Interim Managing Director

Location: Paraguay

The situation:
A leading manufacturer required an overall turnaround of its operations in Paraguay and wanted to replace their existing MD with an Interim Executive to lead the process.

The main objective was an overall assessment of the business situation including status of the findings reported by the last audit. Based on these, the first priority was to ensure the maximum possible production area for the next production season.

The assignment included re-organisation of the company onsite productions team, renegotiation of  almost all existing contracts with producers/land owners (most of them with small plot of land, + 500 producers), negotiation of new contracts (larger producers) and a streamline of the technical and production support to producers.

The interim was also responsible for:

• Ensure full capability of the production operations for the harvest season, including overseeing the correct work-flow - from production site to the final export market in Asia.
• Overall assessment of the administrative structure – re-organisation of functions and work-flows
• Move the administrative office to a new site which offered a more efficient working environment
• Improve internal communication – alignment with Head Office strategic plan for the region

The solution:
Alium Partners LatAm provided a highly experienced agri-business executive with 20+ years of experience who was prepared to take-over the interim role in less than a week from contract negotiation. In summary, a white collar executive with blue collar boots on the ground experience. For efficiency, the process was managed entirely through Skype interviews with senior management in Europe and Asia. The executive successfully executed their strategies as agreed with the client and achieved the objectives within a seven month period.