Appointing a Critical Regional Cybersecurity Officer at a Fortune Global 500 Company

The position had remained unfilled for over eight months despite extensive efforts from the in-house recruitment team. Candidates presented internally were either too senior for the role or too narrow in scope, failing to balance strategic and operational responsibilities.

This prolonged vacancy led to frustration from the hiring manager and a reluctant decision to seek assistance from an external talent partner. Meanwhile, the candidate market proved especially difficult: many professionals either sought purely strategic leadership roles or entirely technical, incident-driven positions. The company’s initial insistence on an on-site presence further reduced interest, as much of the cybersecurity talent pool expected remote flexibility.

Pacific International Executive Search was retained based on its track record of delivering difficult-to-fill strategic roles. From the outset, the team took a transparent and adaptive approach, acknowledging this wasn’t its specialised area but committing to deep market research and targeted headhunting.

Instead of relying on traditional networks, the team directly mapped the market and approached candidates with the right skillset and cultural potential. Recognising the communication style of cybersecurity professionals, Pacific’s team kept the outreach concise and digital-first, ensuring higher engagement.

A turning point came when, during the reference check, the firm identified a cultural misalignment in a seemingly strong candidate. By advising against moving forward, they earned the hiring manager’s trust and demonstrated a clear commitment to long-term business partnership over short-term win. They also guided the manager to adapt expectations around remote work and decision-making speed, aligning the hiring strategy with market realities to mitigate the risk of losing top talent.

Within a few months of engagement, Pacific’s team successfully secured and placed the right candidate, a professional with both the technical expertise and strategic mindset, as well as strong cultural alignment.

The hiring manager, initially sceptical of external search partners, became a strong advocate of Pacific’s ethical and efficient approach. He praised the team’s transparency, persistence, and ability to structure the process in a way that kept him engaged and accountable.

For the client, the successful hire meant alleviating the immediate burden on the cybersecurity team and providing long-term value by strengthening their overall security leadership. This project highlighted Pacific’s ability to succeed where traditional recruitment efforts had stalled, through adaptability, market insight, and a relentless focus on cultural and organisational fit, even in an unfamiliar field.