Recruiting a high calibre Head of Business Development for the Nigerian operations of fast-growing energy business, PowerGen Renewable Energy.
The Role
Head of Business Development, Nigeria
Location: Lagos
Sector: Power and Infrastructure
Service: Executive Search
ABOUT
PowerGen Renewable Energy is an innovative renewable energy company that designs, builds and operates the next generation of power and distribution projects or ‘power-grids’. It provides clean, affordable power to underserved communities both on and off the energy network and offers services to companies looking to generate their own renewable energy. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Kenya, the business operates in Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and DRC and has over 24,000 connections who benefit from 24/7 clean AC power.
THE CHALLENGE
The market opportunity for the supply of reliable renewable energy in Nigeria is substantial with homes and businesses across the country crying out for electricity to power their lives and livelihoods. PowerGen wished to dramatically accelerate the growth of its business in the country by increasing the number of rural power-grids it was operating and by developing strategic relationships with established utilities in what are known as ‘sub-franchise agreements’.
Millar Cameron was asked to find a high calibre Head of Business Development to lead the sales team. They needed to have a strong understanding of the energy sector and excellent strategic relationships with the established distribution companies. The sub-franchise market is a nascent one so the Head of Business Development would not only need to have the right contacts but would need to be able to develop new commercial constructs, building trust in the model with prospective clients and in PowerGen's ability to develop, build and operate effectively in this new market.
Our team had a great experience working with Tim and Hamish at Millar Cameron through a challenging search. They are knowledgeable about the market, provided strong candidates and led a very smooth process from end to end. We've just filled the role and we're already looking to engage Millar Cameron on another upcoming search.
OUR APPROACH
The energy sector in Africa, and in Nigeria in particular, is very dynamic with considerable demand for sales and project development skills in the renewables, off-grid and Commercial and Industrial (C&I) sub-sectors. As a result, Millar Cameron had to use its extensive networks in the industry, developed over the past 12 years of operating in this market, and combine these with a structured and methodical research approach to identify potential candidates. Our activities spanned power projects developers, off-grid and C&I energy EPC companies, original equipment vendors, power distribution companies as well as the energy regulator and renewable energy trade associations. This ensured thorough coverage of the relevant candidate market and proactively targeted individuals who were not actively job hunting.
Once we had identified relevant individuals from both our networking and research, we approached them to understand their potential interest in PowerGen and to qualify their suitability. We then interviewed the most relevant in detail and provided PowerGen with detailed interview reports on those we were recommending. We supported the candidates and PowerGen through the subsequent interview stages and the offer negotiations, referencing and onboarding.
Key to the whole process was communication both with our client and the candidates to ensure all parties had a smooth and engaging process.
THE OUTCOME
We presented a shortlist of five candidates to PowerGen and they appointed an excellent individual with a strong network within the Nigerian utilities, Regulator and Ministry of Energy. He had a track record in business development and general management, having set up and run several businesses of his own. He was also an experienced people manager with a strong reputation for ethical behaviour.
From the shortlist, PowerGen is also interviewing one of the candidates for a different position in the team, which if all goes well will result in two appointments from the same project.
The selection process with Tim & Hamish was highly professional and enriching. I had the best support from Tim, he communicated clearly what to expect in each round of my interview process and gave valuable insight and advice to ensure my interviews went perfectly. He has been very attentive and supportive throughout the process and that made it a significant, positive experience for me.
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