Company Name
GEODIS
Search Job Title
Vice President of Business Development
Client Profile
GEODIS is a global leader in transport and logistics, dedicated to supporting its clients by helping them overcome logistical challenges and improve their operational efficiency.
Role Objectives & Challenges
This position was part of the 4PL division, with the hiring manager being the Executive Vice President of Business Development. The EVP approached us with a request for a unique candidate profile for this new role. They were looking for a candidate with experience as a supply chain executive in a large corporate environment, ideally with familiarity in working with both 3PLs and 4PLs. Business development in the 4PL world has a long sales cycle, typically limited to substantial companies with significant assets. This role is highly consultative and advisory, requiring the VP to convey the long-term value of transactions that may span 5-7 years. Given that 4PL involves the outsourcing of entire supply chain functions, staff, and resources, the ideal candidate needed to act as a peer to the client base. This unique profile required a candidate who understood the scale and planning that goes into these lengthy sales cycles.
Our Approach to Solve the Search
Given the niche expertise required, only a few competitors—such as Kuehne + Nagel, DB Schenker, UPS, and DHL—offered talent pools with this level of experience. Finding someone with the right mix of business development, supply chain expertise, and client-relational skills posed a challenge. We conducted an in-depth search and developed a slate of candidates who had worked with major service providers and understood the unique demands of the role. By the 120-day mark, we presented a strong slate of highly qualified candidates, working directly with the EVP of Supply Chain Solutions in the 4PL division.
The Hire & Results
The successful hire was a former VP at Mars and Nestle, who had risen through the ranks of their supply chain divisions and brought 15 years of global business development experience from DHL, one of GEODIS’ main competitors. This candidate’s extensive supply chain, business development, and service provider experience made him an ideal fit for the role. The position was remote, and the client was highly satisfied with the match and the process.
