Case study
Volac International Ltd.
Managing Director
Opportunity
Volac Forage and Additives, a newly established business within Volac International Ltd, focused on ruminant nutrition is experiencing rapid expansion across the UK, Ireland, Europe and the USA. Following an initial meeting with the Chair and Group CEO, Eden successfully won a competitive tender process and partnered with the Board to appoint a Managing Director to lead the Forage and Additives division.
My thanks to the direct involvement of David Macaulay and his team, we were able to move at speed to find a broad range of quality candidates each of whom were capable of doing the role. The meetings with Eden Search were well organised, and they took the time to fully understand the candidate brief and cultural fit.
When we met the candidates, they were all up to speed on business and role opportunity. I am pleased to say that the selected candidate has fitted in very well, implemented changes, and brings tangible value to the executive leadership at Volac.
David Neville, CEO, Volac
Our approach
After detailed discussions with the Chair, CEO and family shareholders, it was clear there was exciting, untapped growth opportunities for the business and their products within the global marketplace. Whilst growth was a clear objective, the business needed to establish its own leadership team, processes and culture as it moved to becoming a standalone business unit. .
Eden’s search identified of 80 potential candidates operating in animal nutrition market in the UK, Europe, North America and the Far East. The Head of Research led the engagement phase targeting candidates with significant experience and expertise in scaling a specialist nutrition business. The search placed particular emphasis on identifying candidates with entrepreneurial drive, a strong alignment with Volac leadership values, and the mindset to leverage the strengths of the wider Volac business. At the same time, the role required a leader capable of thriving with significant operational autonomy to shape and grown Volac’s Forage and Additives business.
The results
Eden’s comprehensive global search produced a shortlist of four highly qualified candidates, each with different but relevant experience leading specialist international animal nutrition and genetics companies. Following a rigorous process involving three stages of interviews and assessments, a standout candidate was appointed. With extensive industry expertise and proven leadership experience, the Managing Director is well positioned to drive Volac’s ambition to shape the thinking and unlock the full potential of ruminant nutrition across its international markets.