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Talent’s portrait – Xavier Carlier

At Lincoln, we believe that trust is key, both to the fulfillment of each individual and to the growth of the company.

Portrait of Xavier, Talent followed by Celine.

Celine has known Xavier since 2016. She placed him on a CFO transition role. Since then, the relationship has grown and been enriched through regular exchanges. This is how Xavier got the opportunity to carry out an in-depth mission that touched all the core activities of the company.

Xavier’s testimony

Lincoln gave me a “360 °” executive interim management assignment in the Qatari subsidiary  of a UAE group.  The local CEO is the founder’s son, but failed to contain the fall in sales. The company produces building materials (25M USD and 70 people) and sells them in public markets.

The problem is twofold:

  • The recent regional embargo leads to a rejection of its tenders (as a UAE company);
  • The development of Doha means that its products are no longer suitable;

 Solutions implemented:

  • Overhaul of the sales team and definition of a price list
  • Adaptation of the industrial tool
  • Downsizing  (from 70 to 50 people)

 Results after a 5-month mission:

  • The order book was filled in 4 weeks, with a horizon of 4 months
  • 6 months later, the results (sales and margin rate) are above forecasts, and the order book is still full
  • New prospects for additional business (services geared towards installers)

I liked Lincoln’s approach, which sees People as fundamental to take up this kind of mission. Technical skills (analysis, finance, industry) are a prerequisite, but the behavioural and cognitive skills of the manager are also carefully analyzed. The client told me of his satisfaction with the analysis and definition of the need, as well as with the Talents panel. Last, but not least, he was also very impressed by the payback.”

Serene Talent & ambitious mobility.

Talents who are confident and serene about their mobility are able to get fully involved and give the best of themselves. They then become a powerful performance lever for the company. We are also convinced that a professional life should not be seen as a succession of opportunities. It must be built on a long-term vision, through a clear professional project that we define hand in hand and step by step.

Céline Laffin, General Manager Lincoln Hong Kong, and Xavier Carlier, Executive Interim Manager.