Ascentador

The company is a US $3 billion global financial services institution with US $2 trillion in assets under management. The organization has a highly complex matrix management structure and is ranked as one of the top three players in each market in which it operates. At the time our engagement was launched, the companys worldwide CEO had been in situ... for 90 days. As part of his elevation to the worldwide CEO role, our client established highly challenging performance objectives for the business, including a publicly articulated ambition to double the firms revenues within five years. Critical to achievement of this target was a dramatic increase in the firms performance in Asia, where four to five times growth in its current revenue would have to be achieved if it were to contribute its share to the overall business objectives. Incumbent leadership in the region was excellent (indeed, the executive in question was about to be tapped for a global role). But, the organization had, in fact, failed to fully leverage its global businesses across a number of key markets in the region, most notably by routinely failing to deliver an integrated product and services platform to its core clients. The client sought our counsel and support in moving the Asian business to the next level. Our Ascentador team conducted its proprietary Diagnostic discovery process with a broad and diverse group of executives in the company. These executives included worldwide business unit leaders, the incumbent Asia CEO, a series of senior HR professionals, and several operating executives in the field. Our team observed an organization that was undeniably doing the right things, and firing on all cylinders. Yet, the organizations leadership team members were quite homogenous and single minded in their perspectives, attitudes and backgrounds. Populated almost exclusively by successful Westerners, the Asia management team of the company comprised mainly long-tenured employees with deep ties to their counterparts at corporate headquarters in ...Read More