The document provides an overview of executive search practices in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), highlighting differences from Western Europe, key challenges, and evolving leadership styles. It discusses cultural factors, the increasing demand for local talent, and the shifting expectations of employees, particularly millennials. The need for adaptable leadership amidst a volatile environment is emphasized, alongside a focus on effective candidate engagement strategies to attract skilled executives.

1. Executive Search
in CEE

2. Same journey for different
generations

3. Agenda
300% FIT
Executive Search
in CEE
Challenges
APPROACH
CEE countries are “hot”
markets, which are the
challenges and opportunities
for executives?
2. How to thrive in
“hot” markets
Cultural differences and most
suitable style of leadership
displayed?
3. FIT Culture,
Organization, Role
What differentiates Searching
for executives in Central and
Eastern Europe (CEE) from
searching for executives in
Western Europe?
1. Searching for
Executives in CEE

4. Executive Search in CEE Overview
Executive Search
in CEE
APPROACH
• Searching for executives in Central and Eastern Europe
(CEE) is quite different from searching for executives in
Western Europe.
• Even inside what is commonly referred to as CEE there are
several subgroups:
- South East Europe (SEE - Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Romania and Serbia
and Montenegro)
- Central Europe (CE - Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland,
Slovakia, Slovenia), the Baltic States, Russia, and other
CIS markets.

5. Executive Search in CEE Overview
Executive Search
in CEE
APPROACH
• Differences are determined by:
- the size of the markets,
- their present level of development,
- the role of government,
- as well as the capabilities of local executives.
• In the past, multinationals have relied on bringing their own
managers – quite often Western Europeans - from the
outside. In all CEE markets there is however an active trend to
look for local, experienced managers or for repatriates to
come back to senior roles especially among local family
business which intend to hire professional managers to take
over the executive roles from founders

6. Executive Search in CEE overview
Executive Search
in CEE
APPROACH
• Due to the professionalization of internal HR departments, the
trend of outsourcing only highly difficult searches has
increased.
• International companies are more open to work with external
providers, even though some well developed local companies
are also looking for executive search services.
• Opportunities for non-local managers are less than they used
to be, but not at an end, yet. Some sectors like FMCG,
financial services, and technology – typically larger
organizations, are centralizing certain functions such as
shared services or marketing functions for the region or part of
the region. For managers leading these types of operations
nationality is not an issue given the pan-regional nature of
these roles.

7. CEE markets challenges
Challenges
APPROACH
• According to last year PwC's 21st CEO Survey, business leaders
in Central and Eastern Europe have proven they have the skills
and determination to thrive despite all kinds of business and
political challenges.
• Today, they face a new challenge: adapting their organizations to
a new world where values such as trust, engagement and
purpose are just as important as dollars and cents.
• The need for companies to find new ways of attracting, motivating
and retaining employees, by offering them engagement and
purpose, is reflective of a broader tension in society.
• Millennials are introducing a new way of thinking - a company can
not only expect, an employee must feel comfortable, flexibility and
non-standard working time are important

8. CEE markets challenges
Challenges
APPROACH
• In all countries in the CEE region the key demands at the
executive level are for:
- leadership skills,
- good business judgment,
- strong critical thinking skills
- hands-on operational orientation,
- problem solving
- communication skills
• Managers in CEE have learned during the last 20 years to lead
in a changing and entrepreneurial environment; a skill of big
value.
• Since early 2000 we see an emerging trend of growing locals as
managers of the entire CEE or larger Regions within
multinationals.

9. CEE markets challenges
Challenges
APPROACH
• For big companies, the focus continuously shifts towards China
and India or back home. CEE countries have become more
interesting for medium sized companies, mainly production, and
as a source for skilled workforce.
• Finding and holding good people is the biggest challenge at the
moment – market adapted leadership style and strategic /
disruptive approach are the key factors in selecting executives
• Management has to switch their candidate relationship from “it is
a gift and candidate has to grateful to work for us” towards “what
can we do to be of interest in the eyes of a potential candidate”
and even go further “how and with what kind of fringe benefits
can we position our company as the number one for targeted
candidates”.

10. CEE markets are “hot”
Challenges
APPROACH
• Due to the shortage of skilled workforce, all CEE region has a
very strong candidate market at the moment.
• Despite the decline in unemployment, the number of offers for
managerial positions will not grow because the demand is mainly
at blue level or highly skilled technical experts
• If CEE still keeps a good economic situation - the best
candidates will have several offers at the same time – for
example in Poland, 9 job offers per one manager
• Digitalization
• More and more positions in shared service centers

11. FIT Culture, Organization, Role
FIT 300%
CEE
Executive
Search
• The success key for any Executive in CEE markets is the ability
to cope with an extremely volatile environment. Reflecting the
environmental changes, competencies of future leaders have to
adapt as well. Leaders should be the motor of change.
• Dynamic VUCA times require from managers and leaders a new
and adequate approach to the environment.
• Effective change of attitudes directly affect the success of
business activities and are expected: adaptability, self-
awareness, authenticity, boundary spanning, collaboration and
network thinking, level of trust instilled and maintained
• Having this in mind, to fit a potential opening, an Executive has
to prove that his / her leadership strategies will reflect the
companies’ needs to deal with new leadership challenges and
political and economic realities in CEE.

12. FIT Culture, Organization, Role
FIT 300%
CEE
Executive
Search
• For several years, we have been observing the evolution from
the model of charismatic leaders-superheroes who were
pushing to develop their businesses and achieve their goals
towards a transformational leader who is close to people,
skillfully assigning responsibility for decision-making
processes, disseminates knowledge about the organization as
a well-functioning system.
• The topic of turquoise organizations is becoming more and
more popular, but it will require a big change in managers'
mentality. The employees have to perform the specific tasks,
responsibility and motivation
• Companies focus on people who are well-organized and who
are able to take risks while at the same time motivate the
employees.

13. FIT Culture, Organization, Role
FIT 300%
CEE
Executive
Search
• Leadership styles by country:
- Slovenia - directive, focused, management by objectives.
- Bulgaria - MbO with previous experience in international
organization (Matrix type of organizational structure)
- Austria - although companies communicate that they are
constantly adapting to the markets needs, some of them
are still restrictively led (little decisiveness, little freedom
for executives - for example)
- Czech - “Fire-fighters” … under the pressure of the
market/HQ the managers are aiming at the “instant results”
- Albania – directive, focused, able to cope with a stagnant
market
- Poland - Planning, motivation and courage are the three
most desirable features, hard to find, though
- Romania - still predominantly autocratic, with a noticeable
shift, however, to more team-oriented / participating style,
particularly among younger leaders

14. FIT Culture, Organization, Role
FIT 300%
CEE
Executive
Search
• How to succeed in executive career transition:
- Identify either your skills, experience, leadership and
communication styles are fit to the roles you’re targeting
- Make clear what makes you an attractive value
proposition for each specific search / role / company
- Underline your core skills and their transferability into
the new role / industry / market – don’t be afraid to
change industries, could be even a huge advantage
- Don’t dismiss interim roles since they could become
permanent – especially in CEE countries we see a rise
of interim management assignments
- Be patient and adaptable: manage your emotions and
find personal balance since in a new role, you can
expect to experience a number of surprises, frustrations
or disappointments. You might not fit in immediately or
you may feel confused at times.

15. Dr. Pendl & Dr. Piswanger | InterSearch Romania Ana Ber
• Global reach. Local Impact.
• 1980 – Dr. Pendl & Dr. Piswanger International (P&P Group),
Viena, Austria, with 18 offices in 15 countries
• International presence – more than 60 countries - P&P is a
shareholder of InterSearch Organization, executive search
network, in the top 10 worldwide
• Dr. Pendl & Dr. Piswanger Romania – more than 20 years of
activity in Romania, providing Executive Search, retained
recruitment, Management audit, Board assessment
• Ranking in top 5 executive search companies in Romania
• KPIs:
✓ 100% customer retention
✓ Candidates retention
• 1st year: 97%
• 2nd year: > 85%
• 3rd year: > 70%
Working in Retained Executive Search and
Human Resources consultancy since 2005,
leading one of the most reputable Top 5
Executive Search Consultancies in Romania as
Managing Partner of the Romanian office
partner of P&P Group and InterSearch
Worldwide, specialized on Executive Search.
• Successfully delivered hundreds of Board, C Level, Senior and
Middle Leadership assignments across CEE region in
manufacturing, automotive, engineering, robotics & automation,
energy, telecom, consumer goods, consumer electronics, banking
and financial services, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, professional
services, healthcare, construction and real estate
• Counseling in executive career transitions
About Us

16. THANK YOU
Dr. Pendl & Dr. Piswanger Romania
17 Nicolae Golescu, 1st floor, Bucharest, 010285, Romania
T: +40 21 323 01 71
E: office@ppromania.ro
W: www.ppromania.ro W: www.ro.intersearch.org