Executive Search in Italy & Europe · since 2002 · Milan, Italy T +39 02 801012 · info@weareheadhunter.com · LinkedIn · Versione italiana - weareheadhunter.it
Executive Search · Italy & Europe · Since 2002

Your local partner for the Italian market — for transport, logistics & operations.
One single point of contact for searches in Italy and across Europe.

We help European, American and Asian companies find the right managers for Italy and Europe — Country Managers, Managing Directors, Logistics & Supply Chain Directors — through direct headhunting, full confidentiality and a search guarantee on every mandate.

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    Leader in ItalyLogistics & Supply Chain
    One single contactfor Italy & Europe
    100% confidentialno job ads, direct search
    Search guaranteeon every mandate
    24-hour proposalfast turnaround

    Who we are — an Italian executive search boutique for international companies

    Executive search in Logistics, Transport, Supply Chain, Operations & Manufacturing — from Milan, across Italy and Europe.

    we are headhunter is the specialised division of Exxecutive Srl offering executive search and headhunting services for the Logistics, Transport, Operations and Supply Chain sectors. We have been operating since 2002 under the authorisation of the Italian Ministry of Labour, and we are today a recognised leader on the Italian market, with search projects developed across Italy and Europe for both Italian companies and the leading multinationals of our sectors.

    Vertical specialisation

    We work exclusively in the logistics and operations value chain. We know the operators, the roles, the compensation levels and the market dynamics first-hand — international freight forwarding, contract logistics, transport, distribution — and this allows us to qualify candidates as only someone who lives this market every day can.

    Direct headhunting

    We do not wait for applications: we map the companies your ideal candidate must come from, activate our network and discreetly approach the best profiles currently employed by sector operators — including those not actively looking. No job ads, no inbound CV databases.

    Proprietary methods

    Every project is managed through our Market analysis Report — MaR™ — for the structured mapping of the candidate market, and with Exxecutive Intelligent Analysis — EIA™ — for the structured assessment of candidates. Nothing is left to chance.

    AI-proof, human-verified

    In a market where AI makes it easy to build or alter CVs, LinkedIn profiles and personal data, every candidate we present is interviewed, assessed and reference-checked in person by one of our Partners.

    Speed

    First presentation of candidates within 2-3 weeks from search kick-off, with constant progress updates. Your proposal within 24 hours from first contact.

    Cross-border search & local partner

    For international clients we are one single point of contact for searches in Italy and across Europe — one responsible partner able to manage manager search projects and support the opening of subsidiaries and new business lines at 360°. Discover the service →

    Our commitment: to deeply understand the client's need and to motivate the best resources of the market to change, bringing them to consider the client's professional proposal with genuine interest.

    Cross-border search & local partner — your local partner for the Italian market

    One single point of contact, responsible for the entire project — for European, American and Asian clients.

    The principle: one single direction for the whole of Europe

    For an international client — European, American, Chinese or from the Far East — the difficulty of a search in Europe is not only finding the right person: it is coordinating different contacts, languages, time zones, regulations and market practices country by country. Our cross-border service entrusts the entire project to one single responsible partner: one contract, one invoicing standard, one reporting standard, with MaR™ and EIA™ applied consistently in every country.

    Direction 1

    Managers in Italy for international clients

    A multinational entering or strengthening its presence in Italy needs managers who know the local market and act as a bridge between headquarters and the Italian operation. Our role: your single point of contact in Italy — direct knowledge of the market, competitors and local compensation, managed in your language and according to your processes.

    Direction 2

    Pan-European searches

    A client who needs to fill positions in several European countries entrusts one single mandate instead of coordinating multiple national providers. Our role: search across several markets with uniform method and reporting, evaluation criteria that are consistent and comparable between countries, and one single direction of the project.

    Why it works

    FlexibilityWe adapt to the client's processes, timing and standards, instead of imposing a rigid format.
    Value for moneyHigh-end service at competitive conditions compared to the large international networks.
    First-hand knowledgeDirect knowledge of the markets and sector dynamics in Italy and in Europe.
    Gateway for non-European clientsFor US and Asian clients, one single access point to the European market in their working language, with one contractual and reporting standard.

    Markets served: Germany · Switzerland · Austria → Italy  |  China → Italy & Europe  |  France · UK · Benelux → Italy  |  USA → Europe

    How we support companies entering Italy

    • Country Manager Italy search and assessment
    • Sales Manager and Sales Area Manager for the Italian market
    • Operations Manager for new Italian subsidiaries
    • Logistics and Supply Chain Manager for Italian distribution hubs
    • Cultural and operational coaching for the Italian business environment

    Why a specialised Italian headhunter matters

    We operate across the whole of Italy and throughout Europe, working since 2002 — under the authorisation of the Italian Ministry of Labour — for both Italian companies and the leading multinationals of our sectors. Our 22+ years of vertical specialisation mean we directly know, by name and reputation, the leading managers of the sector, including those not actively looking for new opportunities.

    This vertical network — combined with direct headhunting, a search guarantee on every mandate and a first presentation of candidates within 2-3 weeks — is what no generalist agency can replicate, and it is the reason why international companies entering the Italian market choose us as their headhunting partner.

    Our method — from Strategic Brief to guaranteed placement

    Every search is managed personally by a senior Partner, from the first briefing to onboarding.

    01 · Strategic Brief — structured advisory before the search

    Every search starts with a structured advisory phase with the client's management, led by the Partner responsible for the project: analysis of the position and its critical success factors, joint reading of the candidate market, definition of competences, attitudes and drivers of the ideal candidate, organisational placement, objectives and timing, compensation package hypothesis based on market benchmarks — all formalised in a shared job description, an integral part of the search project.

    02 · Working method — the phases of the search

    Market mapping

    Identification and study of the companies your ideal candidate must come from; activation of our network — former candidates, clients, sector managers — to collect qualified recommendations.

    Direct approach & opportunity presentation

    Discreet, professional contact with the best profiles in key roles at leading companies — including those not looking for a new job. The first contact is an employer-branding activity in your favour; where confidentiality requires it, without revealing the client's name.

    EIA™ assessment

    Structured one-to-one interview with our proprietary model — Exxecutive Intelligent Analysis: analysis of the professional history and assessment on five managerial dimensions, with a final structured judgement by a Partner.

    EIA™ is grounded in the Theory of Constraints developed by Eliyahu M. Goldratt — the same logic of flow management, bottlenecks and constraints that governs the world of logistics and operations every day.

    This gives our assessment a rigorous, sector-relevant framework: we evaluate how a manager identifies priorities under pressure, resolves conflicts and leads the system — not just what appears on their CV.

    MaR™ — Market analysis Report (Short List)

    Presentation of the candidate market and of the candidates in presentation: target companies, comparable data, compensation benchmark on request. First MaR™ within 2-3 weeks from kick-off.

    Interviews — fully managed agenda

    We organise and manage the full interview agenda between company and candidates, including invitations and video-conference links, and take part in the interviews on request.

    Verification & references

    For every candidate in presentation: professional references through direct conversations with referees, and verification of the declared professional history — roles, dates, companies, results.

    Offer & Letter of Intent

    Active support in negotiating the package, drafting of the Letter of Intent and informal presentation to the candidate before the formal offer — to resolve any reservations and make sure the offer you send is the offer that gets signed.

    Onboarding & guarantee

    We accompany the placed manager for the first 6 months, with structured interviews at 90 and 180 days and feedback to the client. If the placement ends negatively within 6 months, we extend the search for a further 90 days at no additional cost.

    Senior positions we recruit in Italy & Europe

    From senior managers to executive directors — vertical expertise in Logistics, Transport, Supply Chain, Operations & Manufacturing.

    • Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Italy
    • Managing Director Italy
    • General Manager Italy
    • Country Manager Italy
    • Chief Operating Officer (COO)
    • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Italy
    • Business Unit Director / Vice President
    • Non-Executive Director
    • Board Advisor — Italian market
    • Logistics Director Italy
    • Transport Director
    • Supply Chain Director
    • Distribution Director
    • Contract Logistics Director (3PL/4PL)
    • Freight Forwarding Branch Director
    • Air & Sea Freight Director
    • Road Transport Director
    • Warehouse & Fulfilment Director (automated facilities)
    • Fleet Director
    • Last-Mile & Parcel Operations Director
    • Customs & Trade Compliance Manager
    • Operations Director / Manager
    • Supply Chain Manager
    • Plant Manager / Site Director
    • S&OP Manager
    • Planning Director / Manager
    • Demand Planning Manager
    • Inventory & Network Manager
    • Engineering Manager
    • Maintenance Manager
    • Continuous Improvement / OpEx Director
    • HSE & Sustainability Director
    • Quality Director
    • Sales Director Italy
    • Commercial Director
    • Business Development Director — Logistics
    • Key Account Director
    • Sales Manager Italy
    • Area Manager Italy
    • Export Director / Manager
    • Tender & Contract Manager
    • Customer Service Director
    • Chief Procurement Officer (CPO)
    • Procurement Director / Manager
    • Strategic Sourcing Director
    • Indirect Procurement Manager
    • Category Director / Manager
    • Supplier Quality Manager
    • Freight forwarding & customs
    • Road, air, rail & sea freight
    • Express courier & parcel
    • Contract logistics & warehousing (3PL/4PL)
    • Cold chain & temperature-controlled
    • Industrial manufacturing with structured supply chain
    • Automotive & components
    • FMCG, food & beverage, consumer durables
    • Pharmaceutical & life sciences logistics
    • Retail & large-scale distribution

    News & insights on the Italian market

    Compensation trends, market moves and hiring insights for Logistics & Supply Chain in Italy.

    Executive Search Insights

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    Are you hiring in Italy or in Europe? Contact us

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