Three executives aged up to 45 were appointed to general manager positions after having accumulated almost 20 to 25 year experience in business.
Oana Ciornei, managing partner with executive search company Amrop Romania, says that the entire fast moving consumer goods industry saw changes that led to a significant transfer of know-how from expat managers to their local counterparts, which explains the high number of Romanian executives on general manager positions and on management positions abroad.
“I think this is a characteristic of the entire FMCG market and that is precisely because the transition from expat management to Romanian management has already taken place. I think it has happened in 80% of the FMCG industry and we will probably see it in other industries, as well,” Oana Ciornei says.
FrieslandCampina, which owns the Napolact brand in Romania, is the latest company to put a Romanian at the helm. Claudiu Caramizaru, who has been working for the company for almost five years, might become the first Romanian to run the local operations of FrieslandCampina as of January 1. The decision is to be made by the board at the end of this year. He will replace Dutch executive Jan Willem Kivits.
FrieslandCampina operates via three fiscal entities in Romania: FrieslandCampina Romania, Napolact and Industrializarea Laptelui Mures, which will merge to form a single entity. FrieslandCampina’s consolidated revenue in Romania stands at about EUR90 million.
Danone, the leading yogurt producer, in August appointed a Romanian executive. Adrian Pascu, 45, who also has international experience, is the first Romanian put in charge of the French group’s local operations. He replaced Dieter Schulz, whose three-year term ended. The company posted 456 million lei (about EUR100 million) revenue in 2014, down 5% on the previous year.
One of the first multinationals in the dairy industry that appointed a Romanian general manager was Hochland, which posted EUR49 million revenue last year. Hochland was run by Sergiu Mititelu for seven years until the end of 2013, when he was replaced by Sorin Timus, former sales manager and deputy general manager in the company.
The dairy industry is not the only one to bet on Romanian executives. US agricultural commodity trader Cargill appointed Vasile Varvaroi general manager of the Romanian subsidiary, which makes him the first Romanian executive in this position. The only beer multinational run by a Romanian is Bergenbier, with Lucian Ghinea appointed Bergenbier general manager in 2012 when he replaced Jens Hoesel.
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)