This is a critical milestone. It is also a point of high risk.
Many international leaders assume the hard work is finished once the contract is signed. In reality, the success of your market entry is determined in the next 90 days. Get this onboarding wrong, and you risk a stalled launch. Get it right, and you unlock the region.
We often see excellent hires fail. They do not fail because of a lack of talent. They fail because of a lack of structure. They are sent into a complex market with a laptop, a generic revenue target, and a "good luck" from Head Office.
That is not a strategy.
To ensure your new regional lead succeeds, you must do the work before they start. Here is the framework we use to onboard regional leadership for success.
The biggest mistake CEOs make is starting the onboarding on the hire's first day. By then, it is too late. You must define the operating parameters before they arrive.
Clarity is essential. Before they join, you must have a finalised reporting line. Who do they report to? Is it the Global Head of Sales, or you directly?
You must also define their financial authority. Do they own a full regional P&L (Profit and Loss), or are they managing a cost centre? If your Finance Director believes they control the budget, but your new Regional Head believes they do, you have created a conflict immediately.
Do not ask your new hire to "figure out what to sell." You must know which products (SKUs) are ready for the region. Are the prices localised? Is the supply chain ready? Your hire should focus on selling the product, not fighting internal battles to get it shipped.
Your new hire is operating with fewer resources than you would if you were doing this yourself. They have less time, less money, and less support. Your Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) must reflect this reality.
If you incentivise purely based on immediate revenue, your hire will rush to close quick, low-value deals. This can damage long-term prospects.
You need them to build a business, not just hit a monthly target. You must incentivise "Network Equity." Recognise and reward the time spent building relationships with key partners, government bodies, and distributors. This is the foundation of long-term revenue in Asia.
Be realistic. A "Basic" goal might be securing three key distribution partners. A "Stretch" goal might be the first $100k SGD in revenue. Do not base their bonus solely on optimistic outcomes. Reward the effort required to build the path to revenue.
This is where the relationship often becomes difficult. Your regional hire can feel isolated or misunderstood by the Head Office.
You hired this person to save you time. You hired them so you can focus on your bigger corporate goals. You should not do this market entry yourself.
Therefore, do not micromanage them. Trust your instincts on why you hired them. If they tell you a global marketing campaign will be offensive in Thailand, believe them. Their value lies in this local knowledge.
Your hire is competing against local companies with massive teams. They likely have just themselves and a small budget.
Your job is not just to demand results. Your job is to remove obstacles. Ensure they have fast access to legal, product, and marketing support at Head Office.
Building this structure takes time.
This is where a Fractional Partner adds value. We can act as the bridge between Head Office and your new regional hire.
You have made the right hire. Now, give them the structure to succeed.
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