Case study: Recruiting multilingual KAMs for a progressive advertising company in the CEE region

Imagine the situation: You are a progressive advertising company specializing in building blueprints for brands to succeed on online marketplaces. As demand for your services grows, so does the need to strengthen your CEE hub with talented Key Account Managers. But not just any candidates — you need professionals with multilingual capabilities to support multiple countries, including those fluent in Chinese and German.

This was the challenge faced by our client. While the company’s innovative approach attracted interest from potential candidates, the language requirements and the need for cultural adaptability made the search particularly demanding.

The challenge: multilingual talent for a niche role

Recruiting for Key Account Manager roles is rarely straightforward, but in this case, the complexity was heightened due to several key factors:

Niche language requirements: The client required candidates fluent in both Chinese and German, a rare combination in the job market.

Regional scope: The candidates had to be able to support multiple CEE countries from a centralized hub.

Limited talent pool: Candidates with the required language skills, knowledge of e-commerce platforms, and a customer-first mindset were scarce.

Time constraints: The client had a clear growth trajectory and needed to fill the roles quickly to maintain momentum.

Given these obstacles, it was clear that relying on traditional recruitment methods like job postings would not be enough. Our approach required targeted executive search and a proactive, hands-on strategy to identify and engage with top talent.

Our solution: direct executive search for high-demand talent

Our experience recruiting multilingual specialists and our knowledge of the advertising and e-commerce sectors allowed us to design a highly targeted recruitment process. Our solution was based on the following key elements:

Precise role definition

We collaborated closely with the client to fully understand the role’s specific requirements, the languages needed, and the key success factors for a Key Account Manager in the CEE region.

We also explored the client’s company culture and values to ensure alignment with the profiles we selected.

Comprehensive market research

We analyzed the multilingual talent pool in the CEE region and beyond, focusing on identifying potential candidates with experience in advertising, digital marketing, or e-commerce.

We targeted industry-specific talent by identifying professionals working in similar roles within related sectors, including tech companies and e-commerce giants.

Direct search and outreach

Given the specificity of the language requirements, we engaged in a direct search approach, reaching out to 30 potential candidates through our professional network, industry databases, and online platforms.

Each week, we updated the client with a detailed progress report highlighting the candidates approached, their level of interest, and any challenges encountered.

Personalized candidate engagement

We held personalized one-on-one interviews with each potential candidate to assess not only their technical skills but also their motivation, cultural fit, and language proficiency.

We took a consultative approach, guiding candidates on how their skills could be a great fit for this unique role.

Client support and advisory role

Throughout the process, we offered the client advice on hiring strategy, particularly on how to position the role to make it more appealing to top talent.

We worked with the client to clarify salary expectations, relocation support (if applicable), and the onboarding process to ensure smooth integration of new hires.

The result: two top multilingual hires who accelerated regional growth

Thanks to our tailored approach, we successfully filled both Key Account Manager positions with high-performing, multilingual candidates. One hire was a German-speaking Key Account Manager with a strong background in e-commerce account management, and the other was a Chinese-speaking Key Account Manager with experience supporting international brands on online marketplaces.

The new hires quickly adapted to their roles and began supporting client operations in multiple CEE countries, driving brand success on key online marketplaces. The client praised the speed, precision, and transparency of our process.

Key takeaways

When faced with a need for multilingual talent, traditional methods are often insufficient. By using a direct executive search approach, we were able to overcome the challenges of niche language requirements and a limited talent pool. Our process ensured that our client not only filled the roles but did so with top-tier candidates who added immediate value.

Do you need to recruit rare profiles with specific language skills?
With our experience in executive search for multilingual roles, we can help you find the right talent, even when the market is tight.

Contact us today to learn how we can support your next strategic hire.