Changing the lives of two executives in one day

In December 2018, I started an executive search for a CIO (Chief Information Officer) for a luxury company. The selection process was complicated because we didn’t find the innovative CIO, with prior experience in the fashion industry, that this company was looking for in Spain. Since the Spanish labor market was offering me few options, I opened up the search to a global scale, taking on the added difficulty of changing that person‘s residency.

I found the perfect candidate: with experience as CIO in one of the most important retailers in Europe as well as having some experience in one of the biggest retailers from the USA. After interviewing this candidate myself, presenting the project to him, and after his interview with the luxury company, there was no doubt that this was the profile that they were searching for to take their company structure to the next level.

He was a Spanish citizen living abroad, and before that moment, hadn’t ever considered going back to Spain. Because of the company’s reputation and the very interesting position offered to him, he started to think that maybe it could be a good option to come back to Spain. His wife, however, who also had a senior profile and was an American and Brazilian citizen, Strategic director in the world of fashion, had a job offer in London and Paris in that moment.

The candidate said to me, If you are able to find a job offer that improves the position that my wife has at this moment, I will accept the offer that your client is offering me.

Shortly after, during a meeting with the CEO of one of my best clients in the fashion sector, the CEO explained to me that he was executing several projects simultaneously and that they involved many international trips. He needed help and support to with these projects so that he could better focus his time and energy in thinking in the company strategy.

I explained to him the profile of the wife of my candidate, and he knew, from the first moment, that she would fit perfectly in his company to help with his workload problem. After having an interview with her, he made her an offer immediately and she accepted. That same day, my candidate CIO (her husband) also accepted the original offer of my client.

I wanted to help make their transition back to Spain as smooth as possible, and although it wasn’t really within my scope, I was happy to help them look for a home in the perfect neighborhood and the right school for their children here in Spain.

For me, it’s a beautiful and unforgettable story. I was able to change the lives of two executives on the same day by offering a better professional opportunity and helped that family make a home in Spain after years living abroad.

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Cristina Ródenas

Senior Partner - Head of Consumer & Retail Practice Continental Europe
T: T +34 93 390 0603
E: [email protected]

Cristina specializes in Executive recruitment within the fashion, apparel, luxury and retail sector in Spain.