.

    ← Back to the first mandate (Part 1: CEO search)

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