Technology (Strategy)

Instant Credibility in a Strategically Critical Position
Vice President, Global Product Strategy for the Worldwide Leader in Networking for the Internet

The Client Need
A Fortune 500 technology company sought to unify the strategic vision function across its multiple product divisions under a single senior executive. The newly created position called for an individual with expertise across each of its markets, from networking hardware to voice recognition software to consumer electronics. A strong background in strategy had to be complemented with enough industry credibility to gain the trust of the current heads of strategy of each multi-billion dollar division, without appearing to favor one sector over the others.

The SEBA Solution
SEBA focused the search on two types of candidates. One group included corporate strategy and general management veterans from top-tier, diversified technology companies. We also evaluated industry analysts familiar with both our client’s divisions and the market landscapes in which they operated.

The Result
The winning candidate stood out from the rest: an MBA with proven experience as both a technology executive and an industry analyst. During the first half of his career, he worked in strategy and finance for AT&T/Lucent, an early pioneer and leader of the Internet and networking industries. He subsequently spent nearly a decade as an industry analyst—covering our client as well as its competitors. His deep familiarity with our client’s highly diversified product line, the markets in which it operated, and the personalities at its helm helped him quickly gain the support of the entire strategic organization.