Situation
Adidas required confidential executive searches for key leadership roles. These included:
VP of Diversity
General Managers for Business Units and Regions
VP of Supply Chain
A strong emphasis was placed on diversity, particularly increasing the representation of women in leadership.
Given the involvement of the board, these searches required additional layers of communication and reporting. Over 12 months, 20 executive searches were conducted, strengthening critical leadership functions and ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
Approach
To navigate these challenges and scale the search process effectively, a structured, data-driven approach was implemented:
Extensive Talent Sourcing – Identified and approached 100–200 potential candidates per role.
Compelling Candidate Engagement – Created visually rich, comprehensive dossiers to attract and engage top talent.
Leadership Assessment – Hogan Assessment tools were utilised to evaluate leadership capabilities and cultural fit.
Process Optimisation: Developed and improved executive search processes, including creating a KPI framework, optimising reporting practices, and managing end-to-end team operations.
Strategic Client Collaboration – Worked closely with senior leadership and the board to ensure transparency and tailored solutions.
Result
This strategic approach delivered measurable impact:
- Reduced time-to-hire from 120 days to 90 days, significantly improving recruitment efficiency.
- Doubled women’s representation in executive leadership from 15% to 30%.
- Optimised executive functions through process improvements, senior stakeholder management, and KPI-driven tracking.
- Enhanced reporting with high-quality, data-driven insights, fostering trust and long-term success in executive talent acquisition.
By meeting and exceeding client expectations, this engagement established a scalable, high-performing framework for adidas’ global executive search function.
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