Behind the Strategy: Growth at a Global Brand

Venari Partners was engaged on a competitive brief to place an analytically minded senior strategy contractor with a global client seeking to optimise and transform a key offering. Discover how Senior Interim Consultant, Mhairi Geraghty, led a targeted and successful search.

The client

This is a leading travel organisation delivering market-leading experiences, loyalty and customer engagement  solutions for over 400 million end consumers globally. Following an internal review of one of its unique flagship offerings, the group’s leadership decided to continue this transformation project by engaging a specialist interim strategy manager, collaborating closely with the senior members of the strategy and C-suite team.

The brief

The client required an individual with an advanced strategy and analytical toolkit to oversee findings from the internal review. The selected candidate would be instrumental in creating a bespoke analytical tool to support long-term strategic planning and optimisation. Some of the core responsibilities included:

 

• Reviewing the location-based network of the client’s offering

• Conducting sophisticated strategic analysis and reporting

• Engaging with senior stakeholders across the business

• Create a narrative around the project outcomes with the view to shape robust commercial decisions

The ideal candidate

The organisation sought a strategist with analytical depth and strong interpersonal skills. Success demanded not just data fluency but the gravitas to influence senior decision makers. We sought an individual with proven experience in the travel industry to quickly adapt and get up to speed on the nuances of the project and considerations of the sector.

 

Our approach

Mhairi led the search, sharing a tailored shortlist within three business days. Aviation Director James Parker also joined the initial briefing due to Venari Partners’ longstanding expertise in travel and aviation.

While Mhairi is more than comfortable working at speed and delivering shortlists with fast turnarounds, she is resolute in searching for candidates that she is sure will meet the client’s needs. ‘I take a targeted approach when reviewing a brief,’ she says. ‘Even under tight deadlines, I make a point to think strategically about my network. I endeavour to adopt a holistic approach to a brief; and connect with people I genuinely believe are a strong fit for the role.’

Candidate evaluation

The nuanced brief allowed for multiple search routes. Mhairi presented a diverse list of candidates, including pure data and analytics specialists and strategy consultants with strong data backgrounds – both represented during the interview stages.

 

The successful hire

The client selected a former strategy consultant with deep data expertise, advanced modelling skills and prior experience in the travel sector. Notably, his background included work on a similar project for a major hub – further enhancing his suitability for the role.

 

The outcome

Now almost a month into the project, the interim consultant has quickly integrated into the team and added significant value, contributing strategic insights that are already shaping the organisation’s efforts at optimising this particular offering.

‘The speed with which Venari Partners were able to source a suitable shortlist of candidates was very impressive and extremely beneficial to the urgent timelines of the project. This demonstrated two important capabilities. Firstly, the depth and breadth of candidates in their network who possessed very specific skills and experiences that we required. And secondly, Mhairi’s in depth understanding of the brief and ability to match that against her network quickly. I will be looking for their support in future hires’