Choosing an Automotive Aftermarket Executive Search Firm in 2026: What to Look For

Recruiting the right senior leader for an automotive aftermarket business has never been straightforward.

Whether you are appointing a Managing Director, Commercial Director, Sales Director, Head of Product or Operations Director, success depends on far more than finding someone with an impressive CV.

The strongest leaders understand the commercial realities of the aftermarket. They know how manufacturers, distributors, buying groups, motor factors and service providers interact. They understand the importance of customer relationships, margins, product availability, technical knowledge and route-to-market strategy.

These qualities are not always apparent from a job title or CV.

That is why choosing the right executive search partner is one of the most important decisions an aftermarket business can make. The firm representing you in the market will influence who is approached, how the opportunity is positioned and, ultimately, the quality of the people you meet.

This guide explains what to look for in an automotive aftermarket executive search firm, which questions to ask and how to distinguish a genuine sector specialist from a general recruitment company using an automotive label.

What Should You Look for in an Automotive Aftermarket Executive Search Firm?

The strongest automotive aftermarket executive search firms combine sector knowledge, market reach and a structured search process.

Before appointing a recruitment partner, look for evidence of:

• Genuine automotive aftermarket experience
• A network extending beyond active jobseekers
• Successful senior and leadership appointments
• A clear market-mapping and direct-search process
• An understanding of your particular route to market
• Structured candidate assessment
• Realistic advice about salary, availability and timescales
• Transparent fees, terms and replacement arrangements
• Effective management of confidentiality and conflicts of interest

Firm size is not necessarily the best measure of capability.

A large general recruitment business may have an extensive database but limited understanding of the independent aftermarket. A smaller specialist recruiter may already know many of the people capable of performing the role and understand which adjacent sectors could provide credible alternatives.

The important question is not how many candidates a recruiter has on its database. It is whether the recruiter understands your market well enough to identify, approach and assess the right people.

Why Does Automotive Aftermarket Experience Matter?

The automotive aftermarket is not one single market.

It includes passenger car and commercial vehicle components, accessories, lubricants, workshop equipment, diagnostic technology, tools, chemicals, bodyshop supplies, filtration, braking, engine products, electrical components and many other specialist product areas.

Routes to market also vary considerably.

A business selling through national distributors and buying groups may require a different commercial leader from a manufacturer developing direct relationships with workshops, fleets or vehicle manufacturers. Someone who has succeeded in passenger car distribution will not automatically be suited to a commercial vehicle, industrial or specialist technical environment.

A recruiter who understands these distinctions can ask better questions during the briefing process and build a more accurate search strategy.

They should understand:

• How your products reach the end user
• The customers and channels that matter most
• The length and complexity of your sales cycle
• Whether the role requires technical product knowledge
• The importance of existing industry relationships
• The balance between new business and account development
• The commercial pressures affecting your market
• Which skills can transfer from adjacent sectors

This knowledge also helps the recruiter present the opportunity properly.

Senior professionals are unlikely to consider a role simply because the salary and job title appear attractive. They will want to understand the company’s position in the market, its leadership, its ambitions, the reason for the appointment and what they will be expected to achieve.

A specialist recruiter should be able to explain that story credibly.

How Does Executive Search Differ From Standard Recruitment?

Standard recruitment frequently begins with advertising a vacancy and reviewing applications. This can work well when there is a sufficiently large pool of active candidates.

Executive search takes a more proactive approach.

The recruiter identifies relevant companies, functions and individuals before approaching selected professionals directly. This allows the search to include people who are not applying for jobs and may not have considered moving until the right opportunity is presented to them.

A structured executive search will normally include:

1. A detailed briefing and definition of the appointment
2. Research into the relevant market and competitor landscape
3. Identification of potential candidates
4. Confidential approaches to selected individuals
5. Initial qualification and assessment
6. Presentation of a focused shortlist
7. Interview coordination and feedback
8. Offer management and resignation support
9. Follow-up after the successful person joins

This is particularly important in the automotive aftermarket, where many of the strongest senior professionals are established in their current businesses and rarely respond to conventional job advertising.

The process should not simply produce more CVs. It should produce a carefully assessed shortlist of people who understand the opportunity, meet the essential requirements and have a credible reason for considering it.

How Do I Choose a Specialist Automotive Aftermarket Executive Search Firm?

Begin by asking the recruiter about assignments comparable to yours.

The experience does not have to involve an identical job title or product category. However, the recruiter should be able to demonstrate a clear understanding of the level, function, commercial environment and route to market involved.

Useful questions include:

• Which senior automotive aftermarket roles have you recruited recently?
• Which parts of the aftermarket do you cover?
• Have you recruited for manufacturers, distributors and service providers?
• How will you identify people who are not actively seeking a new role?
• Which adjacent sectors would you consider?
• How will you assess leadership and commercial capability?
• Who will conduct the search and communicate with us?
• How will our opportunity be represented in the market?
• What could make this assignment difficult?
• What salary and benefits will the market expect?
• How long should the search realistically take?

Pay close attention to the questions the recruiter asks you as well.

A capable executive search partner should want to understand why the appointment is being made, what success will look like and why a strong person would leave their current employer to join you.

They should explore your business strategy, culture, leadership structure, financial expectations and any difficulties experienced during previous searches.

They may also challenge elements of the original brief.

That should not be interpreted negatively. Constructive challenge can prevent a business from entering the market with an unrealistic salary, an unnecessarily narrow candidate profile or conflicting expectations about the role.

The purpose of the initial conversation is not simply to accept a vacancy. It is to determine whether the requirement is achievable and agree how the search should be conducted.

What Evidence Should an Executive Search Firm Be Able to Provide?

Claims of sector expertise should be supported by evidence.

A specialist recruiter should be able to discuss relevant assignments, the types of businesses they have represented and the challenges they have encountered when recruiting senior professionals.

Depending on confidentiality, this evidence might include:

• Examples of comparable appointments

• Client testimonials

• Case studies

• Candidate retention figures

• Search completion rates

• Knowledge of relevant companies and market structures

• An explanation of how previous shortlists were developed

• Evidence of relationships with senior industry professionals

Statistics should always be considered in context.

For example, the number of people on a recruitment database tells you very little about how relevant, current or engaged those contacts are. A smaller network of established relationships may be far more valuable than a large database containing outdated or poorly matched records.

At JSL Solutions, 88% of our placements during 2024 came from people who were not actively applying for the position through an advertisement.

This matters because executive recruitment is rarely about selecting the best person from a group of applicants. It is about identifying the strongest available people in the market, including those who need to be approached directly.

However, recruitment statistics should not be accepted without questions.

Ask the recruiter:

• What types of roles are included in the figures?

• Over what period were they measured?

• What does the recruiter class as a successful assignment?

• How long did the successful people remain with their employers?

• Were the assignments retained, exclusive or contingent?

• How closely did the appointments resemble your requirement?

The purpose is not to interrogate a recruiter unnecessarily. It is to understand whether their evidence is genuinely relevant to the appointment you are considering.

How Important Is a Recruiter’s Industry Network?

A strong network can provide an important starting point, but executive search should never rely entirely on people the recruiter already knows.

Existing relationships allow a specialist recruiter to understand who may be suitable, who could be open to a carefully presented opportunity and who has a strong reputation within the sector.

They can also provide valuable market intelligence about:

• How particular companies are structured

• Which businesses are growing or changing direction

• Where relevant leadership experience can be found

• How remuneration differs across the market

• Why experienced people may or may not consider moving

• Which employers are likely to enforce restrictive covenants

• The availability of talent in different UK regions

However, every assignment should also involve fresh research.

The right person may work for a company outside the recruiter’s established network. They may have moved roles recently, developed new responsibilities or gained experience that is not reflected in an older database record.

A credible search process therefore combines existing relationships with systematic market mapping.

The recruiter should be able to explain:

1. Which companies will be researched

2. Which job functions and levels will be considered

3. How potential candidates will be identified

4. How the initial longlist will be assessed

5. How direct approaches will be made

6. How progress will be reported to the client

Be cautious if the proposed approach consists mainly of advertising the vacancy, searching an existing database and sending whichever CVs are available.

Those activities may form part of the process, but they do not amount to a comprehensive executive search.

What Should a Market-Mapping Process Include?

Market mapping creates a structured view of where suitable talent may be found.

The process should begin with the requirements of the appointment rather than a list of familiar job titles.

For example, a business searching for a Sales Director may need someone capable of:

• Leading a national commercial team

• Managing relationships with buying groups and distributors

• Developing new routes to market

• Improving sales forecasting and accountability

• Protecting margin while delivering growth

• Working effectively within an international group

• Building relationships with product, marketing and operational teams

• Preparing for future Managing Director responsibility

The recruiter can then identify the companies and individuals most likely to have developed those capabilities.

A sensible market map may include:

• Direct competitors

• Businesses serving the same customers through different product categories

• Companies with similar sales channels

• Relevant automotive or commercial vehicle suppliers

• Industrial aftermarket businesses with transferable experience

• Organisations operating through comparable distribution models

• International companies with appropriate UK leadership talent

This wider view can be particularly valuable when the most obvious candidate pool is small.

Nevertheless, adjacent-sector candidates should not be included simply to increase the length of the shortlist. The recruiter must be able to explain why the individual’s experience is transferable and what they would need to learn.

The final search strategy should distinguish between:

• Essential sector knowledge

• Experience that is strongly preferred

• Leadership capabilities that can transfer

• Product knowledge that can be learned

• Relationships that genuinely matter

• Requirements that may unnecessarily restrict the search

Without this distinction, businesses can spend months searching for a person whose precise combination of experience may not exist or may not be attracted by the proposed package.

How Should Executive Candidates Be Assessed?

An impressive employment history does not automatically indicate suitability for a senior appointment.

Two people with similar job titles may have operated at completely different levels of responsibility.

One Sales Director may have set strategy, managed budgets, developed teams and reported directly to an international board. Another may have held a senior title while remaining primarily responsible for personal accounts and day-to-day customer management.

The assessment process should establish what the person has actually done.

This should include evidence relating to:

• The size and structure of teams they have led

• Their level of budget and profit responsibility

• The scale and complexity of their customer base

• How they have delivered commercial growth

• Their experience of managing change

• How they develop and hold teams accountable

• Their involvement in strategy and business planning

• Their ability to work across departments

• Their reasons for changing roles

• The type of ownership and leadership environment in which they perform best

Competency-based questions can help identify specific examples rather than relying on general claims.

For instance, instead of asking whether someone can improve sales performance, the recruiter might explore:

• The situation they inherited

• How performance was measured

• Which problems they identified

• What changes they introduced

• How the team responded

• What commercial result followed

• What they would do differently now

Motivation should be assessed just as carefully as capability.

A person may have the experience required but little genuine reason to leave their current employer. If their interest depends entirely on a significant salary increase, the opportunity may become vulnerable to a counteroffer.

A specialist recruiter should understand:

• Why the individual agreed to a conversation

• What they want from their next appointment

• Which concerns could prevent them from progressing

• How the opportunity fits their longer-term plans

• Whether location and travel requirements are workable

• How their family may be affected by the move

• What their current employer could do to retain them

These discussions reduce the likelihood of surprises at the offer stage.

Why Does Cultural and Leadership Fit Matter?

Cultural fit does not mean recruiting people who think and behave exactly like the existing leadership team.

It means understanding the environment in which the successful person will work and whether their leadership approach will be effective within it.

A senior appointment can fail even when the individual has excellent market experience.

Problems often arise because of differences in:

• Decision-making authority

• Communication style

• Pace of change

• Attitudes towards risk

• Expectations of autonomy

• Relationships between owners and employed leaders

• International reporting structures

• The balance between strategic and operational responsibilities

• The organisation’s readiness to implement change

For example, a highly autonomous leader may struggle in a closely controlled owner-managed business. Equally, someone accustomed to significant corporate support may find it difficult to operate in a smaller company where senior leaders are expected to remain close to customers and daily operations.

The recruiter should explore these factors during the client briefing and candidate assessment.

This requires honest conversations with both sides.

The client must explain how the business actually operates, not simply how it would like to be perceived. Candidates must also be realistic about the environments in which they have succeeded and the support they will require.

The objective is not to eliminate every difference. A new leader may have been appointed specifically to introduce a different approach.

The important question is whether the organisation is genuinely prepared to support the changes it says it wants.

Should You Use a Retained or Contingent Search Model?

Retained and contingent recruitment can both be appropriate, depending on the nature of the appointment.

Under a contingent arrangement, a fee is normally payable only when a recruiter successfully places someone. Several agencies may be invited to work on the same vacancy.

This approach can be suitable when:

• There is a broad pool of active candidates

• The vacancy is not commercially sensitive

• Speed is more important than comprehensive market coverage

• The position does not require extensive research

• The client is comfortable managing several recruitment suppliers

A retained search usually involves an agreed fee paid in stages, with the recruiter formally committed to completing a defined search process.

This is often more appropriate when:

• The appointment is senior or business-critical

• Suitable people are unlikely to apply to an advertisement

• Confidentiality is important

• The available candidate pool is limited

• A complete market map is required

• The role or remuneration package needs testing

• The search requires sustained direct approaches

• The client wants one recruiter to represent the opportunity consistently

Retained search should not simply mean paying part of a normal recruitment fee in advance.

The recruiter should clearly define what is included, such as:

• The briefing and search strategy

• Market mapping

• Candidate identification and direct approaches

• Progress reports

• Structured assessment

• Shortlist presentation

• Interview and offer management

• Replacement arrangements

Exclusivity can also be used without a fully retained fee structure. This gives one recruiter a defined period in which to conduct the assignment and can create greater accountability than a multi-agency approach.

The best model depends on the difficulty, seniority and urgency of the requirement. The recruiter should explain why a particular approach is recommended rather than automatically steering every client towards the same arrangement.

What Should Executive Search Fees Cover?

Executive search fees reflect more than the introduction of a CV.

A properly conducted assignment may involve weeks of research, confidential approaches, qualification calls, interviews, progress reporting and ongoing management of both the client and shortlisted candidates.

Fees may be calculated as:

• A percentage of the successful person’s basic salary

• A percentage of total first-year remuneration

• A fixed project fee

• A staged retained fee

• A combination of an initial engagement fee and a completion fee

Before agreeing terms, establish:

• How the fee is calculated

• When invoices will be issued

• Whether VAT and expenses are additional

• What happens if the role is withdrawn

• Whether the search can be paused

• Whether a replacement is offered if the appointment fails

• How long the replacement period lasts

• Whether any refund or credit arrangement applies

• Which candidate introductions are protected

• Whether there are restrictions arising from the recruiter’s other clients

The cheapest fee does not necessarily represent the best value.

A senior mis-hire can affect customer relationships, employee confidence, revenue, strategic progress and the credibility of the leadership team. Saving a relatively small amount on the search fee has little value if the process fails to identify or properly assess the right person.

However, a higher fee is not proof of a better service either.

The decision should be based on the recruiter’s relevant experience, proposed methodology, ability to represent your business and willingness to remain accountable throughout the assignment.

What Are the Warning Signs When Choosing an Executive Search Firm?

Most recruitment firms will present their capabilities positively, so it is important to look beyond the initial sales conversation.

Warning signs may include:

• Limited evidence of relevant senior appointments

• Vague explanations of how suitable people will be identified

• Heavy reliance on advertising and database searches

• Promises of an extensive shortlist before the market has been researched

• Unrealistic guarantees about timescales

• Little interest in your business strategy, culture or route to market

• Immediate agreement with every aspect of the brief

• Reluctance to discuss potential difficulties

• Poor understanding of automotive aftermarket terminology

• No clear assessment process

• Uncertainty about who will conduct the search

• Limited communication once the assignment begins

• A focus on sending CVs rather than evaluating suitability

• No discussion about candidate motivation or counteroffers

Be particularly cautious when a recruiter claims to have several ideal candidates ready before completing a detailed briefing.

They may know individuals who appear relevant, but genuine suitability cannot be established until the recruiter understands the role, business, culture, expectations and remuneration package.

An effective executive search partner should be confident without overpromising.

They should explain what they know, what still needs to be researched and where the main challenges are likely to arise.

How Should Confidentiality Be Managed?

Confidentiality is often essential during a senior appointment.

The existing role holder may not know that a replacement is being considered. A business may be planning a restructure, entering a new market or preparing for succession. Candidates may also be concerned about their current employer discovering that they are considering another opportunity.

The recruiter should agree with the client:

• What information can be shared during an initial approach

• When the company’s identity can be disclosed

• Which organisations or individuals must not be contacted

• Who within the client’s business knows about the search

• How candidate information will be stored and circulated

• Whether a non-disclosure agreement is required

• How interviews will be arranged discreetly

• How references will be managed

• When internal and external announcements can be made

Confidentiality should not prevent the recruiter from presenting the opportunity effectively.

Senior professionals will still need enough information to decide whether an initial conversation is worthwhile. The recruiter may therefore need to describe the size, ownership, market position, location and objectives of the business without identifying it immediately.

Once mutual interest has been established, further information can be released at the agreed stage.

Candidate confidentiality is equally important.

A recruiter should never approach a person’s current employer for a reference or disclose their interest without explicit permission. CVs and personal information should only be shared with the client after the individual has agreed to be represented.

Poor confidentiality can damage the reputations of the recruiter, client and candidate. It can also undermine confidence in the entire process.

How Long Should an Automotive Aftermarket Executive Search Take?

There is no single timescale that applies to every senior appointment.

The duration will depend on:

• The seniority and complexity of the role

• The size of the relevant candidate market

• The geographical requirements

• The level of sector knowledge required

• The competitiveness of the remuneration package

• The availability of decision-makers

• The number of interview stages

• Whether psychometric or technical assessments are used

• Candidate notice periods

• The possibility of counteroffers

• The urgency and confidentiality of the appointment

A recruiter should provide a realistic timetable after discussing the requirement.

The initial research and approach stage may take several weeks. Shortlisted candidates may then need time to attend interviews, meet other stakeholders and evaluate the opportunity properly.

Trying to compress every stage can create avoidable risks.

Suitable senior professionals often have demanding schedules. They may need to arrange confidential conversations outside working hours and are unlikely to make an important career decision after one short interview.

However, unnecessary delays can be equally damaging.

Strong candidates may lose confidence if feedback is slow, interview stages repeatedly change or key decision-makers are unavailable. They may also be involved in other recruitment processes.

Before the search begins, agree:

1. When the initial market feedback will be provided

2. When the shortlist is expected

3. Who will conduct each interview

4. How quickly feedback will be given

5. Whether additional assessments are required

6. Who has authority to approve an offer

7. How the recruiter will communicate progress

8. What will happen if the initial search produces limited results

The timetable may need to change as the search develops, but all parties should understand what is expected.

Regular communication is more useful than an unrealistic promise that a senior appointment will be completed by an arbitrary date.

What Information Should You Give the Executive Search Firm?

The quality of the search will depend partly on the quality of the briefing.

A job description alone is rarely sufficient for a senior automotive aftermarket appointment.

The recruiter should understand:

• Why the position is available

• What the successful person must achieve

• The company’s current commercial position

• Its plans for growth, change or succession

• The structure and capability of the existing team

• The customers, channels and product groups involved

• The reporting structure

• The level of authority attached to the role

• The leadership style of the owner, board or parent company

• Previous recruitment difficulties

• The salary, bonus and benefits available

• The location and travel expectations

• Any restrictions on approaching competitors

• The strongest reasons for joining the business

• Any concerns that candidates are likely to raise

Potential difficulties should not be hidden from the recruiter.

If the business has experienced high staff turnover, missed targets, internal conflict or unsuccessful previous appointments, this information will affect how candidates are assessed and how the opportunity should be presented.

The recruiter does not need to share every confidential detail during an initial approach. However, they do need enough information to avoid misleading people and to determine whether the appointment is likely to succeed.

Transparency also allows the recruiter to identify candidates who are genuinely comfortable with the challenge.

Some senior professionals are motivated by stable, well-established environments. Others are attracted by transformation, restructuring or the opportunity to build something new.

Neither preference is inherently better. The important point is to achieve alignment before an appointment is made.

How Can You Help the Search Succeed?

Appointing a specialist recruiter does not remove the client from the process.

The strongest results usually come from a partnership in which both sides communicate openly and meet their agreed responsibilities.

Clients can improve the likelihood of success by:

• Providing a detailed and honest briefing

• Agreeing the essential and desirable criteria

• Making decision-makers available

• Reviewing market feedback objectively

• Responding promptly to shortlisted candidates

• Giving clear interview feedback

• Avoiding unnecessary changes to the role

• Keeping the recruiter informed of internal developments

• Presenting the opportunity consistently

• Discussing concerns before they become obstacles

• Preparing a competitive offer

• Maintaining contact with the successful person during their notice period

Market feedback should be taken seriously.

If several credible individuals raise the same concern about salary, location, reporting structure or responsibilities, the problem may lie with the proposition rather than the candidate market.

This does not mean the client must accept every candidate request or alter the role immediately. It means the evidence should be considered before continuing with an unchanged strategy.

The recruiter should also remain accountable.

They should provide meaningful updates, explain the market response and recommend changes when necessary. Reporting that the search is “ongoing” is not enough.

A useful progress update should explain:

• Which parts of the market have been researched

• How many relevant people have been identified

• How many have been approached

• The level of response

• The reasons people have declined

• Any recurring concerns

• Which candidates remain under consideration

• What action will be taken next

This information helps the client make informed decisions and prevents problems from remaining hidden until the expected shortlist date.

Which Automotive Aftermarket Roles Can an Executive Search Firm Recruit?

Executive search can be used for a wide range of leadership and business-critical appointments across the automotive and commercial vehicle aftermarket.

These may include:

• Managing Director

• General Manager

• Commercial Director

• Sales Director

• Head of Sales

• National Sales Manager

• Operations Director

• Supply Chain Director

• Marketing Director

• Head of Marketing

• Product Director

• Head of Product

• Finance Director

• Technical Director

• Country Manager

• Business Unit Director

• Senior Key Account and business development leadership roles

The appropriate search method depends on more than the job title.

A difficult-to-fill specialist position may require just as much market research and direct approach activity as a board-level appointment. Equally, some senior roles may attract a strong response through a well-managed advertised and direct-search campaign.

The recruitment strategy should reflect the availability of relevant talent and the commercial importance of the appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an automotive aftermarket executive search firm?

An automotive aftermarket executive search firm specialises in identifying and assessing senior professionals for manufacturers, distributors and service providers operating within the aftermarket.

Unlike a general recruitment campaign, executive search normally includes market mapping and confidential direct approaches to people who may not be actively looking for another role.

Why use a specialist automotive aftermarket recruiter?

A specialist recruiter understands the sector’s products, customers, distribution channels and commercial relationships.

This helps them interpret the role accurately, identify relevant people and assess whether experience from another company or adjacent market is genuinely transferable.

Do executive search firms only recruit board directors?

No.

Executive search is commonly used for board and leadership appointments, but it can also be appropriate for specialist or business-critical positions where suitable people are scarce and unlikely to apply through advertising.

Will an executive search firm approach people working for competitors?

Potential candidates may be identified within competitors, adjacent product sectors or businesses serving similar customers.

Before approaches begin, the recruiter and client should agree which companies can be researched and whether any organisations or individuals must be excluded.

Does executive search guarantee an appointment?

No credible recruiter can guarantee that a particular person will accept a role.

A structured search should improve market coverage, assessment and process management, but the outcome will also depend on the strength of the opportunity, remuneration, interview process and decisions made by both parties.

The recruiter should explain any guarantees relating to their service, replacement arrangements or further search activity if the original appointment does not work out.

Is retained executive search better than contingent recruitment?

Neither model is automatically better in every situation.

Retained search is often suitable for senior, confidential or particularly difficult appointments requiring extensive research. Contingent recruitment may be appropriate where there is a broader active candidate market.

The important point is that the proposed method matches the requirement.

How many candidates should appear on an executive shortlist?

There is no ideal number that applies to every search.

A focused shortlist of three credible, well-assessed people may be more valuable than a longer list containing weaker matches. The recruiter should prioritise relevance and evidence rather than adding candidates to create the appearance of greater choice.

What happens if the original brief proves unrealistic?

The recruiter should provide evidence from the market and recommend appropriate changes.

This may involve reviewing the salary, location, reporting structure, required experience or balance between essential and desirable criteria.

Changing the brief in response to credible market information is not a failed search. Continuing with requirements that the evidence shows are unworkable is far more likely to cause failure.

Choosing the Right Automotive Aftermarket Executive Search Partner

The right executive search partner should bring more than access to a database.

They should understand your market, represent your business credibly, identify people beyond the active candidate pool and assess both capability and motivation.

They should also be willing to have difficult conversations.

That may mean challenging the salary, questioning whether every requirement is essential or explaining why a favoured candidate presents risks. Honest advice is part of the value of a specialist search partnership.

Before appointing a firm, consider:

• Its genuine automotive aftermarket knowledge

• Its experience of comparable appointments

• The person who will actually conduct the search

• Its market-mapping and direct-approach process

• How candidates will be assessed

• How your business will be represented

• The quality of its communication and reporting

• Its understanding of confidentiality

• Its fees, terms and replacement arrangements

• Whether it is prepared to provide realistic advice

JSL Solutions specialises in senior commercial and leadership recruitment for manufacturers and distributors across the industrial and automotive aftermarket.

Our sector experience allows us to understand the differences between products, customer groups and routes to market, while our direct-search approach helps us reach experienced professionals who may not be responding to job advertisements.

We work closely with clients to define the requirement, research the relevant market, approach suitable individuals and manage the process through interviews, offer negotiations and resignation.

If you are considering a senior appointment and would like an honest discussion about the available market, search strategy, likely timescale or remuneration, contact JSL Solutions.

A conversation at the beginning of the process can help determine whether the proposed brief is realistic and how the search should be structured before your opportunity is taken to market.

About the Author

Stewart Lupton is the co-founder of JSL Solutions and has worked within the automotive aftermarket since 1998.

Before establishing JSL Solutions in 2017, Stewart spent more than 18 years working for leading automotive component manufacturers, including senior commercial roles with responsibility for the UK and Ireland.

He now specialises in recruiting senior commercial and leadership professionals for manufacturers and distributors across the industrial and automotive aftermarket. His experience on both sides of the recruitment process gives him a practical understanding of the sector, the people within it and the challenges businesses face when making important appointments.