Ask HN: How are C. managers selected when opening office in another country?
I was always interested how the company decides on who to select for country manager, when opening an office in new country.
I've been a CEO of a small company, but from what I always heard from the talks and while networking, it always went more on how some of the people worked for the company at their main office before being tasked to go to another country as country managers.
However, I've noticed a lot of the people that became country managers in recent times, don't have any actual connection to the company beforehand. (Either knowing someone or having worked, collaborated with it)
And while I know the intricacies on running the company and managing it, this has always puzzled me. Very unlikely you will find a general rule or pattern. Some get moved from the main office or some other office. Some get recruited in the foreign country. Some get hired and moved because they have specific expertise or experience. And some get the job because their uncle is CEO. What I did notice however is that the pick can have a lot of influence on how the company will develop in country, especially in terms of overall "company culture". Of course. Success and failure sit at either end of a spectrum, with most executives sitting somewhere along that line. A company lucky or careful enough to put the right person in any job will get good results. In my experience that process has a lot more to do with internal politics and professional networks than anything resembling a formal process or set of rules.