"February has been filled with strong collaboration across our offices and active participation in key industry events. Our Insights articles addressed current leadership challenges, including how technology and electrification are reshaping competition, why many senior leaders do not apply through traditional channels, and how leadership dynamics differ across Central and Eastern Europe. We were pleased to feature Olli Kilpi in our Employee Spotlight. With 25 years of leadership experience across FMCG, retail and the restaurant sector, Olli brings practical operational experience and a clear focus on people and performance.
In India, Dorota Cagiel represented Friisberg at the Economic Times Global Business Summit in Delhi, where discussions highlighted growing international interest in India as a long-term partner. She also attended the HR Conclave organised by the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce & Industry, sharing the view that AI should be treated as organisational redesign rather than simply a new tool. In the UK, Andrew Guy attended the Defence and Security Debate hosted by Insider Media, where leaders discussed developments in the defence and security sector". Zoltán Pethõ, Chair Friisberg.
Dorota Cagiel recently represented Friisberg at the The Economic Times Global Business Summit in Delhi, joining business leaders and policymakers from across the globe. Conversations both on stage and between sessions highlighted that there is a clear and growing global interest in India, not just as a market, but as a long-term partner.
Last week, at a very well-attended Defence Sector event near Birmingham organised and hosted by Insider Media, Andrew Guy of Friisberg UK met and mixed with business leaders from across the defence and aerospace supply chain. Andrew, who heads up Friisberg’s Defence Practice Group, and was one of the CBI’s SME Council members at its inception, was delighted to hear from the various representatives of Government at national and regional levels about UKDI’s (UK Defence Innovation) latest initiatives to drive the greater involvement of SMEs in the creation and provision of new technologies. The audience was also briefed on the timely formation of the DOSBG (Defence Office for Small Business Growth).
Most organisations still approach senior hiring as though it operates like every other type of recruitment. A role is defined, an advert goes live, applications arrive, and the strongest candidate is selected. It is neat, logical and familiar, and it is also almost entirely detached from how leadership talent actually moves. The reality is this. Your next CEO, Managing Director or critical functional leader is extremely unlikely to be applying for your role. In most cases, they are not looking at all.
At early and mid-career levels, advertising works because there are a healthy population of active candidates exploring options and responding to outreach. At senior level, the dynamic is fundamentally different. High-performing leaders are typically well compensated, deeply embedded in their organisations, leading major programmes or transformations, and highly visible to competitors. They are not scrolling job boards, they are running businesses.
There is also a human factor that often goes unspoken. By the time someone reaches executive or board level, career decisions stop being about incremental pay or title progression. They become about strategic impact, cultural fit, reputation risk, timing and legacy. Changing roles is a high-stakes decision, not a speculative one, which is why senior leaders rarely respond to generic outreach or public adverts.
Instead, movement happens through trusted conversations, a discreet call, a credible introduction and a thoughtful discussion about purpose and mandate rather than just a job description. In many cases, the opportunity did not exist in their mind until someone they respect made it visible. This is not recruitment marketing. It is advisory engagement.
Read the full article written by Lorri Lowe on our website here: Why the Best Leaders Never Apply - Friisberg & Partners International
This month we launched out ‘In the C-suite’ series where we spoke with a number of professionals that Friisberg has supported throughout their careers. The series shines a light on the different professionals and industries that we work with here at Friisberg. Head to our website to read their full interview: Insights & News - Friisberg & Partners International
We spoke with:
Olli Kilpi joined the Friisberg family in August 2025, bringing with him more than 25 years of leadership experience across FMCG, the restaurant business, and retail. On today’s dynamic leadership landscape: Olli notes that market volatility requires executives who are resilient, agile and empathetic. He says that leaders with a fixed agenda often struggle in environments shaped by rapid change, and that success increasingly depends on adaptability and clarity in communication.
When asked what makes a successful leadership team, Olli emphasises understanding the context, the company’s values, culture and strategic goals. While there isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” quality, he believes attitude stands out - a winning spirit, willingness to challenge oneself and an eagerness to keep learning.
Olli also shared a key tip for executives: at the end of the day, leadership is about people. No matter how strong a product or strategy, organisations cannot succeed without the right team around them - investing in, believing in and developing people is crucial.
Reflecting on his career transition, Olli points to his time at McDonald’s as foundational. He highlights that the company’s focus on people, combining long-tenured talent with fresh perspectives, taught him lots about hiring, developing and leading teams.
Read the full interview here: Employee Spotlight: Olli Kilpi - Friisberg & Partners International
Across CEE, an estimated 60 to 70% of senior leadership appointments are triggered by unplanned events rather than long term planning. Yet almost half of these appointments underperform or fail within 18 to 24 months. In most cases, this is not due to lack of capability, but because decisions are made with incomplete market insight.
Leadership markets in CEE are thin and relationship driven. In many countries, the realistic pool of board ready CEOs or CFOs numbers fewer than 30 to 40 individuals. Market mapping repeatedly shows that the same 10 to 15 profiles circulate across multiple shortlists, reinforcing familiarity while quietly reducing optionality.
The most effective leaders are rarely visible and almost never actively looking. They move quietly, through trust and timing rather than open processes. Without a structured and current view of the market, boards are forced to operate with partial information.
This is where leadership market mapping becomes a strategic discipline rather than a support function. Properly done, it is not about preparing to hire. It is about understanding how leadership power, influence and mobility actually function across a region.
Read the full article written by Nevena Nikolova on our website here: Leadership in CEE: - Friisberg & Partners International
We hope you enjoyed this month's edition of Inside Out.
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