IRC Continues Asia Pacific Expansion

March 22, 2017 – IRC Global Executive Search Partners (IRC) has expanded in Korea with the addition of McKinney Consulting Inc. an executive search and leadership consulting firm based in Seoul.

Founder and president Steven B. McKinney, an American from North Carolina with extensive leadership, executive search and leadership coaching experience in Korea, established MicKinney Consulting in 2001. His six-member team has helped industrial, consumer, technology and other companies assess, develop and recruit their leaders.

“We are pleased to have such a strong representation in the strategic South Korea market,” said Patrick Westerburger, president of the IRC executive board. The country belongs to top 10 importers and exporters worldwide and is a major international technological powerhouse benefiting from the highly skilled workforce. We strongly believe that McKinney Consulting’s in-depth knowledge of the market will make a difference to our clients and provide them with superior local expertise combined with our global connections.”


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“Consumer products companies face a variety of challenges in Korea,” said Mr. McKinney. “Consumer and shopper behavior can be complex, while retail consolidation and emerging markets bring added competition. Multiple Free Trade Agreements taking effect at different stages also bring challenges and opportunities.”

Korea has over 70 percent of the global GDP covered under some form of a Free Trade Agreement, said Mr. McKinney. “Our clients require leaders that fit well with their corporate culture, Korean culture as well as the required technical skills, management and leadership traits to succeed.”

Seoul is the business and financial hub of South Korea. The traditional, labor-intensive manufacturing industries here have been continuously replaced by information technology, electronics and assembly-type industries. But food and beverage production, as well as printing and publishing, remain among the country’s core industries. Seoul hosts a large concentration of headquarters of international companies and banks, including 15 companies on the Fortune 500 list, including Samsung, LG and Hyundai.

Asia Pacific Growth

In response to increasing client needs, IRC has doubled its presence in APAC over the past five years. South Korea is now one of 12 strategic markets covered by the consortium’s partners in the region.

IRC recently named Gurdeep S. Hora as Asia Pacific regional leader. Mr. Hora founded IRC India (Synergy Consultants) in 1989 and is considered an executive search pioneer in India. He assists in the leadership needs of Fortune 500 & top Indian companies across India, Middle East & Africa. Mr. Hora has worked in many countries as CEO and COO, leading business operations as well as consulting for hundreds of plants and corporate offices around the world. He has been a member of the HR experts committee of many industry bodies, an invitee member of the prestigious IIT Senate, a past president of the IIT Alumni Association, and an advisor to many think tanks and business schools.

“Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region within our global alliance,” said Mr. Westerburger. “With our presence in 85 cities in 45 countries we’ll be able to attract the most talented leaders for our clients in every conceivable sector.” Under the leadership of Mr. Hora, he said, “IRC Global Executive Search Partners will keep expanding in the APAC region to more countries, thus ensuring that our clients stay ahead of their competition.”

With a growing roster of executive search firms across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia, IRC Global now has more than 300 executive search professionals in 80 offices across six continents.

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media

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