South America

South America is a continent rich in heritage and history and is as diverse as any continent on the earth. From the Amazon Rain Forest to the heights of Machu Picchu, South America runs the gamut of not just diverse peoples and cultures, but also geographies, climates, etc. South America has often been viewed by the international community as a great option for low-cost labor for manufacturing and as a beautiful place to vacation in. Many see it through the lens of a handful of cities (e.g. Bogotá (Colombia), Santiago (Chile), Caracas (Venezuela), etc.) that are scattered about an often very wild, rugged terrain that is widely-dispersed. But that’s not South America at all and Maccabeus understands that from the inside-out having worked in South America for almost 30 years with various Companies across a myriad of industries. For example, we have worked with most Automotive OEM’s – many of which now have production facilities in South America; including BMW, Ford, Daimler, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, PSA, Renault, Scania, and VW.

South America is made-up of sixteen (16) Countries. Each of the Countries are very distinct and quite unique from each other in many regards. Recruiting to the Brazilian capital of Brasília is very different than recruiting to the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires – including the cultural reality that while some people in South America understand English, Spanish and Portuguese are the most common languages in many places and a working, speaking, reading, and understanding of them can be critical in recruiting here (especially in the more rural Regions). It is critically-important for Executives considering roles in one of the Countries to understand the regional cultural differences. And it’s even more critical for the Executive Recruiting Firm to get this “right” from the beginning (to avoid hiring “misfires”, search “re-do’s”, etc.). Whether recruiting in and around São Paulo (Brazil), Lima (Peru), Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and/or Guayaquil (Ecuador), Maccabeus understands South America from the inside-out.

Culture, Culture, Culture

Realtors and related real estate investors will regularly talk about the most important decision for making an real estate investment is “location, location, location”. At Maccabeus, we say Executive recruiting comes down to three (3) words, as well – “culture, culture, culture”. Specifically, the culture of the company (or the client), the Executive, and the Country, City, Region, etc.

While it’s true that corporate vs. individual cultural fit is very important, what often gets missed is the “regional cultural fit”. Per the map below, it’s important to remember how widely-dispersed and narrowly-concentrated South America’s population is – as well as the legacy and Genesis of each of South America’s sixteen (16) Countries and corresponding Cities. Anyone who’s lived and/or worked in South America understands full-well how different the South American Countries and their Cities can be from each other. South America is not for the “tepid” Executive – even in a very international city like Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

At Maccabeus, we understand the South American Regional differences and how to apply those unique qualities across the cultural aspects of both Companies (clients) and Executives (and their Families). We have recruited to many of the Countries in South America from very rural, low-population areas to densely-populated city centers and surrounding suburbs. We know the differences across South America (both regionally and from an industry perspective) not just from an Executive Recruitment Firm’s perspective, but also as Executives who have considered relocations and/or new career challenges directly for ourselves and our Families. While we have counseled hundreds of Executives to not take an opportunity based on their concerns around cultural differences (based on location and/or the company), our Partners and Staff have also declined offers ourselves as Industry Executives – opportunities that just weren’t the right “fit” for either ourselves and/or our Families. We get it.

Finding the right Executives takes a tenacity to see through the surface of experiences and to look into the intangibles behind who a leader really is as a person. To get to know the companies, clients, Executives, Families, etc. behind the search project. Maccabeus is committed to and has a strong track record of recruiting and placing Executives across a diverse landscape of industries and locations.

We would welcome the opportunity to discuss this further with you and your Board.

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