Executive Summary
A leading Swiss industrial company with an international footprint was in the middle of a global SAP S/4HANA rollout and urgently needed an experienced leader to head its SAP Competence Center – both professionally and in terms of personnel. The market for senior SAP experts was exceptionally tight at the time of the mandate: suitable profiles were simply not actively available.
Through a carefully maintained network, precise profile definition, and structured direct outreach, qualified candidates were presented within three weeks. The mandate was successfully completed in under four months – with a placement that was convincing on every level.
Initial Situation & Challenge
When experienced SAP leaders are off the market – and still need to be found
The client is one of the leading listed industrial companies in German-speaking Switzerland. With around 3,500 employees and revenue of approximately one billion Swiss francs, it holds a global innovation leadership position in the metal processing industry. Industry 4.0, IoT, digitalisation and automation define its business model, alongside an in-house software company that underscores the group’s technological edge.
At the time of the mandate, the company was already mid-way through its international SAP S/4HANA rollout. The search was for a Head of SAP / Competence Center who could take global responsibility for the SAP strategy across local and international sites, continuously developing and managing it operationally. The role encompassed the professional and disciplinary leadership of approximately twelve in-house consultants, vendor management, process optimisation, and ensuring a high standard of service delivery.
The challenge was significant. As the client’s responsible Head of Global IT put it directly: “The market is empty.” Experienced SAP experts with leadership responsibility rarely move. Profiles that came in through conventional channels did not fit: they were candidates looking to take the next step in their career – whereas what was needed was someone who had already held this kind of role for years and brought the corresponding seniority. Beyond technical expertise, strong interpersonal skills and genuine proximity to the team were equally important to the client.
Key challenges at this stage
- High seniority required: Candidates with proven, long-standing experience leading an SAP Competence Center – not high-potential profiles on the rise
- Technical depth: Demonstrated experience in international SAP architecture consolidations and heterogeneous SAP environments
- Industry fit: Strong preference for candidates from a comparable industrial background
- Interpersonal skills: A leadership personality with genuine people instincts and direct team proximity
- Market scarcity: Senior SAP profiles are virtually unavailable through conventional search – direct outreach via a trusted network was the only viable path
Our Approach
Precision over volume: sharp profile definition and a network that delivers
The mandate began with an intensive examination of the requirements. Together with the client, the technical expectations were clearly defined and extended to include a cultural dimension: the search was not simply for a technically skilled SAP specialist, but for a leadership personality capable of communicating at every level, convincing diverse stakeholder groups, and aligning the SAP strategy consistently with broader business objectives.
Direct outreach was conducted exclusively through an actively maintained network. Candidates who matched the profile – technically and personally – were approached individually, not via job postings, but through personal, trust-based contact. Collaboration with the client was characterised by continuous dialogue and constructive discussion – including concrete thought experiments around individual profiles: How would a given candidate come across to the CFO? How would they land within the existing team structure?
Guiding principles of the approach:
- Profile definition beyond purely technical criteria – with an explicit focus on leadership maturity and personality
- Exclusive use of direct outreach through an actively maintained network
- Close, regular alignment with the client to continuously sharpen fit and decision-making foundations
- Cultural fit treated as an equally weighted selection criterion alongside technical qualification
- Clear positioning of the role towards potential candidates – responsibility, international scope, and entrepreneurial freedom as compelling arguments
Search & Selection Process
Structured, tightly managed and consistently focused on quality and commitment
The search and selection process was clearly structured from the outset and designed for efficiency. Based on a systematic market review, relevant profiles were identified that matched both the technical requirements and the personal fit criteria. What mattered was not the volume of contacts made, but the precision of the selection. Within just three weeks of mandate launch, a qualified shortlist was presented – a result that, by the client’s own account, came as a genuine surprise.
Multi-stage interviews assessed technical depth, international experience, leadership approach, and cultural alignment. In parallel, close coordination with the client ensured that feedback was immediately incorporated into the process, continuously raising the quality of decision-making. Four profiles made it through to the final round – and impressed the client to a degree that made the final decision genuinely difficult.
Process overview:
- Systematic market review and targeted identification of suitable profiles within the network
- Direct, individual outreach and initial assessment of interest and fit
- Three weeks from mandate launch to presentation of the qualified shortlist
- Multi-stage interviews evaluating technical competence, leadership profile, and cultural fit
- Four candidates in the final interview round
- Ongoing feedback loops and close alignment with the client at every stage
Results & Client Value
First-class placement in under four months – in one of the most constrained SAP markets
Despite the exceptionally difficult market environment, the mandate was successfully completed in under four months. The appointed Head of SAP / Competence Center fully matched the jointly defined target profile – both professionally and personally. He brings the required seniority, proven international SAP experience, and the interpersonal skills needed to lead a team and credibly engage stakeholders ranging from senior management to specialist departments.
For the client, this was not merely the placement of a business-critical role, but the deliberate strengthening of leadership capability in an area central to the ongoing international SAP S/4HANA rollout. The client’s responsible Head of Global IT summed it up clearly: the quality of the candidates presented exceeded all expectations – and made the final decision correspondingly demanding.
Value delivered to the client:
- Successful placement of a business-critical leadership role under the most demanding market conditions
- High selection quality through structured, comparable decision-making foundations at every stage
- A leadership personality secured with the right seniority, industry knowledge, and interpersonal credibility
- Relief of internal resources through clear process management and proactive communication
- Strong foundation of trust through continuous, substantive dialogue with the client at management level
Key KPIs:
- 3 weeks – from mandate launch to shortlist presentation
- 4 candidates in the final interview round
- < 4 months – total mandate duration
Lessons Learned
What made this placement possible – and what sets it apart from conventional talent search
- Network quality is decisive: In a market where experienced SAP leaders are not actively available, a carefully maintained network is the only reliable path to relevant profiles.
- Profile depth beats profile breadth: The more precisely the requirements are defined – technically and personally – the more accurate and efficient the process.
- Cultural fit is not a soft criterion: Interpersonal skills and team proximity were as decisive here as technical qualification.
- Substantive depth builds commitment: Constructive thought experiments and regular client dialogue raise decision quality and trust in the process.
- Structured processes reduce uncertainty: A clearly managed process with defined feedback loops creates commitment on both sides – and leads to placements that last.
